BPD Quiz

Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) Quiz

According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, borderline personality disorder (BPD) affects about 1.4% of the adult population. BPD typically emerges in the late teen or early adult years and effects more women than men.

What is Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD)?

BPD features extreme emotional displays and general emotional instability. Underlying these tendencies is a deep fear of abandonment, low self-esteem, and the sense that one is unworthy of love.

These traits come together and cause the person to take extreme measures in order to avoid the imagined upcoming abandonment. The irrational behaviors and moodiness that are characteristic of BPD can lead to problems in relationships, both romantic and social.

Symptoms of BPD

BPD commonly co-occurs with bipolar disorder, depression, anxiety disorder, and substance use disorder. Because of this, doctors are often challenged when diagnosing this complex personality disorder because many of the symptoms cross over.

Classic symptoms of BPD include:

Compulsive behaviors, such as self-harm, substance abuse, and risky sex
Low self-esteem
Feelings of emptiness
Intense fear of abandonment
Suicidal thoughts

The Four Subtypes of BPD

Discouraged Personality Disorder
Individuals with the discouraged subtype, tend to be clingy and needy, as well as highly dependent on their family members. Other traits include paranoia, feelings of abandonment, a passive nature, coexisting substance abuse, and suicidal ideation.
Impulsive Personality Disorder
Those diagnosed with impulsive personality disorder often possess charismatic, magnetic, and flirtatious personalities. They enjoy being the center of attention and tend to be adventurous. Impulsive personality disorder often co-occurs with alcohol use disorder.
Petulant Borderline
The petulant borderline subtype features a fiery temper, impatience, and tends to be controlling and manipulative. They are often described as passive-aggressive. At the core of the petulant personality disorder, the person feels unloved or unworthy of love.
Self-Destructive Borderline
Those diagnosed with self-destructive BPD tend to harbor intense feelings of self-loathing. This manifests itself in depression, self-harming, suicidal behaviors, and substance abuse. They also engage in impulsive, high-risk behaviors, such as reckless driving and unsafe sexual practices.

What Causes BPD?

Although the cause of BPD is not fully understood, so of the risk factors include:

Family history
Someone that has a close family member diagnosed with BPD may be at an increased risk of developing the disorder.
Brain-related factors
Brain imaging studies reveal abnormal structures and functions in the limbic region, which is where impulse control and emotion regulation occur.
Environmental and social
Having a history of trauma, abandonment, abuse, adversity, or family dysfunction may be risk factors.

Treatment for BPD

Early diagnosis and intervention offers the most promising treatment outcomes. Treatment for BPD includes:

Psychotherapy
Evidence-based psychotherapies include DBT, CBT, , schema-focused therapy, mentalization-based therapy (MBT), and acceptance and commitment therapy.
Group therapy
Group therapy sessions provide an opportunity to put new DBT skills CBT techniques to work.
Medication
There are drugs specific to treating borderline personality disorder. However, some drugs can help manage the symptoms, such as antipsychotics, mood stabilizers, and antidepressants.
Holistic
Certain holistic methods can help regulate emotions and reduce stress. These include mindfulness, yoga, guided meditation, or massage.