Navigating the Borderline

I was diagnosed with Borderline Personality Disorder in 2014, a few months after my son was born. I was also diagnosed with Postpartum Depression and Bipolar at the time. I was hospitalized and began therapy.

Borderline personality disorder may be characterized by the following signs and symptoms:

• Markedly disturbed sense of identity
• Frantic efforts to avoid real or imagined abandonment and extreme reactions to such
• Splitting ("black-and-white" thinking)
• Impulsivity
• Intense or uncontrollable emotional reactions that often seem disproportionate to the event or situation
• Unstable and chaotic interpersonal relationships
• Self-damaging behaviour
• Distorted self-image
• Dissociation
• Frequently accompanied by depression, anxiety, anger, substance abuse, or rage

The most distinguishing symptoms of BPD are marked sensitivity to rejection or criticism, and intense fear of possible abandonment.

Overall, the features of BPD include unusually intense sensitivity in relationships with others, difficulty regulating emotions, and impulsivity. Other symptoms may include feeling unsure of one's personal identity, morals, and values; having paranoid thoughts when feeling stressed; dissociation and depersonalizing; and, in moderate to severe cases, stress-induced breaks with reality or psychotic episodes.

Bipolar disorder, also known as manic-depressive illness, is a brain disorder that causes unusual shifts in mood, energy, activity levels, and the ability to carry out day-to-day tasks.

There are four basic types of bipolar disorder; all of them involve clear changes in mood, energy, and activity levels. These moods range from periods of extremely “up,” elated, and energized behaviour (known as manic episodes) to very sad, “down,” or hopeless periods (known as depressive episodes). Less severe manic periods are known as hypomanic episodes.

• Bipolar I Disorder— defined by manic episodes that last at least 7 days, or by manic symptoms that are so severe that the person needs immediate hospital care. Usually, depressive episodes occur as well, typically lasting at least 2 weeks. Episodes of depression with mixed features (having depression and manic symptoms at the same time) are also possible.
• Bipolar II Disorder— defined by a pattern of depressive episodes and hypomanic episodes, but not the full-blown manic episodes described above.
• Cyclothymic Disorder (also called cyclothymia)— defined by numerous periods of hypomanic symptoms as well numerous periods of depressive symptoms lasting for at least 2 years (1 year in children and adolescents). However, the symptoms do not meet the diagnostic requirements for a hypomanic episode and a depressive episode.
• Other Specified and Unspecified Bipolar and Related Disorders— defined by bipolar disorder symptoms that do not match the three categories listed above.