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 p
