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.
Schedule an Assessment
Describe some of your symptoms. You can even mention that you think you may have BPD. Take the opportunity to ask some initial questions. Try to get a sense of how comfortable you feel talking to this person.
There is no definitive test to diagnose borderline personality disorder (BPD).
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.
If your doctor suspects BPD, they may refer you to a psychiatrist or psychologist for diagnosis and treatment – this may be through your local public mental health service. There are no specific tests that can help confirm the diagnosis of BPD.
Try this self-assessment based on the criteria outlined by the American Psychiatric Association's official DSM-5 Borderline Personality Disorder. The test should take less than five minutes.
Some people with BPD may meet the criteria for the NDIS, some have been approved already, many have not. It is possible for people to recover from BPD however, and to go onto the NDIS, it is required you have a permanent disability this is one of the challenges faced with being eligible for the NDIS.
In particular, there is evidence that BPD is commonly misdiagnosed as Bipolar Disorder, Type 2. One study showed that 40% of people who met criteria for BPD but not for bipolar disorder were nevertheless misdiagnosed with Bipolar Type 2.
Key points. Mental health providers can be reluctant to diagnose BPD and other personality disorders due to diagnosis criteria, insurance, and stigma. Not diagnosing BPD, where appropriate, can adversely affect treatment. Traits of BPD can be communicated without formally diagnosing the full personality disorder.
No, you cannot diagnose yourself with BPD.
This will include an interview where you'll be asked lots of questions. The symptoms of BPD often overlap with such diagnoses of bipolar disorder, ADHD, OCD, depression, and anxiety.
According to the DSM-5, BPD can be diagnosed as early as at 12 years old if symptoms persist for at least one year. However, most diagnoses are made during late adolescence or early adulthood.
Early Onset
As previously mentioned, DSM-5 permits the diagnosis of BPD in patients younger than 18 if symptoms persist for at least 1 year. Symptoms of BPD usually start prior to adulthood and the diagnosis can be made reliably.
See your GP if you're concerned that you have borderline personality disorder (BPD). They may ask about your symptoms and how they're affecting your quality of life.
Surveys have estimated the prevalence of borderline personality disorder to be 1.6% in the general population and 20% in the inpatient psychiatric population.
Signs and symptoms
An unstable sense of self with poor ability for self-direction and impaired ability to pursue meaningful short-term goals with satisfaction. Marked instability in functioning, affect, mood, interpersonal relationships, and, at times, reality testing. Disturbances in empathy and intimacy.
Wide mood swings lasting from a few hours to a few days, which can include intense happiness, irritability, shame or anxiety. Ongoing feelings of emptiness. Inappropriate, intense anger, such as frequently losing your temper, being sarcastic or bitter, or having physical fights.
Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is a common condition that is characterized by a host of different challenges and symptoms. One experience that's frequently associated with borderline personality disorder is anxiety; and often people with BPD are also diagnosed with an anxiety disorder as well.
You might also experience BPD without having any history of traumatic or stressful life events. Or you might have had other types of difficult experiences. If you already experience some of these difficulties, then experiencing stress or trauma as an adult could make things worse.
PTSD is focused on an extremely traumatic incident or a series of incidents and the symptoms tend to be outwardly noticeable, whereas BPD revolves around the fear of abandonment and tends to be inwardly displayed (self-harm, self-deprecation, self-doubt).”
This subtype is often hard to spot. If you have quiet BPD, you direct moods and behaviors inward, so other people don't see. Your emotions and behaviors may feel like a roller coaster with many ups and downs. You may have difficulty in your relationships due to fear of abandonment.
The difference between BPD and anxiety or panic disorders is the latter cause symptoms more frequently and for a greater period of time, for at least six months. “Their anxiety is more pervasive and chronic than the anxiety that is related to BPD,” Cullen says.
Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is a serious, long-lasting and complex mental health problem. People with BPD have difficulty regulating or handling their emotions or controlling their impulses.
BPD is considered a disability and you can continue receiving benefits. The new psychiatrist will need to help you with getting clear about your inquiry. To change from one diagnosis to the other will require your psychiatrist to provide you with some sort of document to reference when contacting Centrelink.
BPD is estimated to affect between 2 – 6 percent of Australians.