
An individual must meet at least five of the following criteria:
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Frantic efforts to avoid real or imagined abandonment
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A pattern of unstable and intense relationships, alternating between idealization and devaluation
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Persistently unstable self-image
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Impulsivity in at least two areas that are self-damaging, i.e. promiscuity, spending, binge eating, substance abuse, reckless driving
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Recurrent suicidal or self-injurious behaviors
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Intense feelings that fluctuate lasting a few hours to a few days
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Chronic feelings of emptiness
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Inappropriate intense anger or difficulty controlling anger
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Stress related paranoid feelings or severe dissociative symptoms
Borderline personality disorder is a severe mental illness that affects up to 2% of the population. It affects men and women equally, with women more likely to seek treatment. Of all the statistics, there is one that is most important: like heart disease, like cancer, BPD can be a fatal illness…10% of those meeting diagnostic criteria complete suicide. Those affected can recover. With good treatment and a stable support system, those diagnosed with BPD have a good prognosis. There is indeed hope.