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This personality disorder is characterized by some of the following symptoms and traits: deeply ingrained and maladaptive patterns of relating to others, impulsive and unpredictable behavior that is often self-destructive, lack of control of anger, intense mood shifts, identity disturbance and inconsistent self-concept, manipulation (form of coping) of others feelings for short-term gain, and chronic feelings of boredom and emptiness.
Symptoms:
Frantic efforts to avoid real or imagined abandonment.
A pattern of unstable and intense interpersonal relationships characterized by alternating between extremes of idealization and devaluation.
Identity disturbances: markedly and persistently unstable self-image or sense of self.
Impulsivity in at least two areas that are potentially self-damaging (e.g., spending, sex, substance abuse, reckless driving, binge eating).
Affective (emotional) instability due to a marked reactivity of mood (e.g., intense episodic dysphoria, irritability, or anxiety usually lasting a few hours and only rarely more than a few days).
Chronic feelings of emptiness.
Inappropriate, intense anger or difficulty controlling anger (e.g., frequent displays of temper, constant anger, recurrent physical fights).
Transient (brief) stress-related paranoid ideation or severe dissociative symptoms.
Treatment Considerations:
We are born with a genetically determined temperament that will continually influence our behaviors throughout life. Understanding of personality disorders and how it affects your life is important -- increased awareness does not lead to radical change but rather to a smoothing of the rough edges and a greater ease of going with their natural flow. To either change or learn how to work with and around personality disorders will require large doses of honesty, hard work, humility, and courage.
Increase the stability and reduce the roller coaster quality of life.
Realize that you see everything in black and white and begin the systematic search for shades of gray.
Accept that you are cursed and blessed with a special gift for experiencing life at its highest intensity.
Put things into broader context and look pass the excitement or disappointment of the moment.
Learn to spread your needs across enough people so that none are excessively burdened and no one rejection (real or imagined) is too devastating.
Your personality problems will almost certainly get much better with age.
Treatment goals should focus on goal development, increasing awareness for intensity in relationships, decreasing self-destructive behaviors, decreasing manipulative behaviors, improving communication, and improving self-esteem.
Information and or Criteria summarized from:
American Psychiatric Association. (1994). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders, fourth edition. Washington, DC: American Psychiatric Association.
Added Oct 03, 2001. |
