Taking a borderline personality disorder (BPD) test can help you better understand this mental health condition.
BPD affects a person’s ability to regulate (control) their emotions.
Suicide is a common concern in people with BPD.
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This article includes an online BPD quiz with nine questions.
It will help you to understand BPD symptoms andtriggers.
Catherine McQueen / Getty Images
What Is BPD?
Borderline personality disorder is a mental health condition that can affect mood, relationships, and more.
BPD is diagnosed based on the criteria outlined in theDiagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5).
The majority, about three-fourths of them, are people assigned female at birth.
Keep in mind that not all BPD traits are outwardly expressed.
Do you have persistent fears of being abandoned?
A person with BPD may make frantic efforts to avoid being abandoned, whether this is imagined or real.
Do you have a history of unstable and chaotic relationships?
Someone with BPD often shows a pattern of intense and unstable relationships.
They may alternate between:
A commonly used defense mechanism in people with BPD involvessplitting.
Do you often feel like you do not know who you are or what you believe?
An unstable self-image or sense of self is common with BPD.
This unstable self-image can lead to problems understanding who you are in relation to other people.
It can also lead to boundary issues in relationships.
Are you impulsive in ways that are potentially self-damaging?
Impulsivity or the tendency to do things without thinking first can cause reckless behavior.
Criteria for a diagnosis of BPD include impulsivity in at least two areas that are seen as self-damaging.
Some examples of impulsivity are:
Could It Be Bipolar Disorder?
There can be overlap between the symptoms ofbipolar disorder and borderline personality disorder.
Have you intentionally hurt yourself or become suicidal?
BPD can result in recurrent suicidal behavior, gestures, or threats.
If you or a loved one is in immediate danger, call911.
Are you highly reactive and prone to rapid and intense mood swings?
BPD can lead to periods of intense mood swings and instability.
Moods may change quickly, often, and intensely, generally In response to interpersonal stress.
This is called affective instability and may cause a person to experience extreme episodes of:
7.
Do you have feelings of emptiness that you cannot shake?
BPD can create a chronic feeling of emptiness inside.
This is different from an unstable self-image.
It is also separate from feeling hopeless or lonely.
Are you prone to rage or unable to control your temper?
Problems controlling anger and experiencing intense anger can occur in BPD.
By contrast,antisocial personality disorderis characterized by the externalization of emotions and a greater tendency toward physical outbursts.
Do you get paranoid or shut down during stress?
Brief episodes ofparanoid thinkingcan occur in stressful situations, and make a person fear others.
Severedissociative symptomscan also happen under stress.
Dissociation refers to feeling like you are disconnected from your body, thoughts, feelings, and surroundings.
There are treatment options for BPD that can lessen symptoms and improve your quality of life.
Summary
Some people may benefit from a simple borderline personality disorder (BPD) test.
It asks questions about common BPD symptoms and behavioral traits often seen in people diagnosed with BPD.
Keep in mind, though, that the results of this test donotmean you have BPD.
It is possible to be sensitive and have some symptoms of BPD without fully qualifying for a diagnosis.
American Psychiatric Association.DSM-IV and DSM-5 criteria for the personality disorders.
National Alliance on Mental Health.Borderline personality disorder.
National Institute of Mental Health.Borderline personality disorder.
2020;15(7):e0233970.
doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0233970
Biskin RS.The lifetime course of borderline personality disorder.Can J Psychiatry.
2015;60(7):303-308. doi:10.1177/070674371506000702
