Is it a mental illness?

[spacecadet]

Is it accurate to think of BPD and other pd's as mental illness? I think of MI as schizophrenia & other psychoses so not sure if PDs are included in this category.

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[ortac77]

Absolutely - yes, personality disorders are included in the DSM5 - not only is BPD a serious mental illness it is also highly resistant to treatment and can be difficult to find suitable therapy.

[Tattered Heart]

I agree with what ortac said. It very much is a mental illness. Understanding it this way really helps me be more empathetic to my H when he is dysregulating.

[Fie]

Hello 

I personally don't think it's a mental illness. It's a character disturbance. That's something different.

xx

[itsnotmyfaultanymore]

I'll further the question to help understand if/that BPD is a MI... .

Does/can BPD live in a vacuum?

After 20 plus years with my SO - I would say the answer is clearly yes. However, the symptoms manifest in different ways (in a vacuum) - example: if there is knowone to project onto... .the dysregulation turns into self lothing. 

[Cole]

example: if there is knowone to project onto... .the dysregulation turns into self lothing. 

I would say it is the other way around. The pwBPD is self loathing to begin with.

Projecting onto others is a way to validate those feelings. By believing everyone else thinks the same of them, it validates the feeling of self loathing, low self esteem, and core shame.