Understanding Borderline Personality Disorder: Causes and Symptoms

Borderline personality disorder is a condition in which patients have difficulty handling their emotions, leading to severe stress when dealing with interpersonal relationships, self-image and emotional responses.

Borderline Personality Overview

• A patient with borderline personality disorder tends to have a skewed image of both themselves and the world around them. Often, patients idealize another person only to be severely disappointed when their hero ultimately fails them; this scenario can cause major conflict, and eventually depression within the patient.

Environmental Causes

• Patients with borderline personality disorder have experienced some sort of childhood trauma, including but not limited to sexual or physical abuse, emotional abuse and/or neglect, or separation from a caregiver at an early age.

Genetic Causes

• Borderline personality disorder tends to run in families. Research has shown that patients with borderline personality disorder have a genetic predisposition that creates a serotonin imbalance in the brain.

Biological Causes

• Research also shows that the brain of a borderline personality patient is structurally and functionally different than normal brains. This difference can contribute to the imbalances experienced by patients.

Final Thoughts

• Borderline personality disorder is a serious mental illness and should not be dismissed. Individuals experiencing symptoms should seek immediate professional attention.