Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) is complicated. Thankfully research is helping us uncover some new insights.

What do you know about BPD? For most people, BPD is similar to a severe mental illness because of its unstable course of development. In other words, symptoms can drastically change with stress, life changes, or hormones and can manifest in co-occurring disorders.

This article will briefly discuss BPD. My video below details the major signs and symptoms.

Last week on my twitter page @therapisttee and my blog (blogs.psychcentral.com/caregivers) about co-dependency. This discussion took off on all of my social media channels because of the seriousness and relevance in the lives of most people in today’s world. Sadly, the topic of codependency tends to leave out the significance of mental health and personality disorders such as narcissism or BPD.

Attachment and codependency

It is important to understand symptoms of BPD as they often manifest in unhealthy ways in codependent relationships. Attachment is also an issue for many people in codependent relationships. Attachment is the idea that early childhood experiences (positive or negative) influence how a person has “learned” to interact with others. Research suggests that if you have an insecure attachment you are likely to be insecure, fearful, dependent, and emotionally unstable as an adult. A secure attachment is the idea that children with healthy emotional and psychological experiences with a trusted adult will likely lead to healthier interactions with others in adulthood. [bctt tweet=”It is important to understand symptoms of BPD as they often manifest in unhealthy ways in codependent relationships. Attachment is also an issue for many people in codependent relationships. ” username=”therapisttee”]

Attachment all originates at birth and can occur in many capacities as the child develops. For example, a child may have a secure/positive emotional attachment during infancy to a trusted adult, but lose that attachment with that trusted adult if that adult changes, has a mental illness, is abusing substances, had given them over the foster care or adoption, is neglectful or abusive, etc. Kids who have been in foster care or through the adoption system can attest to the many emotional and psychological changes they must experience when they have moved around in the system.

You can learn more about the concept of attachment here: https://www.simplypsychology.org/attachment.html.

BPD and Codependency

Because individuals with BPD tend to struggle a lot with trust and feelings of being abandoned by others, it is very easy for them to experience codependency. Anger, jealousy, interpersonal chaos, stormy interactions with others, competition or insecurity, suicidal gestures or attempts and thoughts, self-injurious behaviors, lying and manipulation, or switchable moods are some common symptoms of individuals with BPD who struggle with codependency.

The 6 main categories of BPD are: [bctt tweet=”Dysphoria (depressed mood and affect), Anger (sometimes overly aggressive and unfounded), Impulsivity (making poor decisions, lashing out), Interpersonal instability (stormy relationships), Self-harm (cutting, burning self, etc), and Suicidal ideations or thoughts (sometimes multiple suicide attempts). ” username=”therapisttee”]

1. Dysphoria (depressed mood and affect)
2. Anger
3. Impulsivity
4. Interpersonal instability
5. Self-harm
6. Suicidal ideations or thoughts

These behaviors can occur within a codependent relationship in which the codependent person (often the individual with BPD) has trouble with healthy boundaries, may exhibit paranoia or delusional thought patterns, and who may also struggle with trust and a fear of abandonment.

For more information on the dynamics of individuals with BPD, tune into my video below.