eli5: What are the differences between Bipolar and Borderline Personality Disorders?
In: Biology
Here’s my attempt as someone with both.
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Bipolar:
Bipolar Disorder (aka Manic Depression) is a “hard” mood disorder. If you are diagnosed with it, generally speaking you have the disorder for life. It is characterized by oscillating episodes of depression and mania. People with Bipolar disorder tend to be diagnosed while in a manic or hypomanic (lesser manic) episode, and tend to be misdiagnosed with unipolar depression. Bipolar disorder also has a strong genetic inheritance.
The episodes can last from a few days to months, and are usually interspersed by periods of mood stability. Sometimes both moods can happen at once in an episode, becoming a “mixed episode” (aka dysphoric mania).
Bipolar disorder can be extremely disabling and debilitating, and can be the root cause of many other things such as: substance abuse, psychosis (delusions, hallucinations), relationship problems, career problems, school problems, suicide, and others.
Treatment almost always requires consistent medication (e.g. mood stabilizers, antipsychotics, antidepressants), and generally other holistic lifestyle changes. Bipolar disorder is progressive, meaning that without treatment, the illness becomes worse with each episode. Successful treatment is characterized by cessation of mood episodes, or reduction in frequency and severity of episodes.
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BPD:
Borderline Personality Disorder (aka EUPD Emotionally Unstable Personality Disorder) is a “soft” personality disorder. If you are diagnosed with it, generally, you can eventually not have it anymore with lots of sustained hard work.
BPD is characterized by emotional instability, especially in regard to your sense of self and your social and romantic relationships. BPD tends to arise from trauma/abuse in childhood. Symptoms can show up as inappropriate reactions to perceived slights, unstable relationships, codependency, exacerbated rage, sadness, or elation, and rapid mood swings, switching in a matter of days or even hours (these mood swings are not comparable to Bipolar mood episodes).
BPD is not generally disabling, but can be extremely debilitating and harmful to people’s relationships with themselves and others, with cascading effects such as: substance abuse, self harm, relationship problems, increased risk of being abused or abusing others in relationships, suicide, and others.
Treatment generally consists of a specific kind of skills-based therapy called DBT (Dialectical Behavioral Therapy), which was specifically created for those with BPD and others with a high risk of suicide. Medication is generally not effective as treatment. Holistic lifestyle changes are also used. With consistent use of skills learned in therapy, people can stop exhibiting symptoms of BPD to the point of not being diagnosed with the disorder anymore.
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This is only my in-a-nutshell explanation, please don’t take this as some sort of expansive authority on either disorder.
I would like to emphasize that mental health is a constantly shifting field and that every persons experience with any given disorder will be unique to them. If you feel that you need help, please reach out to a therapist, psychiatrist, or even just someone you trust.
Both Bipolar and BPD are highly stigmatized by the general public and healthcare professionals. I guarantee you’ve met someone with one and/or the other at some point in your life. Try to be kind to yourself and others, we’re all going through our own battles.
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