Borderline Personality Disorder is a mental disorder characterized by unstable moods, behaviors, and relationships. The first diagnosis of borderline personality disorder was developed in 1938 by Adolph Stern. He published an article which described the symptoms of borderline personality disorder in detail, suggests the cause of the disorder, lists the most effective type of psychotherapy, and finally, names the disorder after the patients he referred to as “the border line group” (Friedel, 2018). Although borderline personality disorder is not frequently talked about, it is more common than one may believe. Studies show that about 5.9% of the US population have been diagnosed with borderline personality disorder. Within this study, 53% of
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These symptoms include fear of abandonment, unstable relationships, unstable self-image, impulsive behavior such as spending, sex, drugs and alcohol, binge eating, suicidal behavior and threats, self-mutilation, unstable moods, feelings of emptiness, difficulty controlling anger, stress, and having paranoid thoughts (Harvard Health Publishing, 2006). Someone who displays multiple of these symptoms would likely be correctly diagnosed with borderline personality disorder or accidentally misdiagnosed with a disorder that is comparable. Some disorder or diseases that are similar to borderline personality disorder would be bipolar disorder, major depression, posttraumatic stress disorder, and anxiety disorders (Harvard Health Publishing, 2006). These disorders would present many of the same symptoms as borderline personality disorder which could easily lead to a misdiagnosis. When a patient has borderline personality disorder, it is likely that they develop other disorders alongside this one. Some other disorders that patients may also suffer from include eating disorders and substance use (NAMI, 2017). An example of someone’s experience with this disorder would be Jordan’s case. Growing up, Jordan was easily upset and hard to comfort. Her parents thought she would grow out of it, but she never did. She developed severe separation anxiety. She became angry, kept yelling at her parents, started engaging in impulsive behaviors, and developed mood swings, intense rage, and began self-harming herself (all signs of borderline personality disorder). Her parents finally knew that it was time to find help. After speaking to a psychiatrist about her symptoms, Jordan was misdiagnosed with bipolar disorder, a disorder similar to borderline personality disorder, and was prescribed mood-stabilizing medications. After reading up on bipolar disorder, Jordan’s parents realized the diagnosis wasn’t right. They began
These symptoms include fear of abandonment, unstable relationships, unstable self-image, impulsive behavior such as spending, sex, drugs and alcohol, binge eating, suicidal behavior and threats, self-mutilation, unstable moods, feelings of emptiness, difficulty controlling anger, stress, and having paranoid thoughts (Harvard Health Publishing, 2006). Someone who displays multiple of these symptoms would likely be correctly diagnosed with borderline personality disorder or accidentally misdiagnosed with a disorder that is comparable. Some disorder or diseases that are similar to borderline personality disorder would be bipolar disorder, major depression, posttraumatic stress disorder, and anxiety disorders (Harvard Health Publishing, 2006). These disorders would present many of the same symptoms as borderline personality disorder which could easily lead to a misdiagnosis. When a patient has borderline personality disorder, it is likely that they develop other disorders alongside this one. Some other disorders that patients may also suffer from include eating disorders and substance use (NAMI, 2017). An example of someone’s experience with this disorder would be Jordan’s case. Growing up, Jordan was easily upset and hard to comfort. Her parents thought she would grow out of it, but she never did. She developed severe separation anxiety. She became angry, kept yelling at her parents, started engaging in impulsive behaviors, and developed mood swings, intense rage, and began self-harming herself (all signs of borderline personality disorder). Her parents finally knew that it was time to find help. After speaking to a psychiatrist about her symptoms, Jordan was misdiagnosed with bipolar disorder, a disorder similar to borderline personality disorder, and was prescribed mood-stabilizing medications. After reading up on bipolar disorder, Jordan’s parents realized the diagnosis wasn’t right. They began