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Shamir Benji: What Exactly is Borderline Personality?

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Shamir Benji

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Borderline Personality- just what is it?

These days whenever there is a fall out in a relationship or disagreement among friends/colleagues, at once, the term borderline personality (BPD) is used to describe the individual. Even though the term BPD is used liberally, very few people have little idea about the disorder.

Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is a somber mental illness distinguished by a pervasive instability in moods, interpersonal interactions, self-image, and conduct. Asides from the individual, everyone around him/her experiences turmoil.

Individuals who have BPD usually have difficulty with family and work relationships. The individual has no long-term plans and there appears to be a lack of identity. These individuals suffer from a problem with emotion control. The disorder is fairly common and affects nearly 2/100 young women. Many of these women do have a history of repeated self injury but without an intent to commit suicide but completed suicides are not unheard of.

At any one point in time, at least one-fifth of individuals afflicted with BPD need long-term mental health services and/or repeated admissions to psychiatric facilities. If help is sought out early, many individuals can improve with time, and lead fairly normal and productive lives.

Unlike individuals who have depression or manic disorder, BPD individuals develop similar but more intense feelings of anger, depression, anxiety and sadness –- but the feelings only last a few hours. Associated with these symptoms are spontaneous acts of impulsive behaviors such as anger, self injury, drug or alcohol abuse.

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