If reading this, there is a good chance you’ve heard about Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) at some point in your life. Maybe you know about someone who is currently battling this medical condition. But before deciding on anything, it is essential that you understand the difference between BPD and Bipolar. After all, they have between them many similar symptoms.
For instance, both conditions are mostly characterized by mood instability and impulsivity. Despite this, there are also important differencesworth taking note of. In a nutshell, Bipolar Disorder entails dramatic shifts in mood and activity levels, while BPD is marked by emotional dysregulation.
Here is what you need to know in your quest to understand the difference between BPD and Bipolar.
Symptoms
The symptoms are always worth looking into when it comes toBipolar vs BPD differences. There’s no denying that mood instability and impulsive behavior are frequently experienced both by people with BPD and those with Bipolar Disorder.
With Bipolar Disorder, you might experience mood shifts from depression to mania. For those who might not know, mania is characterized by elation, a decreased desire for sleep, and increased activity.
BPD is also associated with mood changes, sometimes regarded to as emotional dysregulation or affective instability. People struggling with BPD frequently change from feeling fine to extremely distressed in minutes.
Understanding the Causes
Even though Bipolar Disorder and BPD may co-occur, they seem to be separate conditions with different causes. If you’ve done your homework, you may already know several factors play a part in increasing a person’s susceptibility to developing each condition.
Some of the most common causes of Bipolar Disorder include genetics, trauma and stress, and brain differences. As for Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD), it may come to be as a result of abuse and trauma, brain differences, and genetics.
Unfortunately, it is not possible to prevent bipolar disorder or borderline personality disorder. The exact causes of each condition are not known, and both are believed to be affected by genetics to some extent. However, there are things you can do that will help you prevent serious outcomes related with your condition.