If you have been diagnosed with Bipolar Personality Disorder (BPD), everything feels unstable, your relationships, moods, thinking, behavior- even your identity. Actually, your self-image, goals, and even your likes and dislikes may change frequently in ways that feel confusing and unclear. But that doesn’t mean the end of the road considering there is hope at the end of the tunnel.
It is worth mentioning that individuals with BPD tend to be extremely sensitive. Actually, some describe it as like having an exposed nerve ending. When you’re in the throes of overwhelming emotions, you are unable to think straight or stay grounded. Sometimes you may say hurtful things or act out in dangerous or inappropriate ways that make you feel guilty or ashamed afterwards.
In previous years, many mental health professionals found it difficult to treat BPD. For this reason, they came to the conclusion that there was little to be done. However, we now know that this health complication is treatable. Actually, the long-term prognosis for BPD is far better than those for depression and bipolar disorder. But it calls for a specialized approach.
It is worth mentioning that healing is a matter of breaking the dysfunctional patterns of thinking, feeling and behaving that are causing your distress. Keep in mind it is never that easy to change lifelong habits. Making the bold decision to pause, reflect, and the act in new ways will feel unnatural and uncomfortable at first.
Understanding the differences between BPD vs Bipolar can sometimes be confusing. No wonder you should always take it upon yourself to know the signs and symptoms of BPD before deciding on anything. Well, BPD manifests in many different ways, but for the purposes of diagnosis, mental health professionals group the symptoms into 9 major categories.
They include fear of abandonment, unstable relationships, unclear or shifting self-image and impulsive, self-destructive behaviors. Things are not different for self-harm, extreme emotional swings, chronic feelings of emptiness, and explosive anger. Remember, the symptoms must be long-standing and impact many areas of your life.