People who suffer from borderline personality disorder (BPD) tend to feel unsure of themselves and their role in the world. Their interests and values can shift quickly, often leading to spur-of-the-moment actions and decisions that create even more issues.
Another sign of borderline personality disorder is the tendency to see things in black-and-white terms, viewing something as “all good” or “all bad.” If you are suffering from BPD, your opinion of others may change quickly. Someone who seems like a friend one day may appear to be an enemy tomorrow.
Here are other signs that you or someone you care about may be suffering from BPD.
— You work hard to avoid real or imagined abandonment. People with borderline personality disorder may get close to others very quickly. They may also cut off communication with someone because they get the sense the person may be preparing to abandon them.
— You have intense, unstable relationships with family, friends, and loved ones that tend to swing between extreme closeness to extreme dislike or anger.
— Your self-image shifts frequently, marked by periods of intense self-love that later turn into self-criticism or even self-harm.
— You practice self-harming behaviors such as cutting.
— You have thoughts of suicide, including suicidal behaviors or threats.
— Your moods are intense and highly changeable, with each episode lasting from a few hours to a few days.
— You have chronic feelings of emptiness.
— You feel inappropriate, intense anger that is difficult to control.
— You find it hard to trust others and feel suspicious of their intentions.
— You feel cut off from yourself. This may mean having the sensation that you are actually living outside your own body, or the feeling that nothing is real.
— You make reckless choices leading to risky behaviors such as spending sprees, unsafe sex, substance use, reckless driving, and binge eating.
Keep in mind that this is a general list of symptoms. You may be dealing with only a few of these issues, while someone else many experience more of the symptoms on the list.
BPD symptoms can be triggered by seemingly ordinary events. For example, you may become angry and stressed when you’re far away from loved ones, even for a brief business trip. A simple change in plans can trigger an episode of anger and blame that leads to a fiery argument.
IMPORTANT: BPD symptoms can cause feelings of pain and despair. If you are having thoughts of suicide, call 911 now or go to the nearest emergency room.
