Borderline personality disorder, or BPD, is commonly characterized as a mental disorder associated with unstable moods, behavior and relationships. The symptoms associated with BPD include severe mood swings of anxiety or anger and impulsive behavior making it harder to maintain stable relationships. According to the American Psychiatric Association, BPD exists across a broad spectrum involving unstable to violent, self-destructive behavior. As of 2023, the consensus in Texas and throughout the U.S. is that there are four different subtypes of BPD.
Learning about BPD
The disorder is often comorbid or conflated with other conditions like PTSD, anxiety disorder, and ADHD. Discouraged BPD is commonly known as quiet BPD. People with this type of BPD primarily suffer from an overwhelming fear of abandonment. This fear drives the individual to extreme actions to prevent real or imagined abandonment. Compared to the other types, discouraged BPD carries more shame and is more likely to process emotions internally.
More on BPD
People with impulsive BPD tend to engage in risky or dangerous behavior, regardless of the consequences for themselves or others. These people are often charismatic, energetic, detached, engaging and flirtatious. Binging, self-destructive acts and overly aggressive behavior are commonly associated with impulsive BPD. Petulant BPD is associated with mood swings that quickly oscillate between angry and upset. These individuals can become manipulative due to their own insecurities; this self-destructive behavior may eventually devolve into violent crimes or substance abuse.
The individual with self-destructive BPD often feels bitter over their own self-hatred and loathing. Common symptoms for this type of BPD include self-harm behaviors like cutting, scratching or hitting, substance abuse and threats of suicide. These individuals may also engage in adrenaline-seeking activities will little to no planning. Oftentimes, the causes of BPD include childhood trauma, genetics and anomalies in the brain.