ADHD and BPD share many symptoms, which demand a challenging differential diagnosis. Because ADHD was rarely diagnosed in inattentive women until relatively recently, many lived with a misdiagnosis of BPD.
ADHD can present with symptoms such as irritability, mood lability, low frustration tolerance and low self-esteem, making it easily confused with mood disorders and personality disorders.
Rejection sensitive dysphoria (RSD) is when you experience severe emotional pain because of a failure or feeling rejected. This condition is linked to ADHD and experts suspect it happens due to differences in brain structure.
BPD individuals have more problems using context cues for inhibiting responses and their impulsivity is stress-dependent, whereas ADHD patients have more motor impulsivity and therefore difficulties interrupting ongoing responses.
Impulsivity has been identified as one of the dimensions having the greatest overlap between ADHD and BPD in adults. Both ADHD and BPD individuals report higher levels of trait-impulsivity compared to controls when using self-report measures such as the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale (BIS) (Weiner et al., 2019).
Unstable sense of self, which may involve frequent shifts in goals, values, and career plans. Frequently changing your feelings toward other people. Feeling like you don't exist. Frequent feelings of emptiness or boredom.
With borderline personality disorder, you have an intense fear of abandonment or instability, and you may have difficulty tolerating being alone. Yet inappropriate anger, impulsiveness and frequent mood swings may push others away, even though you want to have loving and lasting relationships.
In real life, however, people may exhibit some traits of a certain personality type without it being a full-blown disorder. People tend to be on a spectrum of more or less severe symptoms before they come anywhere near a diagnosis.
Consult a licensed neuropsychologist. A neuropsychologist may be able to acquaint you with the tests used to diagnose ADD/ADHD vs. personality disorders. This information could then help you gauge whether an in-depth neuropsychological evaluation will be worth your time.
There is an observed link between childhood ADHD and the development of certain personality disorders. Longitudinal data has shown that children with ADHD are significantly more likely to develop personality disorders later in adolescence than those without the condition.
Misdiagnosed ADHD Symptom: Immaturity
But developmental delays and immaturity aren't always related to ADHD — they can point to autism, anxiety disorders, or even sensory processing issues.
Interestingly, ADHD is often associated with several personality disorders; namely the Cluster B disorders including Antisocial, Narcissistic, Histrionic, and Borderline Personality Disorders. As the name implies, people with ADHD have a difficult time focusing their attention and staying on task.
Neurodivergence includes Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), Dyslexia, Dyspraxia, Dyscalculia, Dysgraphia, and Tourette Syndrome, as well as some long-term mental health conditions, such as depression and borderline personality disorder (BPD).
Explains borderline personality disorder (BPD), also known as emotionally unstable personality disorder (EUPD). Includes what it feels like, causes, treatment, support and self-care, as well as tips for friends and family. Mae'r dudalen hon hefyd ar gael yn Gymraeg.
Persistently unable to form a stable self-image or sense of self. Drastically impulsive in at least two possibly self-damaging areas (substance abuse, reckless driving, disordered eating, sex). Self-harming or suicidal behavior, gestures, or threats. Instability often brought on by reactivity of mood (ex.
Many people who live with borderline personality disorder don't know they have it and may not realize there's a healthier way to behave and relate to others.
Personality disorders, including borderline personality disorder, are diagnosed based on a: Detailed interview with your doctor or mental health provider. Psychological evaluation that may include completing questionnaires. Medical history and exam.
Borderline personality disorder (BPD) can be hard to diagnose because the symptoms of this disorder overlap with many other conditions, such as bipolar disorder, depression, anxiety, and even eating disorders.
Mirroring can be a form of Dissociation, where a person's strong feelings create “facts” which are less than true. A man switches accents to mimic a colleague. A woman wears identical clothing to her friend. A mother wears her daughter's clothing.
It is essential to realize that people with ADHD are generally emotionally sensitive and may have strong feelings of shame, preventing them from seeking the medical help they need. Aside from medications, allowing the person to process their emotions before a meltdown is a healthy way to help them cope with rejection.
When something happens in a relationship that makes them feel abandoned, criticized, or rejected, their symptoms are expressed. People with borderline personality disorder experience rejection sensitivity, which makes relationships very intense and dependent.