Borderline-Personality Disorder
...other person, but when a slight separation or conflict occurs, they switch unexpectedly to the other extreme and accuse the other person of not caring for them. They are very sensitive to rejection, even to little things such as being separated for a business trip or vacation. They fear abandonment, which seems to be related to difficulty feeling emotionally connected to important people when they are physically absent (Davidson RJ, 873-889). This can then leave the person feeling lost and worthless. People with BPD can have intense bouts of anger, depression, and anxiety that may last hours, or at most a day. It may be associated with 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 (Gunderson JG, 201-207). Some people with BPD can show signs of 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. Causes of Borderline-Personality Disorder are unknown, but recent research findings suggest that both environmental and genetic factors are thought to play a role in symptoms and traits (Zanarini MC, 93-104). Studies show that many, but not all individuals with BPD report history of abuse, neglect, or separations as young children. About 40% to 71% of BPD patients have reported having been sexually abused, usually by a non-caregiver. Researchers believe that BPD results from a combination of individual vulnerability to environmental stress, neglect or abuse as young children, and a series of events that trigger the onset of the disorder as young children. Studies also suggest that people predisposed to impulsive aggression have impaired regulation of the neural circuits that modulate emotion and decreased serotonin activity in the brain (Zanarini MC, 93-104). Group and individual psychotherapy can be effective for many patients with BPD. Pharmacological treatments are often prescribed based on specific target s...