Symptoms of Borderline Personality Disorder

Symptoms of Borderline Personality Disorder

The list of signs and symptoms mentioned in various sources for Borderline Personality Disorder includes the 21 symptoms listed below:

• Mood changes
  • Anger
  • Depression
  • Anxiety
• Difficulty with relationships
  • Unstable relationships
  • Idealization
  • Devaluation
  • Inappropriate immediate attachment
  • Sensitivity to rejection
  • Fear of abandonment
  • Aggressive behavior
  • Suicide threats
• Self-image problems
• Unstable self image
• Behavioral problems
• Self-destructive behavior
• Impulsivity
• Excessive spending
• Binge eating
• Unprotected sex
• more information...»

Research symptoms & diagnosis of Borderline Personality Disorder:

• Overview -- Borderline Personality Disorder
• Diagnostic Tests for Borderline Personality Disorder
• Home Diagnostic Testing
• Complications -- Borderline Personality Disorder
• Doctors & Specialists
• Misdiagnosis and Alternative Diagnoses
• Hidden Causes of Borderline Personality Disorder
• Other Causes -- causes of these or similar symptoms

Borderline Personality Disorder: Complications

Review medical complications possibly associated with Borderline Personality Disorder:

• Self-injury
• Suicide attempts (see Suicidal symptoms)
• Suicide
• more complications...»

Research More About Borderline Personality Disorder

Do I have Borderline Personality Disorder?

• Borderline Personality Disorder: Introduction
• Borderline Personality Disorder: Diagnostic Testing to confirm diagnosis
• Home Diagnostic Testing
• Alternative diagnoses and misdiagnosis for Borderline Personality Disorder
• Hidden Causes of Borderline Personality Disorder
• Treatments for Borderline Personality Disorder
• More about Borderline Personality Disorder

Borderline Personality Disorder: Medical Mistakes

• Concentration -- Health Mistakes
• ADHD -- Health Mistakes
• ADHD (Adults) -- Health Mistakes
• Depression -- Health Mistakes
• Bipolar -- Health Mistakes
• Sleep Disorders -- Health Mistakes
• more mistakes...»

Borderline Personality Disorder: Undiagnosed Conditions

Diseases that may be commonly undiagnosed in related medical areas:

• Brain & Neurological Disorders: Undiagnosed:
  • Adult ADHD -- Undiagnosed - Often remains undiagnosed through to adulthood.
  • ADHD -- Undiagnosed
  • Alzheimer Disease -- Undiagnosed
  • Migraine -- Undiagnosed
  • Concentration Disorders -- Undiagnosed
  • Stroke -- Undiagnosed
  • Bipolar Disorder -- Undiagnosed
  • Schizophrenia -- Undiagnosed
  • Epilepsy -- Undiagnosed
• more undiagnosed conditions...»

Home Diagnostic Testing

Home medical tests related to Borderline Personality Disorder:

• Child Behavior: Home Testing
  • ADHD -- Home Test Kits
  • Concentration -- Home Testing
• Mental Health (Adults): Home Testing
  • Adult ADHD -- Home Testing
  • Concentration -- Home Tests
• Mental Health: Home Testing:
  • Home Emotional Stress Tests
  • ADHD -- Home Testing
  • Concentration -- Home Test Kits
• Brain & Neurological Disorders: Related Home Testing:
  • ADHD -- Home Tests
  • Drug Screening Kits
• more home tests...»

Wrongly Diagnosed with Borderline Personality Disorder?

The list of other diseases or medical conditions that may be on the differential diagnosis list of alternative diagnoses for Borderline Personality Disorder includes:

• Bipolar disorder
• Depression
• Anxiety disorders (type of Neurosis)
• Substance abuse
• Personality disorders
• more diagnoses...»

See the full list of 27 alternative diagnoses for Borderline Personality Disorder

Borderline Personality Disorder: Research Doctors & Specialists

• Mental Health Specialists:
  • Psychiatry (Mental Health)
  • Addiction Psychiatry
  • Geriatric Psychiatry (Seniors Mental Health)
  • Pediatric / Adolescent Psychiatry (Child/Teen Mental Health)
  • Pediatric Developmental Behavioral Health (Child Behavior Specialist)
  • Psychosomatic Medicine
  • Forensic Psychiatry
• more specialists...»

Research all specialists including ratings, affiliations, and sanctions.

More about symptoms of Borderline Personality Disorder:

More information about symptoms of Borderline Personality Disorder and related conditions:

• Other diseases with similar symptoms and common misdiagnoses
• Tests to determine if these are the symptoms of Borderline Personality Disorder
• Symptoms that may be caused by complications of Borderline Personality Disorder
• Underlying causes of Borderline Personality Disorder
• Associated conditions for Borderline Personality Disorder

Other Possible Causes of these Symptoms

Click on any of the symptoms below to see a full list of other causes including diseases, medical conditions, toxins, drug interactions, or drug side effect causes of that symptom.

• Aggressive behavior - see all causes of Aggression
• Anger - see all causes of Anger
• Anxiety - see all causes of Anxiety
• Behavioral problems - see all causes of Behavioral symptoms
• Binge eating - see all causes of Binge eating
• Depression - see all causes of Depressive symptoms
• Devaluation - see all causes of Depressive symptoms
• Difficulty with relationships - see all causes of Disorganization
• Excessive spending - see all causes of Impulsivity
• Fear of abandonment - see all causes of Fear
• Idealization - see all causes of Depressive symptoms
• Impulsivity - see all causes of Impulsivity
• Inappropriate immediate attachment - see all causes of Emotional symptoms
• Mood changes - see all causes of Moodiness
• Self-destructive behavior - see all causes of Behavioral symptoms
• Self-image problems - see all causes of Self-esteem symptoms
• Sensitivity to rejection - see all causes of Emotional symptoms
• Suicide threats - see all causes of Suicidal symptoms
• Unprotected sex - see all causes of Sexual symptoms
• Unstable relationships - see all causes of Disorganization
• Unstable self image - see all causes of Self-esteem symptoms

Medical Books Online about Borderline Personality Disorder

Medical Books Excerpts Excerpts of published medical book chapters related to Borderline Personality Disorder are available from published medical books for more detailed information about Borderline Personality Disorder.

Copyright notice for book excerpts: Copyright © 2008 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. All rights reserved.

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Symptoms of Borderline Personality Disorder: Online Medical Books

16 MEDICAL BOOKS ONLINE! Review excerpts from medical books online, free, without registration, for more information about the symptoms of Borderline Personality Disorder.

Delusional disorders: Signs and symptoms
(Professional Guide to Diseases (Eighth Edition))

The psychiatric history of a delusional patient may be unremarkable, aside from behavior related to his delusions. He’s likely to report problems with social and marital relationships, including depression or sexual dysfunction. He may describe a life marked by social isolation or hostility. He may deny feeling lonely, relentlessly criticizing or placing unreasonable demands on others.

Gathering accurate information from a delusional patient may prove difficult. He may deny his feelings, disregard the circumstances that lead to his hospitalization, and refuse treatment. However, his responses and behavior during the assessment interview provide clues that can help to identify his disorder. Family members may confirm your observations — for example, by reporting that the patient is chronically jealous or suspicious.

Note how well the patient communicates. He may be evasive or reluctant to answer questions. Conversely, he may be overly talkative, explaining events in great detail and emphasizing what he has achieved, prominent people he knows, or places where he has traveled. Statements that first seem logical may later prove irrelevant. Some of his answers may be contradictory, jumbled, or irrational.

Be alert for expressions of denial, projection, and rationalization. Once delusions become firmly entrenched, the patient will no longer seek to justify his beliefs. However, if he’s still struggling to maintain his delusional defenses, he may make statements that reveal his condition, such as “People at work won’t talk to me because I’m smarter than them.” Accusatory statements are also characteristic of the delusional patient. Record pervasive delusional themes (for example, grandiose or persecutory).

Also watch for nonverbal cues, such as excessive vigilance or obvious apprehension on entering the room. During questions, the patient may listen intently, reacting defensively to imagined slights or insults. He may sit at the edge of his seat or fold his arms as if to shield himself. If he carries papers or money, he may clutch them firmly.

» READ BOOK EXCERPT ONLINE »

Source: Professional Guide to Diseases (Eighth Edition), 2005

Personality disorders: Signs and symptoms
(Professional Guide to Diseases (Eighth Edition))

Each specific personality disorder produces characteristic signs and symptoms, which may vary among patients and within the same patient at different times. In general, the history of the patient with a personality disorder will reveal long-standing difficulties in interpersonal relationships, ranging from dependency to withdrawal, and in occupational functioning, with effects ranging from compulsive perfectionism to intentional sabotage.

The patient with a personality disorder may show any degree of self-confidence, ranging from no self-esteem to arrogance. Convinced that his behavior is normal, he avoids responsibility for its consequences, commonly resorting to projections and blame.

» READ BOOK EXCERPT ONLINE »

Source: Professional Guide to Diseases (Eighth Edition), 2005

Delusional disorders: Signs and symptoms
(Handbook of Diseases)

Aside from behavior related to the patient’s delusions, the psychiatric history of a delusional patient may be unremarkable. This helps distinguish it from disorders that result in behavior more dissociated from reality such as paranoid schizophrenia. (See Delusional disorder or paranoid schizophrenia? )

The delusional patient is likely to report problems with social and marital relationships, including depression or sexual dysfunction. He may describe a life marked by social isolation or hostility. He may deny feeling lonely, relentlessly criticizing, or placing unreasonable demands on others.

Gathering accurate information from a delusional patient may prove difficult. He may deny his feelings, disregard the circumstances that led to his hospitalization, and refuse treatment.

However, his responses and behavior during the assessment interview provide clues that can help to identify his disorder. Family members may confirm observations — for example, by reporting that the patient is chronically jealous or suspicious.

Assessment clue: Communication

The patient’s ability to communicate can be another indicator. He may be evasive or reluctant to answer questions. Or he may be overly talkative, explaining events in great detail and emphasizing what he has achieved, prominent people he knows, or places he has traveled.

The patient may make statements that at first seem logical but later prove irrelevant. Some of his answers may be contradictory, jumbled, or irrational.

A delusional patient may make expressions of denial, projection, and rationalization. Once delusions become firmly entrenched, the patient will no longer seek to justify his beliefs. However, if he’s still struggling to maintain his delusional defenses, he may make statements that reveal his condition such as “People at work won’t talk to me because I’m smarter than they are.”

Accusatory statements are also characteristic of the delusional patient. Pervasive delusional themes (for example, grandiose or persecutory) may become apparent.

The patient may also display nonverbal cues, such as excessive vigilance or obvious apprehension on entering the room. During questions, he may listen intently, reacting defensively to imagined slights or insults. He may sit at the edge of his seat or fold his arms as if to shield himself. If he carries papers or money, he may clutch them firmly.

» READ BOOK EXCERPT ONLINE »

Source: Handbook of Diseases, 2003

Personality disorders: Signs and symptoms
(Handbook of Diseases)

Each specific personality disorder produces characteristic signs and symptoms, which may vary among patients and within the same patient at different times. In general, the history of the patient with a personality disorder will reveal long-standing difficulties in interpersonal relationships, ranging from dependency to withdrawal, and in occupational functioning, ranging from compulsive perfectionism to intentional sabotage.

The patient with a personality disorder may show any degree of self-confidence, ranging from no self-esteem to arrogance. Convinced that his behavior is normal, he avoids responsibility for its consequences, often resorting to projections and blame.

» READ BOOK EXCERPT ONLINE »

Source: Handbook of Diseases, 2003

Article Excerpts About Symptoms of Borderline Personality Disorder:

While a person with depression or bipolar disorder typically endures the same mood for weeks, a person with BPD may experience intense bouts of anger, depression and anxiety that may last only hours, or at most a day.⁵ These may be associated with episodes of impulsive aggression, self-injury, and drug or alcohol abuse. Distortions in cognition and sense of self can lead to frequent changes in long-term goals, career plans, jobs, friendships, gender identity, and values. Sometimes people with BPD view themselves as fundamentally bad, or unworthy. They may feel unfairly misunderstood or mistreated, bored, empty, and have little idea who they are. Such symptoms are most acute when people with BPD feel isolated and lacking in social support, and may result in frantic efforts to avoid being alone.

People with BPD often have highly unstable patterns of social relationships. While they can develop intense but stormy attachments, their attitudes towards family, friends, and loved ones may suddenly shift from idealization (great admiration and love) to devaluation (intense anger and dislike). Thus, they may form an immediate attachment and idealize the other person, but when a slight separation or conflict occurs, they switch unexpectedly to the other extreme and angrily accuse the other person of not caring for them at all. Even with family members, individuals with BPD are highly sensitive to rejection, reacting with anger and distress to such mild separations as a vacation, a business trip, or a sudden change in plans. These fears of abandonment seem to be related to difficulties feeling emotionally connected to important persons when they are physically absent, leaving the individual with BPD feeling lost and perhaps worthlessness. Suicide threats and attempts may occur along with anger at perceived abandonment and disappointments.

People with BPD exhibit other impulsive behaviors, such as excessive spending, binge eating and risky sex. BPD often occurs together with other psychiatric problems, particularly bipolar disorder, depression, anxiety disorders, substance abuse, and other personality disorders. (Source: excerpt from Borderline Personality Disorder: NIMH)

Medical articles and books on symptoms:

These general reference articles may be of interest in relation to medical signs and symptoms of disease in general:

• Diagnostic Testing for a Diagnosis of Borderline Personality Disorder
• Research Alternative Diagnoses for Borderline Personality Disorder
• More about Borderline Personality Disorder
• Online Diagnosis
• Self Diagnosis Pitfalls
• Pitfalls of Online Diagnosis
• Symptoms of the Silent Killer Diseases
• Lesser known silent killer diseases
• Books on signs and symptoms

Full list of premium articles on symptoms and diagnosis

About signs and symptoms of Borderline Personality Disorder:

The symptom information on this page attempts to provide a list of some possible signs and symptoms of Borderline Personality Disorder. This signs and symptoms information for Borderline Personality Disorder has been gathered from various sources, may not be fully accurate, and may not be the full list of Borderline Personality Disorder signs or Borderline Personality Disorder symptoms. Furthermore, signs and symptoms of Borderline Personality Disorder may vary on an individual basis for each patient. Only your doctor can provide adequate diagnosis of any signs or symptoms and whether they are indeed Borderline Personality Disorder symptoms.