A man's mental well-being is crucial for his overall physical health. When mental health is compromised, it can affect physical fitness. While many men are familiar with common mental health issues such as depression and anxiety, there's a lack of awareness surrounding Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD). Let's delve into this topic to gain a better understanding of it.
Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) is a complex mental health condition that is often associated more with women. However, this doesn't mean that men are immune to BPD. This mental health condition makes it challenging for men to manage their emotions, which they often experience intensely for prolonged periods. Furthermore, emotionally triggering events can destabilize them.
When a man is unable to regulate his emotions due to BPD, it leads to a poor self-image, tumultuous relationships, impulsive behavior, and heightened emotional responses to stressors. In some cases, it may even lead to self-harming behaviors.
*Estimates indicate that 1.4% of the adult population in the US experiences Borderline Personality Disorder, with nearly 75% of them being women. However, it is important to note that men might also be affected by BPD but are often misdiagnosed with conditions like PTSD or depression. This is because BPD manifests differently in men than it does in women:
Men with BPD may exhibit different feelings and behaviors compared to women with the condition.
Co-occurring health conditions in men with BPD may differ from those in women.
Men and women with BPD often require different types of treatment.
With this in mind, we will explore Borderline Personality Disorder in men. Let's take a closer look:
Symptoms of Borderline Personality Disorder
To diagnose BPD in men, it's essential to watch for specific symptoms, including:
Intense and often irrational fears of abandonment, accompanied by frantic efforts to avoid it.
Fluctuating feelings in relationships, oscillating between intense love and admiration and feelings of revulsion and disillusionment.
A persistently unstable self-image and sense of identity.
Impulsivity in at least two areas, potentially causing harm to oneself or others, such as reckless spending, substance abuse, binge eating, compulsive gambling, or unsafe driving.
Episodes of acute emotional distress, lasting for hours or even days, like irritability, anxiety, or anguish.
Chronic feelings of emptiness, meaninglessness, and low motivation.
Explosive, intense outbursts of uncontrollable anger.
Episodes of dissociation are marked by extreme paranoia, suspicion, and a disconnection from reality.
Suicidal threats and actions, are often accompanied by self-harming behaviors like cutting, burning, hair-pulling, or scratching the skin until it bleeds.
Treatment for Men with Borderline Personality Disorder
For men grappling with BPD, it's imperative to acknowledge the need for professional treatment. The most common form of treatment for men with BPD is Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT). This therapy is grounded in cognitive principles and aims to empower BPD patients to manage their emotions effectively, which often cause issues in their lives and relationships. DBT encompasses both individual sessions and group skills training, ultimately improving self-esteem and functioning.
Conclusion
Borderline Personality Disorder in men can make life feel like a rollercoaster of intense mood swings lasting for days. Men with BPD might engage in impulsive and dangerous activities, such as unprotected sex with strangers, and struggle to maintain stable relationships due to their emotional instability and trust issues. However, with the right treatment, it is possible to manage mental health and achieve stability.
Written by: Deepti Dogra
Edited by: Aniket Joshi