What Is Borderline Personality Disorder?

Mental health conditions such as borderline personality disorder can have a profound social and psychological impact, yet they often remain misunderstood or overlooked by the general public. Approximately 1.8% of the global population suffers from some degree of borderline personality disorder symptoms. This blog is a comprehensive guide to this pervasive mental health issue and all the available resources at our disposal to improve its negative impact on society in general and the patient's quality of life in particular.

Borderline Personality Disorder (BDP) Symptoms

BPD or borderline personality disorder is a mental health condition. Mental health conditions are issues with an individual's cognition and ability to process emotions, stress, and behavior.

What Is BPD?

Even with the advances in medicine, mental health issues are not only underreported but also barely understood by the general public. Many people are unfamiliar with the answer to the question: What is borderline personality disorder? BPD is characterized by fluctuations in mood, emotional regulation, social behavior, and an inability to maintain normal stable interpersonal relationships. The good news is that people suffering from BPD can now get help not only at home but also avail of borderline personality disorder in Turkey to increase their chances of living healthy lives.

Who Gets BPD?

Most patients seeking help for BPD include the following:

• People with a positive family history of BPD

• People already suffering from other mental health issues (anxiety, depression)

• Females

• Adults over the age of 18

Although it may seem like symptoms of borderline personality disorder are more prevalent in females, research suggests that there is not much difference between the two genders. People with BPD often face challenges in accessing timely care.

Symptoms of BPD

Patients with borderline personality disorder symptoms suffer from a distorted sense of self and often exhibit extreme and unstable emotional responses. They can not maintain stable social relationships, have abandonment fears, and are prone to mood swings. Borderline personality disorder symptoms also include issues with anger management, impulse control, and paranoid thought. Patients may attempt to harm themselves.

What Causes Borderline Personality Disorder (BDP)?

There is no single cause for borderline personality disorder, most patients seeking treatment for BPD show a combination of the following:

• Early Age Physical/Emotional Trauma: A large number of BPD patients (almost 70%) have some sort of childhood trauma. This may include physical abuse, emotional trauma, abandonment, parents struggling with addiction, etc.

• Neurological Changes: Patients of BPD also suffer from irregular communication between nerves and the areas of the brain responsible for emotional regulation.

• Genetic Predisposition: There is some genetic predisposition to borderline personality disorder. Many patients of BPD in Turkey have family members who also suffer from this mental health issue. However, this is not a strict rule, and people with a family history of borderline personality disorder can be completely symptom-free.

Irrespective of the cause, patients can access psychological assistance for BPD in Istanbul and most other cities of Turkey with ease.

How Borderline Personality Disorder (BDP) is Diagnosed?

Research suggests that BPD symptoms may start during the teenage years, however, it is difficult to make a diagnosis at that age as the personality traits are still evolving. Due to this reason almost all the patients with a diagnosis of borderline personality disorder are over 18. BPD diagnosis in Turkey requires a consultation with a mental health professional (Psychiatrist, Psychologist). The diagnostic process includes:

• Thorough medical history

• Family history of mental health issues

• Questions about personal and professional history

• Impulse control issues

To diagnose a patient with BPD,  standardized criteria based on the DSM-5 (Diagnostic Manual of Mental Health Disorders) are typically used.

Associations of Borderline Personality Disorder

Borderline personality disorder patients may have other associated mental health problems along with BPD. These include anxiety, eating disorders, depression, ADHD, bipolar disorder, etc. The distinction has to be made between overlapping symptoms and signs with other mental health issues.

Treatment for Borderline Personality Disorder (BDP)

BPD is treated with a combination of the following options:

• Medications: Medication is mostly used as an adjunct to psychotherapy for BPD. Neuroleptic drugs have shown some improvement in BPD symptoms and other associated conditions.

• DBT - Dialectical Behavior Therapy: DBT therapy helps patients recognize their destructive behavior patterns and teaches them healthy ways to counter them. Through DBT, patients learn to control emotions and foster healthy relationships with the people around them.

• CBT - Cognitive Behavior Therapy: During borderline personality disorder treatments in Turkey, mental health professionals employ CBT as a more goal-oriented treatment. It allows patients to recognize negative emotions and behaviors and adopt a more positive mindset.

• Group Therapy Sessions: Patients can avail of group therapy sessions for BPD in Turkey to interact with other people suffering from borderline personality disorder. These sessions take away any real or perceived stigma and patients can share their issues with ease.

Borderline Personality Disorder (BDP) Test

There is no single conclusive test for borderline personality disorder. Most screening tools are based on clinical assessments such as:

• DSM-5 criteria

• Mclean Screening for BPD

• PAI - Personality Assessment Inventory

• Zanarini Rating Scale for BPD

Interpretation of the results of these screening tools during a BPD consultation in Turkey is done by trained healthcare professionals. Medical Park Healthcare Group has a long history of providing psychological, medical, and surgical services to both local and international patients. With over 27 hospitals under its umbrella across the country, Medical Park Healthcare Group is one of the oldest and the most prestigious healthcare providers in the country. Medical Park Hospitals not only are hubs for the latest health services, but they also put patient satisfaction and safety above all.