Is Bipolar A Mood Disorder
First, lets examine what bipolar disorder is. The question is often asked, is bipolar disorder a personality disorder? Bipolar is considered a mood disorder characterized by swings between intense highs and lows. During the highs, people can feel euphoric and on top of the world this is generally considered a manic stage. This is also a period that can be marked by uncontrollable actions, with no regard for the consequences. The lows are marked by feelings of depression, with an attendant lack of energy or enthusiasm. It may be difficult to get out of bed or focus on anything important, and the tasks and responsibilities of daily life may begin to suffer.
There are two major forms of bipolar disorder: Bipolar I is considered more intense, while bipolar II is less severe. There are other types of bipolar as well, such as mixed bipolar disorder, where the manic and depressive stages occur simultaneously, and rapid-cycling bipolar disorder, where many mood swings take place during the course of a year.
The mood swings of bipolar disorder can occur at any time and can permeate all areas of a persons life. Now lets segue to looking at borderline personality disorder vs. bipolar.
Why Are Bipolar Disorder And Borderline Personality Disorder Often Confused Or Conflated
Sometimes interacting with someone with a bipolar diagnosis compared to interacting with someone with a diagnosis of borderline personality disorder may feel similar. You may feel like you never know what to expect from one day to the next, with the persons mood or behavior being extremely variable. The origins of that unpredictability are different, but the effects on communication and relationships can be comparable.
If you have a relationship with someone who has bipolar disorder, when they experience an untreated manic or hypomanic episode, they may be euphoric, feel like theyre on top of the world, theyre the life of the party, they express love for you, etc. But when that episode ends, or maybe even transitions into a depressive episode, your interactions with that person may change dramatically.
Similarly, relational interactions with people with untreated borderline personality disorder may feel extreme. When they feel safe and secure in the relationship, they may express love for you, seem excited to spend time with you, and be very supportive. That behavior could look a lot like someone experiencing a manic or hypomanic episode. However, if the instability in the relationship emerges, that behavior can quickly flip into a very negative social interaction.
Bipolar Disorder Vs Borderline Personality Disorder
Jan 4, 2022Bipolar Disorder
Life is turbulent and changing moods can often be a natural response to stressful situations, according to Frank Yeomans, M.D., Ph.D., director of training at the New York-Presbyterian Borderline Personality Disorder Resource Center. He says extreme mood shifts could be signs of serious mental health conditions requiring immediate care.
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How Do The Two Get Misdiagnosed
If the disorders are so different, how is it that they are so often confused? The answer lies in the fact that bipolar II frequently produces extended episodes of depression. The depression is far more prevalent than are periods of mania or hypomania which may show up only occasionally. Because of this, the chronic sadness of a depressive episode can be mistaken for the more fixed despondency associated with borderline personality disorder.
The onset of bipolar and borderline often occur during adolescence, providing another confusing overlap. However, in the case of borderline the emotional and behavioral responses to life became part and parcel of the persons typical mode of coping. Bipolar II disorder, as mentioned before, is not so much a matter of core personality as it is extreme shifts away from that center.
Because it can be tough to tease out the differences between these two conditions there is nothing wrong with seeking out a second opinion, or at least asking plenty of questions of the diagnosing clinician. The important dividing line will be in what variations, if any, take place from the persons baseline behavior and personality.
Whats The Best Way To Support Someone With Bipolar Disorder
Supporting someone with bipolar disorder can be difficult because its hard to know what kind of support they need. According to the Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance, some of the best ways to support someone with the disorder are:
- Ask the person what kind of support they need.
- Dont ask the person to snap out of an emotional state they may be experiencing.
- Educate yourself about bipolar disorder to better understand what the person is going through.
- Encourage the person to seek treatment.
- Try to offer as much unconditional love as you can.
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Treatment For Bipolar Disorder
Treatment for bipolar disorder often includes a combination of medication, therapy and specific lifestyle changes.
- Psychotherapy The right form of therapy can help you learn how to manage bipolar disorder. Therapy has also proven effective in helping treat other symptoms associated with bipolar disorder like substance abuse, stress, and anxiety.
- Medication Certain mood stabilizers can be beneficial during both manic and depressive episodes. Antipsychotics, anticonvulsants, and others might be options.
- Self-management Learning to recognize the behaviors and early signs of the highs and lows associated with bipolar disorder is critical. It can help you better manage bouts of mania or depression. If you feel yourself starting to exhibit either side of the disorder, you should reach out to your healthcare provider or therapist as soon as possible. Together, you can discuss the best possible path forward, whether it be a change in medication, therapy, or both.
- Additional approaches Self-care is critical for everyone. Eating and sleeping well, and taking care of yourself physically and exercising can help enhance aspects of your mental health and well-being.
Can You Have Both Conditions Which Is Worse
BPD is a personality disorder and Bipolar Disorder is a mood disorder. You can have both conditions. There are two categories of Bipolar Disorder. Bipolar I and Bipolar II. Both types have a certain population that is also diagnosed with BPD. In Bipolar I it is about 10% and in Bipolar II, it is about 20%. If you have both conditions, you could receive therapy that is often used to treat both conditions, but because Bipolar has medication that effectively treats the condition, you would have access to that.
One condition is not necessarily worse than the other. Each has its own factors that may be more difficult or easier than the other. While the negative and positive states of Bipolar may be more extreme than BPD, Bipolar also typically allows the individual to stabilize their mood for a period of time. BPD does not. Bipolar also has medication that effectively treats the condition. Both are extremely difficult conditions to deal with and as long as you are receiving the correct treatment you need, you should be on your way to better managing your moods and behaviors.
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What Is The Outlook For People Who Have Borderline Personality Disorder
Most of the time, borderline personality disorder symptoms gradually decrease with age. Some peoples symptoms disappear in their 40s. With the right treatment, many people with borderline personality disorder learn to manage their symptoms and improve their quality of life.
Without treatment, people with BPD have an increased risk of drug and alcohol abuse, depression, self-harm and suicide. Many people with BPD experience unstable or chaotic personal relationships and have trouble keeping a job. They have an increased risk of divorce, estrangement from family members and rocky friendships. Legal and financial problems are also common.
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.
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Learning To Cope With Bipolar Disorder And Borderline Personality Disorder
Whilst the two disorders coexisting can be hard to cope with, there are a few ways I have learned to handle my life:
The most important factor in moving towards mental stability is seeking help as soon as you feel you are becoming unwell again. If you begin to recognize signs of either disorder setting in, contact the relevant medical professional as soon as possible.
Who Is Likely To Get Borderline Personality Disorder
Women are more likely than men to get a borderline personality disorder diagnosis. Men are often misdiagnosed with depression or post-traumatic stress disorder instead. Although anyone can develop the disorder, its more common if you have a family history of BPD. People with other mental health disorders are at higher risk.
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How Often Do They Change
The two conditions are separated not only by what kinds of emotions they experience, but also by how often those emotions change. The person with borderline personality disorder overreacts on a somewhat regular basis. Anxiety, anger and feeling blue are the drumbeat of life. At times, these feelings will burst forth in more dramatic ways, but it is often the case that the outburst is short-lived and can be traced to a single event or trigger, usually a perceived offense or a fear of being abandoned.
Bipolar, on the other hand, produces prolonged emotional swings that can last for days or weeks. While these episodes are present the person doesnt seem like themselves. And, unlike borderline personality disorder, these emotional shifts are just as likely to occur without any kind of trigger.
Identify What Can Bpd Be Confused With Bipolar Disorder Ptsd Depression Aspd
Mental health professionals may sometimes find it hard to assess your situation and symptoms because they mostly correlate diagnosis with the information available to them. It may result in misdiagnosis and wrong treatment. BPD can also co-exist with other mental health conditions. Following are some personality disorders that may be confused with Borderline Personality Disorder:
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Bpd Relationships Require Strength And Independence
I always get these emails from guys saying how theyre strong and independent, and this is the first girl thats ever made them weak.
Well, the fact is that relationships bring out the best and worst of us. This is just the truth.
If you find yourself becoming needy, weak, and insecure in a relationship, you only have yourself to blame. It doesnt matter how toxic or fucked up your partner is. At the end of the day, you made the choice to stick around and let the abuse stack up.
People who arent emotionally strong and independent struggle immensely in these relationships. As you allow more and more abusive behavior to continue, it will only get worse over time.
This is why you need to change your mentality. Ive watch what happens when my borderline friends meet a guy that they have no control over. Its truly what these types of women want in a guy.
All the other guys who are easy to manipulate and control get tossed into the friend-zone, they get ghosted, she is busy and cant make time for you, or she cheats on you if you two are married.
I cant stress how important it is to develop a sense of independence and strength to the point where the BPD partner sees you as the best person in his or her life.
Bipolar Vs Borderline Personality Disorder: The Differences
Although bipolar disorder and BPD share some similarities, there are some fundamental differences that separate the two. For example, bipolar disorder is a mental disorder, while BPD is an emotional disorder. Both disorders are characterized by mood swings, but the length and intensity of these mood swings are different. While a person with bipolar disorder typically endures the same mood for days or weeks at a time, a person with BPD may experience intense bouts of anger, depression, and anxiety that may last only hours, or at most a day. Bipolar mood shifts are distinguished by manic episodes of elation, but borderline personality disorder mood shifts rarely involve feelings of elation. The causes for these mood shifts also vary. BPD mood shifts are usually a reaction to an environmental stressor , while bipolar mood shifts seem to occur out of nowhere. Both disorders are difficult to live with, but the unpredictability of bipolar disorder can be particularly stressful.
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Compare And Contrast Different Classifications Of Bipolar Disorder Vs Borderline Personality Disorder
Bipolar disorder involves severe mood swings as the individual oscillates between depression and mania. The state of depression in bipolar disorder includes loss of interest in routine acts of life and causes symptoms like hopelessness, sadness, etc.
During the manic state of bipolar disorder, the individual experiences high energy levels, euphoria, and irritability. You can also notice the inability to think, altered judgment, and impulsive behavior in bipolar disorder. Following are some categories of bipolar disorder:
- Bipolar 1 History of at least one manic episode, which may be just before or after a major depressive episode
- Bipolar 2 The person has a history of just one or several episodes of hypomania or major depression. No record of a manic episode.
Borderline personality disorder involves an individuals struggles to control and regulate emotions. It can disturb the state of stable emotions. The patients with BPD react in extreme ways to seemingly minor stressors. This behavior often leads to chaotic relationships, impulsive behavior, and self-harm.
Society Has Changed In Big Ways
The world today is much different than it was 10 years ago or so. Your environment and life experiences determine your mental and emotional state.
Cluster B personality types, which includes BPD, are more common than ever. and bad parenting, along with many other factors that influence your personality, habits, attitude and behavior.
One of the reasons why bipolar relationships fail quite often is because we have a society where everyone is trying to be someone that theyre not. Parents are more insecure than ever. Most people focus on a future self instead of who they are right now in the present moment.
Cases of BPD are at an all-time high because most people have no drive, theyre lost, no ambition, addicted to social media and physical appearance, etc.
Everyone is trying to be perfect. But, perfection is a myth. Nobody accepts who they are anymore. This leads to mental stress and emotional imbalance.
This is the struggle of not only Borderlines, but almost all men and women. Most people are never satisfied with themselves in the present.
Wonder why meditation is more popular than ever? Because of everything I just said above. However, this new study proves that meditation doesnt make people happier.
As Ive been saying for years, the only thing that makes people happy and stress-free is an independent mindset, one that puts yourself first.
You must become a leader of your own life.
No amount of love or intimacy will change your level of happiness.
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Symptoms Of Borderline Personality Disorder
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.
What Are The Key Things To Be Taken Care Of While Doing A Diagnosis
When diagnosing either borderline personality disorder or bipolar disorder, it is important to rule out other potential causes of symptoms. Like thyroid problems, head injury, alcohol or drug abuse, and medications. It is also important to differentiate between symptoms that occur only during depressive or manic episodes.
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International Classification Of Disease
The World Health Organization‘s ICD-10 defines a disorder that is conceptually similar to BPD, called Emotionally unstable personality disorder. Its two subtypes are described below.
F60.30 Impulsive type
At least three of the following must be present, one of which must be :
F60.31 Borderline type
At least three of the symptoms mentioned in F60.30 Impulsive type must be present , with at least two of the following in addition:
The ICD-10 also describes some general criteria that define what is considered a personality disorder.
The Dark Side Of Borderline Personality Disorder
Just living with someone that has this personality disorder, or being around them, can be extremely difficult, Marlborough admits. It brings out my mean streak something shocking. Ive always had a devilish way with words, particularly nasty ones, and BPD is like a Terminator vision that highlights the chinks in everyones armour. Unlike my mania, which tends to make me charismatic and eloquent, a BPD turn or moment sees me turn sour and crude.
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