Borderline Personality Disorder
What is Borderline Personality Disorder? Personality disorders affect about 10% of the generalpopulation. This group of mental disorders is defined bymaladaptive personality characteristics that have aconsistent and serious effect on work and interpersonalrelationships. DSM-IV defines ten categories of personalitydisorder. Of these, Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) isthe most frequent in clinical practice. BPD is also one ofthe most difficult and troubling problems in all of The term "borderline" is a misnomer. These patientswere first described sixty years ago by psychoanalysts whonoted they did poorly in treatment, and therefore theorizedthat this is a form of pathology lying on the border between Although we no longer believe that patients with BPDhave an underlying psychosis, the name "borderline" hasstuck. A much more descriptive label would be "emotionally
However, it would be incorrect to link this disorder to anyone type of parent-child interaction. Finally, BPD may be complicated by brief psychotic episodes. Selective serotonin reuptakeinhibitors like Prozac (fluoxetine) may result in lessimpulsivity, less anger, and more stable moods. Their emotional life is a kind ofrollercoaster. Some studies havefound that neglect is at least as common. Low levels of serotonin appearrelated to more impulsive and destructive behavior. With sophisticated testing, they areconsistently found to have higher rates ofneuropsychological abnormalities. In other words, normal levels of this brainchemical inhibit impulsive aggression directed either atoneself or other people. We oftensee these patients in the emergency room, coming in with anoverdose or a slashed wrist following a disappointment or aquarrel. Some studies have shown thatparents may have difficulty allowing their child to grow upand become separate. Prior physical and verbal abuse also appearslinked to higher rates of occurrence. , frequent displays of temper, constant anger, recurrent physical fights)9) transient, stress related paranoia or severe dissociative symptomsEtiology In the past decade, research has focused on theunderlying causes of this disorder. Thus, borderline patients show a wide range ofimpulsive behaviors, particularly those that are selfdestructive. Although no one causehas been identified, several factors appear to contribute.
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