Borderline Personality Disorder Defined

Are you in a relationship with someone where they make you always feel like you're doing something wrong? Do you always feel like you're Walking on Egghsells? Do you feel like your relationship is a constant battle and a constant fight, where you always feel like you don't know who you're going to be coming home to?


You may be in a relationship with someone suffering from Borderline Personality Disorder. 


Below is the clinical definition of Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD). Read through this blog to see examples of these symptoms in action; I was with someone who displayed these symptoms excessively, but you'll see what I mean when you read my stories.


Are you with someone who has BPD? If you're here, you may be. Want to confront them? Read the blog and the related stories before embarking on that one.

Symptoms of BPD

There are many symptoms of Borderline Personality Disorder. However, the clinical definition is pretty straightforward. Wikipedia defines the diagnosis as it appears in the DSM-IV-TR. The diagnosis is based on nine criteria; someone must exhibit five of the following nine symptoms to be diagnosed with BPD.

• Frantic efforts to avoid real or imagined abandonment
• A pattern of unstable and intense interpersonal relationships characterized by alternating between extremes of idealization and devaluation
• Identity disturbance: markedly and persistently unstable self-image or sense of self
• Impulsivity in at least two areas that are potentially self-damaging, for example, spending, sex, substance abuse, reckless driving, or binge eating
• Recurrent suicidal behaviour, gestures, or threats, or self-mutilating behavior
• Affective (mood) instability and marked reactivity to environmental situations, for example, intense episodic depression, irritability, or anxiety usually lasting a few hours and rarely more than a few days)
• Chronic feelings of emptiness
• Inappropriate, intense anger or difficulty controlling anger, for example, frequent displays of temper, constant anger, recurrent physical fights)
• Transient, stress-related paranoia or severe dissociative symptoms (feelings of unreality)

Go through these criteria, very closely. Study them and check them. Talk to a professional about them if you have questions.


For examples of this, check out my entry where I ask the question about my exBPD and ask if she really has BPD. I was upset (which is obvious), but you get the gist of what you should be looking for.


Read through the blog. Read all of the invaluable comments -- you'll quickly learn if you're with someone who has borderline personality disorder.


In upcoming posts, look for ways to deal with the issue -- should you stay or should you go?