Dangers of Borderline personality disorder (BPD)

One minute you’re happy, the next minute you’re sad, your mood constantly changes, you have constant mood swings and you flare up at the slightest things when done wrong. Somedays, you don’t even feel anything, just lifeless and numb.

Dear kind person, if this is you, then you may be suffering from Borderline Personality Disorder(BPD). But do not worry. You are not alone. It is a personality disorder that impacts the way you think and feel about yourself and others.

However, if properly and professionally managed, you can live a normal life.

CAUSES OF BPD

Just like some other mental health disorders, the causes of borderline personality disorder aren't fully understood. In addition to environmental factors such as a history of child abuse or neglect, borderline personality disorder may be linked to:

• Brain abnormalities: People diagnosed with BPD, may have problems with the neurotransmitters in the brain. Particularly Serotonin. This plays a major part in mood swings.

• Childhood abuse and trauma: Up to 70% of people living BPD have experienced sexual, emotional or physical abuse as a child. Maternal separation, poor maternal attachment and inappropriate family boundaries are also associated with BPD.

• Genetics: If there is a history of BPD in a family, there is a risk of it being genetic. If you have a family history of BPD, you’re more likely but not guaranteed to develop the condition.

SYMPTOMS OF BPD.

The symptoms of Borderline personality disorder may vary for different individuals. Its effect is very intense in some people, mildly intense in most and barely intense in others.

Regardless, there are nine major symptoms that guide the process of diagnosis but a person is only diagnosed with BPD if they show at least five of the nine symptoms and these symptoms must have been exhibited for a few years at least.

1. IMPULSIVE AND EXPLOSIVE BEHAVIORS

People with BPD are prone to engaging in activities that are dangerous for them like binge eating, thievery, impulsive spending, reckless driving and the likes of it.

2. SELF-HARM

They may engage in self-harm but, they do it without any intent to commit suicide. Although, they can also make suicidal gestures and attempts but, they are very conscious of not killing themselves.

3. UNSTABLE RELATIONSHIPS

People with BPD are fickle with their emotions and they have a hard time controlling it. They fall in love as quickly as they fall out of it because they do not have standards, so they think everyone is the best fit for them.

4. FEAR OF ABANDONMENT

These people hate being left alone or ignored. Even a few moments of lateness is enough to rile them up and make them panic. They are likely to take extreme steps to keep the people they want around them.

5. SHAKY SELF-IMAGE

With BPD, you're almost always unsure about how you perceive yourself. You may love yourself this moment and hate yourself in the next because you do not know who you are and what you want from life. These attributes will leave you indecisive and emotionally unbalanced.

6. WILD ANGER

When you have BPD, wild anger is nothing short of normal because you are simply as explosive as a bomb, maybe even more. Interestingly, your anger is not only directed to other people but also to yourself.

7. PARANOIA

People with BPD are no strangers to the feeling of distrust and suspicion. These two emotions combined with fatigue will make a person with BPD detached from themselves and reality.

8. DEEP FEELINGS OF EMPTINESS

There's always a void in the heart of sufferers of BPD. Sometimes, they feel empty because they think nobody wants them and they struggle with wanting themselves. It gets so severe that they try to fill that void with things like drugs, food, sex, clothes amongst others but, they things are only satisfying at the moment as they always leave them hungry for more.

9. EXTREME MOOD SWINGS

Their moods are as unstable as their emotions but, they are not as severe as those of Bipolar disorder because unlike the long-lasting mood of Bipolar disorder, BPD mood changes pass very quickly and do not last more than a few minutes.

DANGERS OF LEAVING BPD UNTREATED.

Give a thought to how wild and dangerous an untamed lion is, now multiply that by four. That is just an estimate of how dangerous BPD could make its sufferer if left untreated. Sufferers are likely to become dangerous to themselves as well as others.

Furthermore, overthinking is just like a second skin for a person living with BPD and if left unattended to, their thoughts will run wild and make them more paranoid, flighty and fearful of abandonment.

It is also very possible for an untreated case of BPD to slowly magnify into Dissociative Identity Disorder(DID) because of the deep-seated insecurities and detachment from reality they may feel.

To be frank, there are no better ways to manage BPD than to consult a professional because it'll only get worse and may morph into more dangerous disorders if left untreated. So, you have to make the big choice and consult a professional today.

We at EmpathySpace got you and we are a safe place. Get in contact with us today and let us help you.