How Is Borderline Personality Disorder Diagnosed?

Definition

Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) is a mental illness in which a person has a distorted self-image, unstable moods and difficulty maintaining healthy, stable relationships with others.

Symptoms

When diagnosing a patient with BPD, a psychologist looks for symptoms consistent with the DSM-IV. These include: self-destructive, impulsive behavior in at least two different areas (excessive spending, promiscuity, binge eating, chemical dependency and abuse); a pattern of unstable relationships of varying intensity; unstable sense of self; chronic feelings of emptiness or abandonment; suicidal behavior or self-mutilation; problems with anger management; paranoia or dissociation.

Interviews

When a therapist is looking for a diagnosis of BPD, he interviews a patient at length, taking note of aforementioned symptoms in the past and present. He may ask the patient to fill out a special questionnaire or for permission to interview close friends and family to gain more insight. Some potential causes of BPD may include environmental factors, such as abuse and neglect, thus making these interviews important.

Other Disorders

BPD may occur concurrently with other disorders, such as Bipolar Disorder, anxiety disorders, depression or chemical dependency. Some BPD symptoms resemble other disorders. A trained mental health professional will be able to differentiate.

Resources

• Borderline Personality Disorder DSM-IV Diagnosis
• American Psychatric Association
• Psychology Today Diagnosis Dictionary