What Is Borderline Personality Disorder | BetterHelp

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Borderline Personality Disorder is a severe mental illness that needs the treatment of a licensed mental health professional. Individuals with BPD have difficulty managing their emotions and often struggle to maintain long-lasting relationships including friendships and romantic partners.
One of the reasons it’s difficult for someone with Borderline to stay in healthy relationships is because of their difficulty with emotional regulation. Friends and intimate partners may have trouble knowing what to do when their loved one with BPD is suffering from mood shifts.

Many people with BPD experience intense, painful emotional states that they have trouble tolerating. One moment they may become furious and lash out in rage, and the next minute they’ve switched from anger to sadness. It can be hard to keep track of their emotions as their loved one because they are struggling to figure out their feelings out as well. Individuals with BPD often place people on pedestals when they love them, and if that person does something where they feel betrayed in the slightest, that love turns quickly to hate.

Those with Borderline Personality Disorder often struggle with self-destructive behavior such as self-harm because their pain is so intense and overwhelming. They hurt themselves to try to feel something other than emotional distress. One of the most effective forms of therapy for people with Borderline Personality Disorder is called DBT or Dialectal Behavior Therapy.

It teaches people with BPD to regulate their emotions and think before they take out their feelings on others. If you are living with Borderline, there is help out there. You may experience emotions intensely, and that could be painful, but you can learn to tolerate your feelings with the help of a skilled therapist.

IMPORTANT: The information in this video is not intended or implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. All content, including text, graphics, images, and information contained in this video is for general information purposes only and does not replace a consultation with your doctor.