Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) is commonly experienced with unstable and intense emotions such as anger, depression or anxiety, difficulties with relationships and with impulsiveness. These all have a significant impact on day-to-day functioning. The unstable and intense nature of the condition can be alienating and cause the person to feel isolated.
It is estimated that personality disorders affect approximately 6% of the global population. In Australia, it is estimated that 1% of the general population have been diagnosed with borderline personality disorder.
There is a lot of discussion and research about how BPD is understood. While diagnosis is based on certain signs and symptoms, BPD is experienced in different ways from one person to another. Some of the differences can include the emotions that are felt such as high levels of anxiety, or anger/aggression, or withdrawal, and how much they impact on everyday activities. More research will help to identify and understand the experiences of BPD and support the effectiveness of treatment.
