“We found a strong link between childhood trauma and BPD, which is particularly large when emotional abuse and neglect was involved.” He added: “Borderline is a slightly misleading term – as it implies that this condition only has a mild impact. Far from that, BPD can be very distressing and difficult to treat.
You might also experience BPD without having any history of traumatic or stressful life events. Or you might have had other types of difficult experiences. If you already experience some of these difficulties, then experiencing stress or trauma as an adult could make things worse.
But borderline personality disorder does not develop as a result of those traumas. Instead, it is a combination of genetic factors and childhood experiences (early environmental influences) that cause a person to develop borderline personality disorder.
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.
Most people who suffer from BPD have a history of major trauma, often sustained in childhood. This includes sexual and physical abuse, extreme neglect, and separation from parents and loved ones.
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.
BPD has been linked to the amygdala and limbic systems of the brain, the centres that control emotion and, particularly, rage, fear and impulsive automatic reactions.
Myth: Bad Parenting Causes BPD
Parents are all too often blamed for all kinds of problems in their children, but there is absolutely no evidence that bad parenting causes BPD. They are likely individual cases in which parents have aggravated their child's underlying vulnerability.
The fact is some people with BPD are raised in loving and functional families who may have been ill-equipped at responding to mental illness, teaching emotion regulation skills, or in the words of Dr. Aguirre, who “aggravated their child's underlying vulnerability.”
Many people with borderline personality disorder are highly functional parents. Some people raised by parents with BPD compensate by becoming exceptionally compassionate, mature, and competent.
The causes of BPD are not yet fully understood. However, it is likely from a combination of: genetics, high emotional sensitivity, drug and alcohol use, early and long environment that seems invalidating, stress from financial, school, work, relationship or family issues.
In particular, there is evidence that BPD is commonly misdiagnosed as Bipolar Disorder, Type 2. One study showed that 40% of people who met criteria for BPD but not for bipolar disorder were nevertheless misdiagnosed with Bipolar Type 2.
The Social Security Administration placed borderline personality disorder as one of the mental health disorders on its disabilities list. However, you'll have to meet specific criteria for an official disability finding. For example, you must prove that you have the symptoms of the condition.
Studies show that anywhere between 30 and 80 percent of people with BPD meet the criteria for a trauma-based disorder or report past trauma-related experiences.
This can lead to various mental health difficulties, including the problems commonly seen in people who receive a diagnosis of BPD. “We found a strong link between childhood trauma and BPD, which is particularly large when emotional abuse and neglect was involved.”
Genetics A person's genetics are a big factor in whether he or she experiences BPD. “Studies show anywhere from 49 to 65 percent of the development of BPD is genetic in nature,” says Dr. Riggenbach.
Early Onset
As previously mentioned, DSM-5 permits the diagnosis of BPD in patients younger than 18 if symptoms persist for at least 1 year. Symptoms of BPD usually start prior to adulthood and the diagnosis can be made reliably.
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.
It can be distressing for the person with borderline personality disorder and the people around them, and it is often misunderstood. It is the most common personality disorder in Australia, affecting about 1 to 4 in every 100 people at some time in their lives.
In combination, genetic vulnerability to BPD and negative early experiences with parents and caregivers are considered to put a child at increased risk of developing BPD or experiencing its related features in adulthood [11, 12].
However, contrary to popular mythology and outdated thinking, BPD does not have to be an immutable state. With the right approach and treatment, you can nurture a healthier relationship with your child while giving them invaluable support as they learn to navigate their illness and find true recovery.
Relationships and BPD Rage
Anger that is intense, uncontrolled or inappropriate can be a devastating symptom for someone who has BPD. They may be driven by a desire to be connected to others, yet loss of emotional control frequently drives others away. In some cases, the level of rage experienced can lead to violence.
BPD splitting destroys relationships because the behaviour can be impulsive or reckless in order to alleviate the pain, often hurting loved ones in the process. It can feel like everyone abandons or hurts them, often causing them to look for evidence, and creating problems from nothing.
Objective: Borderline personality disorder is a disabling and dramatic psychiatric condition. To date, its pathophysiology remains unclear. Scientific evidence seems to have found underlying, nonfocal, central nervous system dysfunction in borderline personality disorder.