About BPD

This is my personal story about my life with Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD). I was formally diagnosed by a qualified psychiatrist just under a year ago. I am in no way an expert in the condition and have no specialised training in BPD or the treatment in which I am currently receiving for my symptoms. The blogs I post are generally about my walk through life now knowing that I have BPD. I do attempt to demonstrate what I am learning in my treatment, known as Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT) in the hope to help those who may also have this mental illness. However this does not substitute medical advice and is not for the diagnosis of any kind of psychiatric illness.

According to the DSM-IV (2004) criteria for the diagnosis of Borderline Personality Disorder as sourced by bpdresourcecenter.org, it is: manifested by a pervasive pattern of instability of interpersonal relationships, self-image, and affects, and marked impulsivity beginning by early adulthood and present in a variety of contexts, as indicated by five (or more) of the following:

Frantic efforts to avoid real or imagined abandonment. Note: Do not include suicidal or self-mutilating behavior covered in (5). A pattern of unstable and intense interpersonal relationships characterized by alternating between extremes of idealization and devaluation. This is called "splitting." Identity disturbance: markedly and persistently unstable self-image or sense of self. Impulsivity in at least two areas that are potentially self-damaging (e.g., spending, sex, substance abuse, reckless driving, binge eating). Note: Do not include suicidal or self-mutilating behavior covered in (5). Recurrent suicidal behavior, gestures, or threats, or self-mutilating behavior. Affective instability due to a marked reactivity of mood (e.g., intense episodic dysphoria, irritability, or anxiety usually lasting a few hours and only rarely more than a few days). Chronic feelings of emptiness. Inappropriate, intense anger or difficulty controlling anger (e.g., frequent displays of temper, constant anger, recurrent physical fights). Transient, stress-related paranoid ideation or severe dissociative symptoms.