Teenagers may start showing the symptoms of borderline personality disorder, but to be diagnosed they need to have symptoms that are severe enough to persistently interfere with daily functioning for 1 year or longer.
Symptoms that may present as BPD symptoms can change and develop into a different type of mental health disorder as a child grows and matures. That being said, if someone under age 18 is believed to suffer from BPD and maintains the pattern of symptoms for at least a year, he or she may be diagnosed with the disorder.
BPD can be difficult to diagnose because the symptoms are similar to other mental illnesses, such as depression, psychosis and bipolar disorder. Depending on your situation, one session may not be long enough to decide which diagnosis best fits your symptoms. You may be also be offered different treatments.
Personality disorders, including borderline personality disorder, are diagnosed based on a: Detailed interview with your doctor or mental health provider. Psychological evaluation that may include completing questionnaires. Medical history and exam.
According to DSM-5, features of a personality disorder usually begin to manifest during adolescence and early adulthood. In earlier versions of DSM, a personality disorder could not be diagnosed in someone under age 18; however, DSM-5 now allows this diagnosis if the features have been present for at least one year.
Visiting your GP
If you want to talk about BPD and a possible diagnosis, visit your GP. Bringing up your BPD concerns to your doctor may be frightening at first, but it's the first step that needs to be done in order to have a borderline personality disorder assessment completed.
If your doctor suspects BPD, they may refer you to a psychiatrist or psychologist for diagnosis and treatment – this may be through your local public mental health service. There are no specific tests that can help confirm the diagnosis of BPD.
Screenings for BPD should be done face-to-face in person or virtually rather than via an online test. A complete assessment for BPD includes: A thorough interview including a discussion of your symptoms and past and present life. A review of your personal and family medical history.
Some of the most common effects of untreated BPD can include the following: Dysfunctional social relationships. Repeated job losses. Broken marriages.
Key points. Mental health providers can be reluctant to diagnose BPD and other personality disorders due to diagnosis criteria, insurance, and stigma. Not diagnosing BPD, where appropriate, can adversely affect treatment. Traits of BPD can be communicated without formally diagnosing the full personality disorder.
Additionally, relationship instability is a feature of BPD, and clinicians may be wary of patients with whom establishing a therapeutic bond could be difficult. They may also hold the mistaken belief that treatment is ineffective for BPD patients.
Clinicians can be reluctant to make a diagnosis of borderline personality disorder (BPD). One reason is that BPD is a complex syndrome with symptoms that overlap many Axis I disorders. This paper will examine interfaces between BPD and depression, between BPD and bipolar disorder, and between BPD and psychoses.
Borderline personality disorder (BPD) has historically been seen as a lifelong, highly disabling disorder.
Your GP can't diagnose BPD. Only a psychiatrist should make a formal diagnosis. A psychiatrist is part of the community mental health team (CMHT). If your GP feels that you need more support they will refer you to the CMHT.
Some people with BPD may meet the criteria for the NDIS, some have been approved already, many have not. It is possible for people to recover from BPD however, and to go onto the NDIS, it is required you have a permanent disability this is one of the challenges faced with being eligible for the NDIS.
National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIS), psychosocial support may be available as someone with a diagnosis of BPD. Carers may often need to assist in compiling the information to apply, although the process needs to be commenced by the person receiving the service directly.
No laboratory tests are useful in identifying borderline personality disorder (BPD). Some BPD patients have abnormal results with dexamethasone suppression testing and with thyrotropin-releasing hormone testing; however, these findings are also present in many patients with depression.
Let the therapist know that you are interested in an assessment and treatment. Describe some of your symptoms. You can even mention that you think you may have BPD. Take the opportunity to ask some initial questions.
One of the most common misdiagnoses for BPD is bipolar disorder. Both conditions have episodes of mood instability.
But antisocial personality disorder is one of the most difficult types of personality disorders to treat. A person with antisocial personality disorder may also be reluctant to seek treatment and may only start therapy when ordered to do so by a court.
BPD clients are so desperate for attachment that their fierce need can draw a therapist in. At the same time, many BPD clients have learned not to trust those very attachments they demand and crave. Thus, therapists can find themselves caught in their BPD clients' conflicting desires.
Borderline personality disorder is a mental illness that severely impacts a person's ability to regulate their emotions. This loss of emotional control can increase impulsivity, affect how a person feels about themselves, and negatively impact their relationships with others.