Blog - Beach House Rehab Center
borderline personality disorder
May 21, 2021

Borderline Personality Disorder Test

Borderline personality disorder is a complex mental health condition characterized by unpredictable mood swings, intense fears of abandonment and ongoing issues maintaining stable relationships. Sadly, research and knowledge of BPD are somewhat lacking compared to our understanding of other mental health disorders, so people with this personality disorder might have trouble receiving an accurate diagnosis. 

One reason for the misunderstandings surrounding BPD is that it frequently co-occurs with other issues, such as depression, substance abuse, eating disorders and self-harm. This BPD Awareness Month, what can you do if you have reason to believe you or someone you care about is living with undiagnosed borderline personality disorder?

BPD Self-Test

Some people with borderline personality disorder are “high-functioning” or “quiet” in that they can mask their disorder’s symptoms in specific circumstances. However, in their private life, they are likely in a great deal of turmoil. 

BPD can be highly disruptive and have far-reaching effects on your quality of life. Most people who have BPD suffer from problems managing their emotions and thoughts, and struggle with impulsive and sometimes reckless behavior. This borderline personality disorder test can help you identify some of the warning signs of BPD.

  • You often feel empty inside, and have difficulty finding joy in life’s simple pleasures.
  • Emotions surrounding your relationships can fluctuate wildly, alternating between feelings of love and hate from day to day.
  • You have trouble trusting yourself to make good decisions and accepting yourself for who you are.
  • Sometimes, you binge eat, spend more than you can afford or abuse drugs and alcohol because these activities make you feel briefly fulfilled.
  • You cannot stand the thought of being alone, and you’ll do anything to avoid it.
  • You have intense episodes of depression and anxiety that can last from a few hours to several days.
  • You experience extreme mood swings, and can go from calm to furious at the slightest provocation.
  • Intrusive thoughts of harming yourself or committing suicide sometimes interfere with your daily life. 
  • In moments of extreme stress, you might dissociate from reality or feel temporary episodes of paranoia.

How to Get a Borderline Personality Disorder Diagnosis and Treatment

If you found yourself agreeing with several items on the BPD self-test, your next step is to contact a qualified mental health professional, such as a psychiatrist, social worker or psychiatric nurse. They will likely want to interview you to discuss your symptoms and rule out other possible causes of your distress. In some cases, you might benefit from seeking a second or even a third opinion, since borderline personality disorder can be such a tricky condition to diagnose correctly. 

While there is no cure for borderline personality disorder, effective BPD treatment strategies exist. For example, dialectical behavioral therapy has proven successful at helping people with BPD manage their symptoms in controlled clinical trials. A therapist who has trained in using DBT to treat borderline personality disorder can equip you with the skills to recognize emotional dysfunction and give you healthy coping strategies for relating to others.

In your tailored DBT program, your therapist might suggest blending individual and group therapy. They will also expect you to monitor your symptoms and progress throughout the program and report any significant changes in how you feel. 

Finding a DBT Specialist

If you have received a professional BPD diagnosis, you can ask your health care provider to refer you to a DBT specialist. If you prefer to do independent research, you can also find a therapist who has finished DBT-specific training on this online listing

Dialectical behavioral therapy is among the evidence-based addiction treatment and behavioral therapies we offer at Beach House, one of the nation’s best drug and alcohol rehab facilities. Since BPD often happens alongside substance abuse, depression, PTSD and other disorders, making a complete recovery requires addressing a dual diagnosis with one unified treatment strategy. If you’re ready to learn more about getting sober and learning to deal with your BPD symptoms, reach out to us today.