Borderline personality disorder

Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is a <a href="/facts/Personality_disorder/SxFnlSEW">personality disorder</a> characterized by a pervasive, long-term pattern of significant <a href="/facts/Interpersonal_relationship/rxgcYdBC">interpersonal relationship</a> instability, an acute fear of <a href="/facts/Abandonment_(emotional)/jgweM4P5">abandonment</a>, and intense <a href="/facts/Emotional_response/kvAr22wa">emotional outbursts</a>. People diagnosed with BPD frequently exhibit <a href="/facts/Self-harm/CKkaTnjK">self-harming</a> behaviours and engage in risky activities, primarily due to <a href="/facts/Emotional_dysregulation/lyXjLExE">challenges regulating emotional states</a> to a healthy, stable baseline. Symptoms such as <a href="/facts/Dissociation_(psychology)/MX81IGk3">dissociation</a> (a feeling of <a href="/facts/Emotional_detachment/0Ym1LMh7">detachment</a> from reality), a pervasive sense of <a href="/facts/Emptiness/UScqCMr9">emptiness</a>, and distorted <a href="/facts/Sense_of_self/Be0PEJAl">sense of self</a> are prevalent among those affected.
The onset of BPD symptoms can be triggered by events that others might perceive as normal, with the disorder typically manifesting in early adulthood and persisting across diverse contexts. BPD is often <a href="/facts/Comorbidity/tX5TvuKJ">comorbid</a> with <a href="/facts/Substance_use_disorder/pSbdzb6a">substance use disorders</a>, <a href="/facts/Depressive_disorders/Y0Mjq3QR">depressive disorders</a>, and <a href="/facts/Eating_disorder/3GwQ71sD">eating disorders</a>. BPD is associated with a substantial risk of <a href="/facts/Suicide/j92cWcay">suicide</a>; studies estimated that up to 10 percent of people with BPD die by suicide. Despite its severity, BPD faces significant stigmatization in both media portrayals and the psychiatric field, potentially leading to underdiagnosis and insufficient treatment.
The causes of BPD are unclear and complex, implicating genetic, neurological, and psychosocial conditions in its development. The current hypothesis suggests BPD to be caused by an interaction between genetic factors and <a href="/facts/Adverse_childhood_experiences/v7eRhPCV">adverse childhood experiences</a>. BPD is significantly more common in people with a family history of BPD, particularly immediate relatives, suggesting a possible <a href="/facts/Genetic_predisposition/rQkzYCYv">genetic predisposition</a>. The American <a href="/facts/Diagnostic_and_Statistical_Manual_of_Mental_Disorders/pJ29wFmm">Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders</a> (DSM) classifies BPD in <a href="/facts/Cluster_B/Axld8Cux">cluster B</a> ("dramatic, emotional, or erratic" PDs) among <a href="/facts/Personality_disorders/SxFnlSEW">personality disorders</a>. There is a risk of <a href="/facts/Misdiagnosis/1RyM0bdK">misdiagnosis</a>, with BPD most commonly confused with a <a href="/facts/Mood_disorder/Y0Mjq3QR">mood disorder</a>, <a href="/facts/Substance_use_disorders/pSbdzb6a">substance use disorder</a>, or other mental health disorders.
Therapeutic interventions for BPD predominantly involve <a href="/facts/Psychotherapy/n2hDjaop">psychotherapy</a>, with <a href="/facts/Dialectical_behavior_therapy/jRwS2zQR">dialectical behavior therapy</a> (DBT) and <a href="/facts/Schema_therapy/Ej4FPfb9">schema therapy</a> the most effective modalities. Although <a href="/facts/Pharmacotherapy/bEX4Xo3y">pharmacotherapy</a> cannot cure BPD, it may be employed to mitigate associated symptoms, with <a href="/facts/Atypical_antipsychotic/PQYUYXMu">atypical antipsychotics</a> (e.g., <a href="/facts/Quetiapine/hI3hPqEH">Quetiapine</a>) and <a href="/facts/Selective_serotonin_reuptake_inhibitor/L6jjcmEH">selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor</a> (SSRI) antidepressants commonly being prescribed, though their efficacy is unclear. A 2020 meta-analysis found the use of medications was still unsupported by evidence.
BPD has a <a href="/facts/Point_prevalence/6UTuTGTH">point prevalence</a> of 1.6% and a <a href="/facts/Lifetime_prevalence/6UTuTGTH">lifetime prevalence</a> of 5.9% of the global population, with a higher <a href="/facts/Incidence_rate/2BB3FlBK">incidence rate</a> among women compared to men in the clinical setting of up to three times. Despite the high utilization of healthcare resources by people with BPD, up to half may show significant improvement over a ten-year period with appropriate treatment. The name of the disorder, particularly the suitability of the term borderline, is a subject of ongoing debate. Initially, the term reflected historical ideas of borderline insanity and later described patients on the border between <a href="/facts/Neurosis/7yWMUTXk">neurosis</a> and <a href="/facts/Psychosis/cVGd7MKK">psychosis</a>. These interpretations are now regarded as outdated and clinically imprecise.

Borderline personality disorder open-in-new

Borderline personality disorder