What Are The 9 Symptoms Of BPD?

by | Last updated on January 24, 2024

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Separations, disagreements, and rejections—real or perceived

—are the most common triggers for symptoms. A person with BPD is highly sensitive to abandonment and being alone, which brings about intense feelings of anger, fear, suicidal thoughts and self-harm, and very impulsive decisions.

What does high functioning BPD look like?


Impulsive and risky behaviors

(perhaps around spending, eating, driving, gambling, or other areas of life) Relationships suffering—with family, friends, significant others, and coworkers. Isolation. Worsening co-occurring mental health disorders.

How can you tell if someone has borderline personality disorder?

With borderline personality disorder, you have an intense

fear of abandonment or instability

, and you may have difficulty tolerating being alone. Yet inappropriate anger, impulsiveness and frequent mood swings may push others away, even though you want to have loving and lasting relationships.

What are the 9 BPD symptoms?

  • Fear of abandonment. People with BPD are often terrified of being abandoned or left alone. …
  • Unstable relationships. …
  • Unclear or shifting self-image. …
  • Impulsive, self-destructive behaviors. …
  • Self-harm. …
  • Extreme emotional swings. …
  • Chronic feelings of emptiness. …
  • Explosive anger.

What triggers a person with borderline personality disorder?


Separations, disagreements, and rejections—real or perceived

—are the most common triggers for symptoms. A person with BPD is highly sensitive to abandonment and being alone, which brings about intense feelings of anger, fear, suicidal thoughts and self-harm, and very impulsive decisions.

Are borderlines aware of their behavior?

People with borderline personality disorders are

aware of their behaviors

and the consequences of them and often act in increasingly erratic ways as a self-fulfilling prophecy to their abandonment fears.

What happens if BPD is left untreated?

If left untreated, the person suffering from BPD may find themselves involved with

extravagant spending, substance abuse, binge eating, reckless driving, and indiscriminate sex

, Hooper says. The reckless behavior is usually linked to the poor self-image many BPD patients struggle with.

Can you have a favorite person without BPD?

A BPD person’s favourite person

can be anybody

: a relative, parent, best friend, lover, or somebody they just met. The difference between a best friend and a favourite person, is related to the intensity of the thoughts that surround this person.

What does quiet BPD feel like?

Rapid/frequent mood swings and the experience of intense emotions. A chronic feeling of being empty. Feelings of intense or

uncontrollable anger

. Dissociation (disconnecting from your self, having an “out of body” experience)

What is a quiet borderline?

Quiet BPD is an

unofficial term for when you engage with symptoms inwardly, instead of outwardly

. Share on Pinterest Sarah Mason/Getty Images. Having quiet borderline personality disorder (BPD) — aka “high-functioning” BPD — means that you often direct thoughts and feelings inward rather than outward.

Can a person with BPD really love?

A romantic relationship with someone with BPD can be, in a word, stormy. It’s not uncommon to experience a great deal of turmoil and dysfunction. However, people with

BPD can be exceptionally caring, compassionate, and affectionate

. In fact, some people find this level of devotion from a partner pleasant.

Can someone with BPD ever be happy?

This person says it exactly right — people with BPD have very intense emotions that can last from a few hours to even a few days, and can change very quickly. For example, we can go from feeling very happy to suddenly feeling very low and sad.

What are borderlines attracted to?

Borderline/dependent: A person with borderline personality disorder (BPD) is well-matched with a

person who has a dependent personality disorder (DPD)

. The BPD has an intense fear of abandonment which is a good match for the DPD who will not leave even a dysfunctional relationship.

What it feels like to have BPD?

BPD is characterized by

rapidly fluctuating moods

, an unstable sense of self, impulsiveness, and a lot of fear. That can make you act erratically. One moment you might feel as though you love someone so intensely that you want to spend your life with them.

Do people with BPD have empathy?

Previous research has demonstrated that patients with borderline personality disorder (BPD) are

more sensitive to negative emotions

and often show poor cognitive empathy, yet preserved or even superior emotional empathy. However, little is known about the neural correlates of empathy.

Can BPD be cured?

While

there is no definitive cure for BPD

, it is absolutely treatable. 1 In fact, with the right treatment approach, you can be well on the road to recovery and remission. While remission and recovery are not necessarily a “cure,” both constitute the successful treatment of BPD.

James Park
Author
James Park
Dr. James Park is a medical doctor and health expert with a focus on disease prevention and wellness. He has written several publications on nutrition and fitness, and has been featured in various health magazines. Dr. Park's evidence-based approach to health will help you make informed decisions about your well-being.