Borderline Personality Disorder | SA Health (2024)

FAQs

What is the average lifespan of someone with borderline personality disorder? ›

The effects of untreated borderline personality disorder (BPD) can be devastating. For example, the physical and mental health impact of this disorder is so severe that life expectancy among people who have BPD is about 20 years less than the national average.

Borderline personality disorder is one of the most painful mental illnesses since individuals struggling with this disorder are constantly trying to cope with volatile and overwhelming emotions.

A BPD diagnosis doesn't mean that someone will live with symptoms forever. With treatment, the symptoms ebb and flow. Many people with the condition can have high-functioning lives.

About 8% to 10% of people with BPD die by suicide. Many people with untreated BPD also experience unstable or chaotic personal relationships and have trouble keeping a job. They have an increased risk of divorce, estrangement from family members and rocky friendships. Legal and financial problems are also common.

BPD symptoms often start to emerge in early adolescence. 5 Symptoms may worsen through adolescence, particularly if risk factors like low socioeconomic status, stressful life events, family adversity, and exposure to abuse are present.

It is commonly believed that some features of borderline personality disorder improve as individuals reach their late 30s and 40s.

Most borderlines, until and unless they have substantial and successful therapy are not consciously aware of what I am describing here. Some are totally oblivious to their behavior. Some see their behavior as a means to an end and take little to no responsibility for it or any of its consequences.

Often individuals diagnosed with BPD are preoccupied with real or imagined abandonment, which they frantically try to avoid. The perception of impending separation or rejection can lead to profound changes in the way they think about themselves and others, as well as in their emotional stability and behavior.

The intensity of symptoms can vary widely in both disorders, but the intensity of BPD symptoms can be more pervasive and potentially last longer than BD symptoms. Both diagnoses are associated with suicidal behavior, but people with BPD will often engage in self-harm without suicidal intentions.

People with high-functioning BPD experience frequent negative thoughts, fear of rejection, and regret about expressing their feelings. Individuals with quiet BPD may oscillate between clinging to people around them in need of validation and them pushing them away to avoid criticism.

What do people with BPD lie about? ›

They may lie in an attempt to explain why they behaved in a specific manner. When a person has big emotions and expresses them in ways that are considered “over the top” or “crazy” as compared to most other people, the person with BPD may lie to try to provide an explanation that matches the intensity of the feeling.

BPD Meltdown

These episodes involve intense emotional reactions that can be triggered by stress, rejection, or perceived abandonment. During a meltdown, people may experience extreme mood swings, impulsivity, and difficulty calming down.

People with borderline personality disorder have a significantly higher rate of self-harming and suicidal behavior than the general population. If you or someone you know is struggling or having thoughts of suicide, call or text the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 988 or chat at 988lifeline.org .

Family members may be quick to deny or argue the feelings experienced the person with BPD. If these feelings are ignored, the individual may resort to self-destructive ways to express their emotions.

Some people feel better in the morning and some in the evening. The pattern varies, but the key sign is that your moods swing in unpredictable ways.

Patients with borderline personality disorder (BPD) are at high risk for early death from suicide and other causes, according to a study published in the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry.

BPD is a personality disorder that has historically been diagnosed in adults. A significant body of evidence suggests it is possible for children and adolescents to begin to develop BPD before age 18. Because teen personalities are still forming, young people may undergo many changes before they're considered an adult.

The development of BPD is believed to be dependent on both genetic and environmental factors, such as childhood trauma, that can affect the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, neurotransmission process, endogenous opioid system, and neuroplasticity [4].

Somatic Symptoms

These symptoms can manifest in various ways, including pain, fatigue, gastrointestinal issues, and other bodily sensations. For individuals with BPD, the experience of somatic symptoms may be linked to emotional dysregulation, chronic stress, or a heightened sensitivity to physical sensations.