BPD: More Than Just Mood Swings
According to the National Institute of Mental Health, BPD consists of patterns of unstable behavior, mood, and self-image, which can lead to problems with relationships, and committing dangerous or impulsive acts. For instance, people struggling with this disorder may experience sudden changes in mood or their opinions of other people, and as a result tend to go through instability in relationships or frequent changes regarding their interests and opinions. Some other common symptoms of BPD include, but are not limited to: desperate efforts to avoid abandonment, self harming behavior, suicidal thoughts, problems controlling anger, and difficulty trusting others. The causes of BPD are not clear, but researchers hypothesize that both genetics and one’s environment play important roles in the development of this disorder.
While more common illnesses such as depression and anxiety can be treated to a certain extent by medication and counselling, BPD is far more difficult to treat. As the aspects of this disorder are often intertwined into one’s personality, and a person’s symptoms are much more difficult to treat, as personality disorders tend to be quite resistant to change. That being said, a happy, healthy life can still be achieved with the proper treatment. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, certain forms of psychotherapy have shown to be effective regarding emotional regulation, improvement of relationships, and a reduction of self-destructive behaviors. Medications, as well, may assist in treating any comorbidities present alongside BPD, such as depression and mood swings.
In my opinion, those with personality disorders such as BPD are often misunderstood. Someone who is unfamiliar with BPD might assume that this person is misbehaving on purpose, not that they are suffering with an illness. These people may be described as “attention seeking”, “erratic”, or even “crazy”. Most of the time, the general public forms these opinions based on what they see in the media, or anecdotal cases they hear about through their grapevine. Public perception of BPD is very skewed and inaccurate, and what I want readers to know is that those with BPD are so much more than their illness. BPD is not simply mood swings and sporadic behavior. They should not be written off as fragile, unpredictable, or unable to live a happy, fulfilling life. This is no fault of their character, but is due to an illness that they are not in control of. By getting the proper counselling and support, those with BPD can hopefully begin their journey to becoming the person they wish to be in the future, without their diagnosis limiting any of that. As clinicians and researchers continue looking into how to better the lives of those with personality disorders, options for treatment and hope for the future are looking brighter every day.
Sources:
Borderline Personality Disorder. CMHA British Columbia. (n.d.). https://cmha.bc.ca/documents/borderline-personality-disorder-2/#:~:text=9-,Who%20does%20it%20affect%3F,affect%20more%20women%20than%20men.&text=9-,Who%20does%20it%20affect%3F,affect%20more%20women%20than%20men.
Piers, M. (2020, June 15). Home. National Education Alliance for Borderline Personality Disorder. https://www.borderlinepersonalitydisorder.org/.
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (n.d.). Borderline Personality Disorder. National Institute of Mental Health. https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/borderline-personality-disorder/.
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