Borderline Personality Disorder Overview Essay

Exclusively available on Available only on IvyPanda® Made by Human No AI

Personality disorders are a group of mental health illnesses defined by specific behavior patterns and distinctive cognitive and affective characteristics. Such disorders are characterized by significant deviations in the way of thinking about oneself and others, emotional responses, regulating behavior, and the ability to relate to other people (Robitz, 2018). This essay will consider borderline personality disorder (BPD), its manifestations, personal characteristics and cognitive features associated with the disease, and potential genetic causes and neurochemical features.

BPD is a severe disorder that can significantly affect one’s health, well-being, and ability to develop meaningful relationships. Patients with BPD often experience sudden mood swings and regularly change their interests and personal values due to the present uncertainty of their place in the world (National Institute of Mental Health, 2017). People diagnosed with the disorder are not capable of building stable relationships as their views and opinions, including those of other people, change suddenly and radically.

BPD is traditionally assessed by completing an in-depth interview with the patient and a medical examination employed to rule out other causes for behavioral manifestations (National Institute of Mental Health, 2017). In addition, the McLean Screening Instrument for Borderline Personality Disorder (MSI-BPD) can be employed for the initial assessment of BPD (Dabaghi et al., 2020). Family history and the patient’s medical history can also be included in the evaluation.

Several risk factors are distinguished when discussing BPD and its development. According to the National Institute of Mental Health (2017), environmental, cultural, social, and family factors are substantial risk factors for developing the disorder. Some studies show a possibility of a genetic predisposition to BPD and state that specific genes can modulate the effect of stressful events on one’s impulsivity and aggression (Bassir Nia et al., 2018).

In particular, catechol o-methyltransferase (COMT) val158met polymorphism and 5-HTTPLR ss/sl polymorphism were found to have a determining effect on one’s aggression and impulsivity. Furthermore, persons diagnosed with BPD often present with structural and functional changes in the brain, specifically, in the prefrontal cortex, responsible for regulating impulses (Bassir Nia et al., 2018; National Institute of Mental Health, 2017). Thus, it can be argued that BPD is the result of the intercorrelation of multiple factors, including genetics, brain structure, and social and environmental aspects.

BPD is generally associated with several typical personality characteristics and cognitive features. The National Institute of Mental Health (2017) distinguishes several BPD personality traits, including feelings of emptiness, distorted self-image, inability to trust other people and build relationships with them, and self-harming behaviors. The disorder is also associated with such cognitive impairments as “deficits in executive functions, response inhibition, attention, and cognitive control and abnormal social cognition” (Bassir Nia et al., 2018, p. 63). Thus, persons with BPD often display intense anger, severe mood swings, impulsive behavior, and suicidal ideation (National Institute of Mental Health, 2017).

Considering the complex nature of the disorder and the genetic, social, family, and environmental factors that determine it, the development of BPD cannot be prevented. However, it can be diagnosed early and managed with effective therapies.

In summary, BPD is a severe, complex mental health disorder characterized by a pattern of unstable moods, impulsive behavior, and destructive self-image. Individuals diagnosed with BPD experience difficulties in building relationships and tend to change their opinions and values regularly. Furthermore, BPD is presented with issues with controlling aggression, focus, and communication. Research into the disorder shows that the risk factors for BPD include genetic predisposition, structural and functional changes in the brain, and environmental, social, and familial factors.

References

Bassir Nia, A., Eveleth, M. C., Gabbay, J. M., Hassan, Y. J., Zhang, B., & Perez-Rodriguez, M. M. (2018). Past, present, and future of genetic research in borderline personality disorder. Current Opinion in Psychology, 21, 60–68. Web.

Dabaghi, P., Asl, E., & Taghva, A. (2020). . Journal of Research in Medical Sciences, 25(1), 97–104. Web.

National Institute of Mental Health. (2017). . Web.

Robitz, R. (2018). American Psychiatric Association. Web.

More related papers Related Essay Examples
Cite This paper
You're welcome to use this sample in your assignment. Be sure to cite it correctly

Reference

IvyPanda. (2022, August 14). Borderline Personality Disorder Overview. https://ivypanda.com/essays/borderline-personality-disorder-overview/

Work Cited

"Borderline Personality Disorder Overview." IvyPanda, 14 Aug. 2022, ivypanda.com/essays/borderline-personality-disorder-overview/.

References

IvyPanda. (2022) 'Borderline Personality Disorder Overview'. 14 August.

References

IvyPanda. 2022. "Borderline Personality Disorder Overview." August 14, 2022. https://ivypanda.com/essays/borderline-personality-disorder-overview/.

1. IvyPanda. "Borderline Personality Disorder Overview." August 14, 2022. https://ivypanda.com/essays/borderline-personality-disorder-overview/.


Bibliography


IvyPanda. "Borderline Personality Disorder Overview." August 14, 2022. https://ivypanda.com/essays/borderline-personality-disorder-overview/.

If, for any reason, you believe that this content should not be published on our website, please request its removal.
Updated:
This academic paper example has been carefully picked, checked and refined by our editorial team.
No AI was involved: only quilified experts contributed.
You are free to use it for the following purposes:
  • To find inspiration for your paper and overcome writer’s block
  • As a source of information (ensure proper referencing)
  • As a template for you assignment
Privacy Settings

IvyPanda uses cookies and similar technologies to enhance your experience, enabling functionalities such as:

  • Basic site functions
  • Ensuring secure, safe transactions
  • Secure account login
  • Remembering account, browser, and regional preferences
  • Remembering privacy and security settings
  • Analyzing site traffic and usage
  • Personalized search, content, and recommendations
  • Displaying relevant, targeted ads on and off IvyPanda

Please refer to IvyPanda's Cookies Policy and Privacy Policy for detailed information.

Required Cookies & Technologies
Always active

Certain technologies we use are essential for critical functions such as security and site integrity, account authentication, security and privacy preferences, internal site usage and maintenance data, and ensuring the site operates correctly for browsing and transactions.

Site Customization

Cookies and similar technologies are used to enhance your experience by:

  • Remembering general and regional preferences
  • Personalizing content, search, recommendations, and offers

Some functions, such as personalized recommendations, account preferences, or localization, may not work correctly without these technologies. For more details, please refer to IvyPanda's Cookies Policy.

Personalized Advertising

To enable personalized advertising (such as interest-based ads), we may share your data with our marketing and advertising partners using cookies and other technologies. These partners may have their own information collected about you. Turning off the personalized advertising setting won't stop you from seeing IvyPanda ads, but it may make the ads you see less relevant or more repetitive.

Personalized advertising may be considered a "sale" or "sharing" of the information under California and other state privacy laws, and you may have the right to opt out. Turning off personalized advertising allows you to exercise your right to opt out. Learn more in IvyPanda's Cookies Policy and Privacy Policy.

1 / 1