Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is a mental illness that affects about 1.6 percent of adults in the United States alone. According to the NHS, it is the most commonly recognized personality disorder, and affects a person’s thoughts and feelings about themselves and others.
Those who develop BPD tend to begin exhibiting signs by early adulthood. The condition generally worsens as they move into young adulthood, but can get better as they age. Read on to learn about the 12 most common symptoms and causes of BPD to be mindful of.
Symptoms
1. Fear of Abandonment
People with BPD tend to have a strong fear of being left alone or abandoned. Regardless of whether such abandonment is real or imagined, the individual may go to extreme measures to avoid possible separation or rejection.
For example, HelpGuides.com says someone with BPD may “beg, cling, start fights, jealousy track your loved one’s movements, or even physically block the other person from leaving.” Unfortunately, these behaviors may cause loved ones to withdraw, resulting in exactly what they feared and were trying to prevent.
