What is Borderline Personality Disorder?
Borderline personality disorder is one of many personality disorders, it is characterized by impulsivity and emotional instability. Those who take the borderline personality disorder test or quiz above and have symptomatic results may experience sudden mood swings, black and white thinking, and difficulties in exercising control over their emotional responses due to the disorder. However, as mentioned, the quiz is not a diagnosis; the quiz identifies potential symptoms and seeking treatment is the next step.
Although this disorder typically occurs during adulthood, there are cases when this disorder can begin to manifest during adolescence. It’s also one of the most common personality disorders, affecting 1-2% of the general population.
Since people with BPD may have a hard time keeping their emotions under control, they are often in a state of anger and revolt.
On top of that, their self-image is profoundly distorted, making them feel worthless and fundamentally imperfect. Although they crave human connection and affectionate relationships, those who experience this disorder often fail to cultivate long-term relationships because their anger, impulsivity, and lack of emotional control, can quickly drive people away.
Fortunately, decades of scientific studies have helped mental health professionals gain a better understanding of this disorder and design effective intervention strategies. Current research indicates that, by following proper intervention strategies, people with BPD can enjoy a happy and fulfilled life regardless of the disorder.
Signs of Borderline Personality Disorder
The critical element of borderline personality disorder is a pattern characterized by instability in interpersonal relationships, as well as impulsivity. This borderline personality disorder test above aims to question these signs and symptoms via a self-assessment or quiz where you may feel most comfortable. Common symptoms include:
- Sustained effort to avoid real or imaginary abandonment
- Pattern of unstable relationships, alternating between idealization and devaluation
- Frequent emotional swings
- Impulsive and risky behaviors such as unprotected sex, dangerous driving, compulsive gambling
- Intense but short episodes of anxiety or depression
- Uncontrollable anger
- Fear of being alone
- Chronic sensation of emptiness
During stressful periods, people with borderline personality disorder can experience psychotic symptoms such as paranoid thinking and hallucinations. On top of that, this disorder can also be accompanied by other conditions such as depression, PTSD, and anxiety. While taking a borderline personality disorder test or quiz, be sure to open up about your emotions and how these symptoms have effected you and your mindset. However, be aware that this quiz is examining how you resonate with this disorder in the moment, but the quiz may not be encompassing all potential symptoms. Once you take the quiz, discuss the results with a licensed professional who may be able to help identify other signs of the disorder, and address further concerns brought up by the quiz or other experiences you have faced that may highlight a disorder or other mental health concerns.
How is Borderline Personality Disorder Treated?
Treatment can be challenging with many disorders. The intensity of the symptoms, coupled with emotional and behavioral instability represent serious obstacles that can delay recovery of certain disorders. The results of this borderline personality test may give you insight into what the best next steps are for treatment after completion of the quiz.
Treatment will typically involve both medication and a long-term therapeutic process that helps the person acquire healthy coping strategies and develop emotional stability.
Medication
Although there are no pharmacological treatments explicitly designed for this disorder, psychiatrists often prescribe medication for related conditions or mental disorders such as anxiety, depression, and impulsivity.
Medication – in combination with therapy – can help stabilize emotions, reduce impulsive behaviors, relieve psychotic symptoms, or treat other conditions or disorders that are associated with this disorder.
Psychotherapy
Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) and dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) are the most widely used therapeutic approaches for this disorder.
In fact, dialectical behavior therapy was explicitly designed for this disorder and is usually delivered through individual or group sessions.
With the help of a licensed therapist or counselor, people who show strong symptoms on a borderline personality disorder test or quiz can learn how to control their emotional reactions, tolerate unpleasant feelings from the disorders, improve relationships, and cultivate stability in all the critical areas of life regardless of the diagnosis of this disorder.