| name: | Borderline Personality Disorder |
| also see: | Go to Description below and click on the highlighted subject of interest. ICD; CPT |
| description: | In boderline personality disorder, aberrant coping mechanisms include projecting feelings onto others, splitting situations into either black or white, all or none, acting out, turning aggression towards self, fantasy, hypochondriasis. Other behaviors include self-mutilation, splitting such as idealizing and then devalueing people and relationships, helplessness, victimization, emotional pain, suicidal. Personality traits are normal stable patterns of thinking, perceiving, reacting, and relating. Personality disorders occur when those traits are rigid and maladaptive. Mental coping mechanisms are normal defenses used by all people from time to time in order to deal with certain situations. In personality disorders, coping mechanisms are immature and maladaptive. Personality disorders include: paranoid personality disorder schizoid personality disorder schizotypal personality disorder borderline personality disorder antisocial personality disorder narcissistic personality disorder histrionic personality disorder dependent personality disorder avoidant personality disorder obsessive compulsive personality disorder passive aggressive personality disorder cyclothymic personality disorder depressive personality disorder. |
| signs & symptoms: | More common in females, persons with borderline personality disorder are unstable in the self image, mood, behavior and interpersonal relationships. These people feel that they were deprived in childhood and subsequently feel empty, angry and entitled, and relentless seekers of care. When they are cared for, they appear as lonely waifs; when they lose their caring person, they feel intense anger. |
| diagnosis: | Based on signs, symptoms, history and exam, especially observation of repetitive patterns of behavior that cause distress or that impair social interactions and functions. |
| treatment: | Includes counseling, reducing stress and anxiety, group therapy, self help groups, family therapy, family involvement. Medication has very limited use in the treatment of personality disorders. Associated depression can be treated with SSRI; aggressive impulsive behavior might be tempered with mood stabilizers; and frank mania episodes with atypical antidepressants. |
| outcome: | Takes months, if not years, to alter behavior patterns. |
skynetMD suggests the following:
| if: | If the person has a personality disorder, especially a dysfunction that interferes with social situations, interpersonal relationships, vocational or job function, and causes distress |
| go to: | Go to the doctor or call the doctor on the phone for a referral. |
| if: | If the person would like a mental health Internet Resource |
| go to: | Go to National Alliance for the Mentally Ill www.nami.org |
Last updated 6/20/2008