Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) remains to be a controversial topic ever since it weas first recognized in the ‘Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders’ in 1980. One controversy that still remains unresolved touches on the difference between BPD and Bipolar.
Both conditions are characterized by mood instability and impulsivity, but there are also important dentitionsworth your attention. Bipolar disorder involves dramatic shifts in mood and activity levels, while BPD is marked by emotional dysregulation.
For a start, it is essential to consider the symptoms when evaluating the difference between BPD and Bipolar. Keep in mind mood instability and impulsive behavior are frequently experienced both by people with bipolar disorder and those with BPD.
Bipolar disorder is mostly associated with mood shifts from depression to mania or hypomania. For those who might not know, mania is characterized by elation, a decreased need for sleep, and increased activity. Hypomania is similar to mania but less severe.
When it comes to the causes, research shows that while bipolar disorder and BPD may co-occur, they appear to be separate conditions with different causes. Although researchers don’t fully understand the exact causes of each condition, it is believed that several factors play a role in increasing a person’s susceptibility to developing each condition.
Some of the reasons behind bipolar disorder include genetics, trauma and stress and brain differences. As for Borderline Personality Disorder, it may emanate from abuse and trauma, brain differences, and genetics.
When making a diagnosis, healthcare providers tend to look at several different factors to help distinguish between bipolar disorder and BPD. People with bipolar disorder tend to experience mania and depression, while those with BPD experience intense emotional pain and feelings of emptiness, desperation, anger, hopelessness, and loneliness.
Considering bipolar disorder and borderline personality disorder are distinct conditions, it is vital to treat each disorder individually for the best chance of symptom relief. Be sure to have a word with your medical practitioners when looking forward to understanding the main differences between BPD and Bipolarbefore deciding on the next step of action.
