HEALTH
Understanding Borderline Personality Disorder and the Role of Screening Tests
Borderline Personality Disorder or BPD is a mental health disorder that describes the way a person thinks and perceives himself or herself and the world. It may lead to difficulties with interpersonal relationships, work and emotions. Those who suffer from BPD may have long periods of intense emotions and may need help with regulating their feelings.
Learning about the disorder is the first step towards being able to handle it. Screening tests are one of the tools that can assist in BPD conceptualization. These are not just for the purpose of diagnosing, but for users; to alert them to possible symptoms of the disorder and encourage them to seek further assistance.
What is BPD?
BPD symptoms include unstable mood, low self esteem, feelings of insecurity, tendencies to self harm or engage in risky behaviors, and also unstable relationships. The symptoms may include extreme episodes of anger, depression, and stress which may take several hours to several days to ease. Furthermore, the patients with BPD can have other clinical disorders such as MDD, anxiety disorders, eating disorders, etc.
It will typically manifest at early adulthood, though it can develop during adolescence as well. The actual etiology of BPD is not yet clear and understood but some factors that are believed to cause it are genetics, environment and social factors. Early stressful conditions like physical or sexual abuse are often reported in those with the disorder.
The Need for a Borderline Personality Disorder Test
A borderline personality disorder test is employed by clinicians for the purpose of searching for evidence of BPD. The borderline personality disorder test involves responding to a set of questions concerning emotions and actions. The answers can identify that a person may have signs, and may require further evaluation from a professional. It must be said, however, that these tests are not diagnostic but can encourage people to undergo further assessments if needed.
Screening is essential because it results in early detection and this is very helpful in the management of BPD. The symptoms are less severe if diagnosed early and coping skills (psychological and physical), can be worked on much better when treated early.
How do Screening Tests Function?
Common questions in a BPD screening test are focused on the frequency and intensity of specific feelings or behaviors, including fear of abandonment, relationship constancy, self-image, and emotional outbursts. Answers are then matched up to predetermined benchmarks to see whether additional testing is required.
Screening tests are fairly common and can be helpful in the initial step of identifying the symptoms of BPD, but they must not be used as a substitute for a proper assessment by a mental health professional. The findings of a screening test are mainly to decide if another evaluation is needed.
Conclusion
Borderline Personality Disorder is a complex and severe disorder that affects people’s lives differently. However, screening tests make a lot of sense in regard to helping people comprehend their symptoms and finally seek the necessary assistance at an early stage of their health conditions.
If you or someone you know shows some symptoms that relate to BPD, it’s better to discuss the possibility of BPD testing with a physician. You must understand that soliciting assistance does not imply that someone is a ‘weakling’; instead, it means that he/she is powerful enough to seek support.
Kenneth is a proud native of sydney, born and raised there. However, he pursued his education abroad and studied in Australia. Kenneth has worked as a journalist for almost a decade, making valuable contributions to prominent publications such as Yahoo News and The Verge. Currently, he serves as a journalist for The Hear Up, where he focuses on covering climate and science news. You can reach Kenneth at [email protected].
