Borderline personality disorder
See your GP if you're concerned that you have borderline personality disorder (BPD). They may ask about your symptoms and how they're affecting your quality of life.
Your GP willalso wantto rule out other more common mental health conditions, such as Depression , and make sure there's no immediate risk to your health and wellbeing.
If your GP suspects BPD, you'll probably be referred to your local community mental health team for a more in-depth assessment. Ask if the service you're being referred to has experience of working with personality disorders.
You may also find the MIND and Emergence websites useful.
Community mental health teams help people with complex mental health conditions such as BPD. However,some teams mayfocus only on people with psychotic disorders. Inother areas, there are complex needs services that may be better placed to help you.
Your assessment will probablybe carried out by a specialist in personality disorders, usually a psychologist or psychiatrist.
Internationally recognised criteria are used to diagnose BPD. A diagnosis can usually be made if you answer "yes" to five or more of the followingquestions:
Once a diagnosis of BPD has been confirmed, it's recommended that you tell close family, friends and people you trust about the diagnosis.
There are several reasons for this.
Many of the symptoms of BPD affect your relationships with people close to you, so involving them in your treatment may make them aware of your condition and make your treatment more effective.
Your family and friends can then remain alert for any behaviour that may indicate you're having a crisis.
They may also benefit from local support groups and other servicesfor people in a relationship with a person with BPD.
However, the decision to talk about your condition is entirely your own, and your confidentiality will be respected at all times.
Read about borderline personality disorder. Personality disorders can cause a range of distressing symptoms and patterns of abnormal behaviour.
Read about symptoms of borderline personality disorder (BPD), which include emotional instability, impulsive behaviour and intense, yet unstable, relationships with others.
Read about the causes of borderline personality disorder (BPD). It's likely to be caused by a combination of factors
Read about diagnosing borderline personality disorder (BPD). If your GP suspects BPD, you'll usually be referred to your local community mental health team (CMHT)
Read about treatment for borderline personality disorder (BPD), which may involve psychotherapy, a type of talking therapy