Essential Aspects That Patients Diagnosed With Borderline Personality Disorder Should Know

Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) is a mental pathology that affects all facets of a patient’s life. Although there is no longer as much stigma behind this disease as there was a few years ago, it is still difficult for many people who suffer from it to accept, so it is not surprising that they prefer not to be treated by mental health professionals. But receiving a diagnosis can change a patient’s life forever. We share some points about the disease that these patients need to know.

Specialized Treatment Can Be Done:

Individuals diagnosed with BPD should not be so concerned about the label of the disease and the stigmatized information they find on the Internet. They should focus on the fact that treatment can be tailored to their specific symptoms and problems, which often creates interpersonal, emotional, and psychological barriers. The diagnosis is the beginning of a treatment plan designed specifically for the symptoms that are causing problems for you.

Diagnosis Exploration May Lead to Greater Understanding:

Receiving a diagnosis can lead to psychological relief in finally knowing the correct diagnosis. Having a disease name to call what happens to them and a specific treatment plan that works based on evidence can relieve them of great emotional tension.

BPD can help identify the "whys" of intense emotions and conflict in relationships:

Many people who are struggling with BPD symptoms such as intense emotional reactions, fear of abandonment, low self-esteem and lack of identity are happy to finally understand “why” they have suffered so much in their social and interpersonal relationships for years. Due to the constant challenges within relationships of all kinds, the person with BPD may begin to attribute the difficulties in their relationships to the product of the education they received, the culture they were born into, or a problem of ethics or values. Knowing that one suffers from this disease interrupts this incorrect point of view.

Medication management may begin with the goal of symptom relief:

Medications are important if depression, anxiety, or psychotic symptoms are present. Although medication cannot “cure” BPD, it can reduce symptoms such as depression or anxiety that contribute to self-injurious behavior, suicidal thoughts, or depressed and anxious mood. If psychotic symptoms are present (paranoia, hallucinations, delusions, etc.), medications can help stabilize the individual.

The emotional roller coaster in which they live stops:

Individuals with BPD have problems in their relationships with other people. It is shown that these patients suffer more divorces, abusive behaviors, and difficulties to control their anger within the community, as well as obsessive or paranoid behaviors. With proper treatment, the individual can better understand why their relationships tend to be chaotic and unstable. Therapies to work on relationship stability is an important step toward building healthier relationships.

They can begin to investigate ways to help themselves:

When you don't know exactly what you're fighting against, you can feel powerless over how to find ways to help yourself. That way you will start taking steps in the right direction.

Your family and friends can help:

Being able to share your illness with loved ones can make them more empathetic to what they are experiencing. They will know (or learn) how to help and support you, and may even begin to educate themselves on how your relationships with them are affected.

Know how to identify triggers:

Having a correct diagnosis can help you identify triggers for your symptoms. For example, for individuals who suffer from BPD, a trigger is often fear of abandonment within relationships. Knowing that you have characteristic symptoms of BPD can make it easier to identify these feelings that make you feel more vulnerable within your relationships. They can also learn about the aspects that lead to relationship problems that cause them to completely break down emotionally.