Borderline personality disorder, or BPD, is just one of many mental health conditions that can interfere with work. In 2021, the Social Security Administration (SSA) awarded monthly disability benefits and healthcare to more than 1 million workers who have BPD or other related depressive and bipolar disorders.
National Disability Insurance Scheme
Some people with BPD may meet the criteria for the NDIS, in particular those who have co-existing mental and physical health diagnoses. It is possible for people to recover from BPD however, and to go onto the NDIS, it is required you have a permanent disability.
To qualify for disability benefits through Social Security on the basis of BPD, you need to either meet SSA's Blue Book listing or demonstrate that your BPD makes it impossible for you to work.
The Social Security Administration placed borderline personality disorder as one of the mental health disorders on its disabilities list. However, you'll have to meet specific criteria for an official disability finding. For example, you must prove that you have the symptoms of the condition.
The average disability check for borderline personality disorder and similar mental health conditions is $1,232.97 per month. Your monthly benefit won't vary based on your condition, but your work history, income history, and the benefits program you qualify for can all impact your actual check size.
Many people with BPD feel emotions deeply and find working in a caring role fulfilling. If you are an empathetic person, consider jobs such as teaching, childcare, nursing and animal care.
With treatment, medication, and counselling, most individuals suffering from BPD can build a life worth living but the dynamics of the illness make emotion dysregulation a reoccurring obstacle that can sometimes cause major setbacks (legal issues, loss of sobriety, physical injury, etc.)
You don't have to tell your boss that you have BPD, but some people find that being transparent actually improves relationships at work. You may find it easier to explain your mood swings and impulsive behaviours or ask for help when you need it.
Anyone living with BPD can still lead satisfying lives and take pleasure in long-term relationships and even life partnerships. With the proper treatment and support, people with BPD can and do have healthy and happy relationships.
There is no definitive test to diagnose borderline personality disorder (BPD). It is diagnosed through a clinical interview with a licensed mental health professional, explains Simon A.
People with borderline personality disorder may experience intense mood swings and feel uncertainty about how they see themselves. Their feelings for others can change quickly, and swing from extreme closeness to extreme dislike. These changing feelings can lead to unstable relationships and emotional pain.
Financial help if you have a physical, intellectual or psychiatric condition that is likely to persist for more than 2 years and stops you from working.
BPD in adulthood
As most BPD diagnoses are not made until the individual is at least 18 years old, appropriate treatment usually begins in adulthood.
schizoid disorders such as schizophrenia, anxiety disorders such as post-traumatic stress disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder and agoraphobia, mood disorders such as bipolar disorder and depression.
Disruptions at Work
It's been confirmed in recent studies by Director of Outpatient Psychiatry at Rhode Island Hospital Mark Zimmerman, M.D., that those diagnosed with Borderline Personality Disorder and Bipolar Disorder have a harder time holding employment.
Symptoms of BPD can also interfere with concentration, which can lead to poor work performance. For example, frequent dissociation can inhibit your ability to finish your tasks in a timely fashion.
Separations, disagreements, and rejections—real or perceived—are the most common triggers for symptoms.
BPD is considered to be one of the most serious mental illnesses, as it causes a great deal of suffering and has a high-risk for suicide.”
People with BPD are chronically unsure about their lives, whether it is with their family, personal relationships, work, or future aspirations. They also experience persistent uncertain and insecure thoughts and feelings about their self-image, long-term goals, friendships, and values.
People with Borderline Personality Disorder have a reduced life expectancy of some 20 years, attributable largely to physical health maladies, notably cardiovascular. Risk factors include obesity, sedentary lifestyle, poor diet and smoking.
Borderline intellectual functioning, previously called borderline mental retardation (in the ICD-8), is a categorization of intelligence wherein a person has below average cognitive ability (generally an IQ of 70–85), but the deficit is not as severe as intellectual disability (below 70).
Consider cutting out all processed food and sugar for a few weeks and observe your energy level and your emotions. Avoid misusing alcohol or caffeine, as these also can intensify mood instability. BPD sometimes includes symptoms of self-harm or substance abuse.