Picture Reference: https://www.bost.org/what-is-borderline-personality-disorder/
According to NIMH, Borderline Personality Disorder or BPD is a mental illness that severely impacts one’s ability to regulate emotions (NIMH, 2022). People that’s suffering from BPD can experience extreme mood swings and feel uncertain about themselves. They tend to view things in a more extreme way and their interests, values, likes, and dislikes could change quickly due to the feeling swings from closeness to hatred. Losing the ability to control feelings could lead to an increase in impulse thoughts and negative effects on maintaining relationships, unstable mental states, and serious emotional pains.
In the report of Adolescent Health, Medicine, and Therapeutics, "The Prevalence of BPD,” about 3% of the teen population is suffering from the illness (Sandstone, 2022). The research from Sandstone care also states that one in every ten adolescents seeking mental health treatment has BPD and about eight in ten adolescents who were sent to the emergency room due to their self-harm behaviors are BPD patients.
Below are some of the common signs and symptoms of BPD in teens. Since there are existing treatments that are available for Borderline Personality Disorder patients, it’s necessary to check up with your doctor if you have experienced these symptoms.
Imagined or real fear of being abandoned
Unstable relationships, extreme swings between being clingy and detachment from a person
Rapid changes in life goals and values
Sudden lack of self-identity, self-image, or passion
Impulsive behavior such as reckless driving (NIMH, 2022), physically, mentally, or verbally abusing yourself or others
Destructive behaviors, include ending healthy relationships (NIMH, 2022), or quitting hobbies you used to like.
Intense mood swings, including uncontrollable anger and annoyment, chronic feelings of sadness, emptiness, overwhelmingness and it’s hard to calm down (NIMH, 2022)
Suicidal behavior and self-harm actions (NIMH, 2022)
Besides the common symptoms of BPD, there are also some uncommon signs of borderline personality disorder that people often ignore or get misdiagnosed with PTSD or depression (The Ranch TN, 2017).
Memories that are biased, meaning it’s based on present feelings instead of facts
Emotional amnesia, which means they focused more on the present feelings of someone than how the person acts in reality.
Have food habits that are strongly similar to bulimia or anorexia patients, meaning they could eat over an amount of food or eat too less, or they could also swing between two symptoms (The Ranch TN, 2017).
Experience mood alternations that are closely similar to depression, this could include major depression or less severe forms of depression (The Ranch TN, 2017).
Experience impulsive thoughts
Chronic panic attacks or anxiety
Get involved in alcohol or other forms of drug addiction (The Ranch TN, 2017).
Of course, the symptoms of BPD will be different for each BPD patient. According to Sandra Meyer, a patient that’s diagnosed with BPD (Meyer, 2020), other unknown signs could include:
Considering things that aren’t positive as unfavorable, being too extreme in things
Over sensitive and require reassurance frequently
Having difficulties trusting people
Highly reactive to any signs of rejection
Commitment issues, fear of committing long-term relationship
Frequent feelings of insecure
“I get no joy or pleasure from hurting or upsetting other people. I just want to be wanted and appreciated.” (Meyer, 2020). Meyer said at the end of the post, it’s important to understand that diagnosing mental health issues is never a choice for any person, it’s essential to remember to treat patients that are suffering from BPD with more patience and empathy. On the opposite, if you are currently struggling with BPD or suspect yourself as a BPD patient, it’s necessary to have a check-up with doctors and remember to don’t be too hard on yourself.
Work Cited
“BPD in Teenagers: 7 Things You Need to Know about Borderline Personality
Disorder and Your Teen.” Sandstone Care, 29 Jan. 2022,
https://www.sandstonecare.com/blog/bpd-in-teenagers-7-things-you-need-
to-know-about-borderline-personality-disorder-and-your-teen.
The Ranch TN. “Uncommon Symptoms of Borderline Personality Disorder.” The
Ranch TN, 31 Jan. 2017, https://www.recoveryranch.com/addiction-
blog/uncommon-symptoms-of-borderline-personality-disorder/.
NIMH. “Borderline Personality Disorder.” National Institute of Mental Health, U.S.
Department of Health and Human Services, Apr. 2022,
https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/borderline-personality-disorder.
Meyer, Sarah. “What Are the Most Disturbing Facts about Living with Borderline .”
Quora, 2020, https://www.quora.com/What-are-the-most-disturbing-facts-
about-living-with-borderline-personality-that-most-people-do-not-know.
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