A person with BPD may go to extreme lengths to avoid real or perceived abandonment, with many of the relationship issues stemming from this behavior. A person with CPTSD may have issues with trust and staying connected with people, but they don't have the fear of abandonment; that's a telltale sign of BPD.
Individuals with cPTSD tend to have a more stable sense of Self but struggle with consistent feelings of low self-worth, guilt, and shame. Individuals with BPD, on the other hand, have a more unstable sense of Self – they may not know who they are at their core and frequently change their interests and hobbies.
cPTSD has often been misdiagnosed as BPD. cPTSD and BPD have some symptoms in common, but cPTSD is more complex than BPD. If you are experiencing symptoms of cPTSD, it is important to seek out help from a qualified therapist. Makin Wellness Counselors can help answer any questions about cPTSD and BPD.
BPD is a complex disorder and affects every person differently. Common symptoms are emotional instability, erratic behavior patterns, and intense feelings of emptiness as well as a poor sense of self. Unlike PTSD, which is understood to be a fear-based disorder, complex PTSD is believed to be rooted in shame.
Misdiagnosis with BPD
Some of the symptoms of complex PTSD are very similar to those of borderline personality disorder (BPD), and not all professionals are aware of complex PTSD. As a result, some people are given a diagnosis of BPD or another personality disorder when complex PTSD fits their experiences more closely.
Many different forms of mental illness share similar symptoms. One example of this is borderline personality disorder (BPD) and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). A person with symptoms of either disorder may be misdiagnosed with the other, and it's also possible to have both at the same time.
However, both the PTSD and cPTSD/DSO symptoms often occur with no BPD symptoms (except possibly BPD's unstable sense of self and emotional emptiness), most often as a sequela of childhood emotional neglect (with or without childhood abuse).
Limited therapeutic effectiveness of antidepressants in BPD may be related to lack of serotonin receptor specificity, since 5-HT2A but not 5-HT2C antagonism is associated with decreasing impulsivity.
Stressful or traumatic life events
Often having felt afraid, upset, unsupported or invalidated. Family difficulties or instability, such as living with a parent or carer who experienced an addiction. Sexual, physical or emotional abuse or neglect. Losing a parent.
Environmental factors
being a victim of emotional, physical or sexual abuse. being exposed to long-term fear or distress as a child. being neglected by 1 or both parents. growing up with another family member who had a serious mental health condition, such as bipolar disorder or a drink or drug misuse problem.
One of the most common misdiagnoses for BPD is bipolar disorder. Both conditions have episodes of mood instability.
PTSD assessment may begin using a self-screen. However, a more in-depth assessment is required to diagnose PTSD. That assessment will involve an interview with a provider and may also include self-report questionnaires that you complete.
Complex post-traumatic stress disorder (CPTSD) is a new diagnosis category in the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-11) issued by the World Health Organization (WHO).
Borderline personality disorder usually begins by early adulthood. The condition seems to be worse in young adulthood and may gradually get better with age. If you have borderline personality disorder, don't get discouraged.
Splitting is a psychological mechanism which allows the person to tolerate difficult and overwhelming emotions by seeing someone as either good or bad, idealised or devalued. This makes it easier to manage the emotions that they are feeling, which on the surface seem to be contradictory.
People with BPD score low on cognitive empathy but high on emotional empathy. This suggests that they do not easily understand other peoples' perspectives, but their own emotions are very sensitive. This is important because it could align BPD with other neurodiverse conditions.
Antipsychotics are widely used in BPD, as they are believed to be effective in improving impulsivity, aggression, anxiety and psychotic symptoms [Nose et al. 2006; American Psychiatric Association, 2001].
A number of research studies have demonstrated that certain types of antidepressants are effective in treating specific symptoms of BPD. For example, SSRIs can reduce emotional instability, impulsivity, self-harm behaviors, and anger. MAOIs have also been shown to effectively treat emotional instability.
Many mental health professionals do recognize C-PTSD as a separate condition, because the traditional symptoms of PTSD do not fully capture some of the unique characteristics shown in people who experienced repeat trauma.
The symptoms of complex PTSD resemble those of conventional PTSD, but they are more painful and often dominate the lives of those who experience them. Complex PTSD is one of the most debilitating mental health disorders, and yet it remains largely unknown and is only now beginning to receive the attention it deserves.
The Social Security Administration (SSA) considers post-traumatic stress disorder a disability. It falls under the category of trauma and stressor-related disorders. According to the SSA, these disorders occur after witnessing or experiencing a stressful or traumatic event.
There is no definitive test to diagnose borderline personality disorder (BPD).