Borderline personality disorder

Symptoms of borderline personality include being emotionally unstable, having upsetting thoughts and acting without thinking.

The main treatment for borderline personality disorder is a type of talking therapy called psychotherapy.

The cause of borderline personality disorder is unclear. It's been linked to traumatic events during childhood, such as neglect or abuse.

The symptoms of BPD can be grouped into 4 main areas:

• emotional instability – the psychological term for this is affective dysregulation
• disturbed patterns of thinking or perception – cognitive distortions or perceptual distortions
• impulsive behaviour
• intense but unstable relationships with others

The symptoms of a personality disorder may range from mild to severe and usually emerge in adolescence, persisting into adulthood.

The causes of BPD are unclear. BPD appears to result from a combination of genetic and environmental factors.

People with BPD come from many different backgrounds, but most will have experienced some kind of trauma or neglect as children.

Many people with BPD can benefit from psychological or medical treatment.

Treatment may involve a range of individual and group psychological therapies (psychotherapy) carried out by trained professionals working with a community mental health team (CMHT).

Effective treatment may last more than a year.

Over time, many people with BPD overcome their symptoms and recover. Additional treatment is recommended for people whose symptoms return.