When To See A Doctor For Borderline Personality Disorder Or Bipolar Disorder
Having occasional mood swings and feelings of sadness or depression is a normal part of life, but if you begin to have these symptoms or any of the symptoms of BPD or bipolar disorder on a regular basis, then it may be time to see a doctor. Because the symptoms of BPD and bipolar disorder overlap with other mental illnesses like anxiety, its important that a mental health professional checks out your symptoms to make an accurate diagnosis.
Borderline personality disorder and bipolar disorder that go untreated can make life really hard. Psychiatrists and psychologists are trained to help people with these disorders have a higher quality of life, so its always best to seek medical advice if you think you have one of these disorders.
In addition, people with bipolar disorder or BPD who are having suicidal thoughts or behaviors should seek immediate medical attention and go to the emergency room. Not seeking help could result in self-harm or the harm of another.
Borderline Personality Disorder Diagnosis
Because young people with BPD may project symptoms that seem similar to other personality disorders, it is often confused with bipolar, depression, or anxiety disorders. The National Institute of Mental Health offers this description:
Borderline personality disorder is a serious mental disorder marked by a pattern of ongoing instability in moods, behavior, self-image, and functioning. These experiences often result in impulsive actions and unstable relationships. A person with BPD may experience intense episodes of anger, depression, and anxiety that may last from only a few hours to days.
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Finding A Therapist For Bipolar Or Borderline Personality
For some mental health concerns, diagnosis may not significantly impact treatment since symptoms can still be addressed in therapy. But when bipolar and BPD, which sometimes present similarly, are misdiagnosed for each other, treatment may be less effective. Symptoms of both conditions can further complicate diagnosis. Some mental health professionals may fail to recognize the presence of both issues, particularly if theyre less experienced with the differences between the two or unaware bipolar and BPD often occur together.
When seeking a diagnosis or working to address symptoms of both bipolar and BPD, its recommended to seek support from a therapist who has experiencing helping people with both conditions. While other trained, empathic therapists can certainly provide compassionate care, a therapist who specializes in working with people living with these conditions may offer support thats designed to address specific symptoms of these conditions. This may be especially important when beginning therapy for the first time.
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Bipolar Disorder Is A Mood Disorder And Borderline Personality Disorder Is A Personality Disorder
A common feature of bipolar disorder is recurring episodes of depression. Many people with bipolar disorder present a lot like people with unipolar depression, or major depressive disorder: they feel sad, lose interest in activities, feel worthless, have trouble concentrating, etc. To be diagnosed with bipolar disorder, you must also have experienced at least one episode of mania. An episode of mania is characterized by an elevated mood, heightened energy without the need to sleep, racing and/or grandiose thoughts, and impulsive behavior. For most people with a bipolar diagnosis, about 75 percent of the time they are experiencing disability from the illness, they are in depressive episodes. however, having a history of one manic episode ever means that a person has bipolar illness even if the person is currently depressed.
Borderline personality disorder is not a mood disorder. It is classified as a personality disorder. The symptoms of borderline personality disorder can result in mood problems, but the illness is not defined by changes in mood. The symptoms of borderline personality disorder are relational.
However, for individuals with bipolar disorder, for the most part, there is little causal relationship between interactions with other people and the onset of a mood episode. But with borderline personality disorder, interactions with other people or expectations about relationships are what drive the illness and result in mood and anxiety problems.
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Can Borderline Personality Disorder Be Prevented
Unfortunately, theres no way to prevent borderline personality disorder.
BPD is often inherited , which means you have an increased risk of developing the condition if you have a family history of BPD. Ask your healthcare provider how to recognize signs of the disorder so you can get treatment as early as possible.
Bpd Vs Bipolar Disorder
Another mental health condition is bipolar disorder. Many people get borderline personality disorder and bipolar disorder confused with one another. In fact, one study in 2017 showed that 40% of people with BPD were misdiagnosed with bipolar disorder type 2.
These two disorders do have a lot in common, but there are also marked differences. Both conditions cause severe mood changes, but the moods will look different with each disorder. Bipolar produces mania and depression, while BPD will produce intense feelings of emotional pain, loneliness, and desperation.
Also, mood changes with BPD are usually very brief and last for a few hours, whereas bipolar mood swings can last days or even weeks.
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Relationships & Borderline Personality Disorder
Due to their impulsiveness, young people with BPD tend to change jobs frequently and abruptly cut ties to people they are close to, the young woman with BPD explains in Elite Daily. We also have intense and sudden mood changes, and we have severe difficulty regulating our emotions. Unintentionally, we tend to blame others when we make a mistake, which causes us to be manipulative and cruel to those we care about.
Bipolar And Borderline Personality Disorder Dual Diagnosis Bipolar And Bpd Dual Diagnosis
Can you have bipolar disorder and BPD? Yes, having bipolar disorder and BPD at the same time is possible. BPD and bipolar dual diagnosis can occasionally result in severe symptoms. The patient might require intensive hospital inpatient treatment. Other times, individuals with both diseases may only require outpatient treatment rather than hospitalization. Everything depends on how severe and intense each disorder is. The symptoms of one of the illnesses may be more severe than those of the other.
BPD and bipolar disorder are chronic disorders. Working with your doctor to create a treatment plan that is effective for you is crucial for either of these conditions. This will guarantee that instead of getting worse, your symptoms get better. Speak with your doctor immediately away if you believe your treatment isnt working as effectively as it should.
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Research On The Overlap
You may have heard about or even been told you are borderline. This used to be a very negative label, but now theres good evidence that specific treatment is possible and can help a lot.Linehan et al, Blum So now the label is not as pessimistic and hopeless as it was even a few years ago.
A recent review from Canada found substantial overlap between borderline and bipolar disorder diagnoses, though still concluded that borderline deserved to be regarded as a valid diagnosis, separate from bipolar disorder.MagillThis is an excellent review of this overlap or one illness issue, and I rather agree with the conclusion. Another borderline research group, led by Dr. Gunderson whos been studying this phenomenon for decades, also warns against lumping the two conditions together.GundersonHe emphasizes the same differentiating factor I present in the next section: abandonment fear is prominent in borderline, not so in bipolar.
Updating references in 2014 Im struck that in over 10 years, there as been little change in this borderline vs. bipolar discussion. You can still find both views.
Do I Have Borderline Or Bipolar
If you think you might have bipolar disorder or borderline personality disorder , understanding the difference can be confusing. Maybe youve struggled with mood swings, thoughts of self-harm, or making impulsive decisionsall of these are common among people with both conditions. But despite their similarities, bipolar disorder and BPD also have a lot of differences. Understanding these differences can help you decide what steps to take to improve your mental health.
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How Do I Find Borderline Personality Disorder Treatment Near Me
Alter Behavioral Health Group is a treatment center in Orange County specializing in residential behavioral health treatment programs and mental health care. At Alter, the goal is to apply a modern understanding of mental health that emphasizes treating the condition as well as the person.
If you or someone you love has borderline personality disorder, call Alter Behavioral Health to speak to a specialist about treatment options.
Can Bipolar And Borderline Personality Co
A person experiencing symptoms of both bipolar and borderline personality may have both conditions.
A person experiencing symptoms of both bipolar and borderline personality may have both conditions. This isnt uncommon, in fact. A 2013 review of multiple studies on the two conditions found that around 10% of people diagnosed with borderline personality also had bipolar I, while about 10% had bipolar II as well as BPD.
Living with untreated borderline personality and bipolar can cause significant distress, in part because the two conditions may play off each other.
- Feelings of emptiness or failure may be even worse during a bipolar depressive period, causing emotional turmoil or disconnect, both of which may increase risk for self-harming behavior or suicide.
- A person struggling with trust or abandonment issues in their relationship could have an even harder time maintaining a healthy relationship during a low mood state.
- A period of mania may be more likely to trigger risky or impulsive behavior in a person who feels distressed or disconnected from their sense of self and wants to feel something.
- Substance abuse isnt uncommon with BPD or bipolar, and alcohol and drugs can often trigger mania.
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Mood Disorder Vs Personality Disorder
Bipolar disorder is a mood disorderit primarily involves changes in your mood. People with bipolar disorder experience episodes of mania and depression. Mania involves feeling extremely energetic and excited. Sometimes people with mania lose touch with reality . Depression is feeling extremely sad and exhausted for several weeks at a time. In between bouts of mania and depression, people with bipolar disorder may feel relatively stable.
Unlike bipolar disorder, BPD is a personality disorder. Personality disorders involve patterns of thinking and behavior that affect all aspects of a persons life. People with BPD often have an insecure attachment style, meaning that they have a hard time trusting other people to stick around. Their emotionsand even their identitycan depend heavily on their relationships with other people.
Its also possible to have both BPD and bipolar disorder.
Similarities Of Bipolar Disorder And Borderline Personality Disorder
It can be difficult to differentiate between borderline personality disorder and bipolar disorder at times.
Both borderline personality disorder and bipolar disorder are mental illnesses that are relatively common and have a serious impact on the emotions and lives of the people affected, the people who care about them, says Sarah Fineberg, M.D., of Yale Psychiatry. Both conditions involve periods of intense and fluctuating emotions, which can be very distressing and increase the risk of suicide.
According to Rachel Gabrielle, a psychodynamic therapist and owner of a virtual private practice in Seattle, it often takes a highly skilled clinician to distinguish the two from one another.
A person can have both , but they can be difficult to differentiate because both have characteristics such as impulsiveness and mood swings, she says. Both conditions take time to treat and understand, and both can be managed with the right treatment.
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Who Does Borderline Personality Disorder Affect
Most personality disorders begin in the teen years when your personality further develops and matures. As a result, almost all people diagnosed with borderline personality disorder are above the age of 18.
Although anyone can develop BPD, its more common if you have a family history of BPD. People with other mental health conditions, such as anxiety, depression or eating disorders, are also at higher risk.
Nearly 75% of people diagnosed with BPD are people assigned female at birth . Research suggests that people assigned male at birth may be equally affected by BPD, but they may be misdiagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder or depression.
Bpd Symptoms Vs Bipolar Disorder Symptoms
Although theres some overlap between the two conditions, there are a few differences.
The main differences between BPD and bipolar disorder symptoms are:
The timing of impulsive behaviors
If you have bipolar disorder, your impulsivity tends to happen during periods of mania or hypomania. But if you have BPD, impulsive urges may arise without other symptoms of mania. Impulsive urges may arise anytime or may occur in response to stressors that happen randomly.
Sleep
During periods of mania, people with bipolar disorder feel more energized and need less sleep. You might feel energized after just a few hours of sleep each night. BPD doesnt involve mania, so youre less likely to notice this.
Mood cycle time
People with BPD have short-lived moods that change within a few hours or days. People with bipolar disorder tend to have mood cycles that last for weeks or months, unless they have rapid-cycling bipolar disorder, in which case the mood cycle will be much shorter.
Relationships
BPD is characterized by a deep fear of abandonment, which can put immense strain on relationships. People with BPD often struggle to have stable relationships as they fluctuate between extreme like and dislike for people. While people with bipolar disorder might struggle with interpersonal relationships, the fear of abandonment isnt often present.
Triggers
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Can You Have Borderline Personality Disorder And Bipolar Disorder At The Same Time
It is possible to have borderline personality disorder and bipolar disorder at the same time. About 20% of people who have bipolar disorder will also have borderline personality disorder and vice versa. People who have both of these disorders usually have more extreme symptoms like depression and suicidal ideation and are more likely to be hospitalized.
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Psychoeducation In A Group
Numerous people with bipolar disorder find it beneficial to get together with others who have the condition.
Most therapies promote group psychoeducation. It focuses on improving your ability to remain mindful and aware of one’s thoughts and feelings in any situation so that you can behave appropriately.
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What Does Borderline Personality Disorder Treatment Look Like
Borderline personality disorder does have treatment options that have shown to be effective. Research shows that if you dont get proper treatment for BPD, you are at a higher risk of developing other medical or mental conditions.
Residential programs provide the most thorough treatment for borderline personality disorder. A residential program provides 24-hour care and allows you to stay overnight at the treatment center. The advantages of residential treatment include:
- Constant access to medical and mental health professionals
- A comfortable environment free of typical everyday triggers
- Regular interventions to help you through each day
- The opportunity to build a support system around you
Residential programs offer a variety of interventions, including individual therapy, medication, and family and group therapy.
Misdiagnosis Or Comorbidity: Borderline Personality Disorder In A Patient Diagnosed With Bipolar Disorder
The current and central biosocial theory of borderline personality disorder as defined by Dr. Marsha Linehan focuses on impairment in the domains of affective, behavioral, and interpersonal functioning. Impulsivity, aggression, and affective instability, key behaviors in borderline personality disorder, are connected to a dysfunction of serotonin . A polymorphism within a specific serotonin transporter gene has been associated with suicide, impulsivity, addiction, and emotional lability . A confluence of biological predisposition and environmental effects produces a borderline personality disorder phenotype .
Borderline personality disorder can commonly be confused with or misdiagnosed as bipolar disorder, largely because of the overlapping symptoms relating to affective instability . Some believe that bipolar disorder and borderline personality disorder are separate entities that, in some cases, can coexist , while others see them on a spectrum together . In the present case report, the patient was formerly diagnosed with bipolar disorder but later given the diagnosis of borderline personality disorder.
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Are Bipolar And Borderline Personality Disorder Related
Although it is not yet clear-cut, research has not found a strong relationship between BPD and bipolar disorder. There is some evidence that people with BPD are diagnosed with bipolar disorder at higher rates than individuals with other personality disorders.
One study found that about 20% of people with BPD are also diagnosed with bipolar disorder. Only about 10% of people with other personality disorders also have a bipolar disorder diagnosis.
Another study looked at people diagnosed with both BPD and bipolar disorder within a 10-year timeframe. The results showed that the disorders appear to be completely independent. The studys authors stressed that its extremely important to treat each disorder individually for the best chance of symptom relief.