Personality

Borderline Personality Disorder

Also known as BPD, emotionally unstable personality disorder

Intense emotions that rise fast and settle slowly, alongside unstable relationships, identity and impulsivity — often rooted in early invalidating environments.

Around 1.5% of adults; highly treatable, with most people no longer meeting criteria after several years of good treatment.

What often comes first

Noticing several of these over weeks is a reason to talk to someone — not a diagnosis.

Emotions that hit at full volume and take hours to come down
Intense fear of abandonment and frantic efforts to prevent it
Relationships that swing between idealisation and disappointment
An unstable sense of who you are or what you want
Self-harm or impulsive behaviour when distressed

This page is educational and cannot diagnose you. If any of it feels close to home, bring it to a GP, doctor or therapist — and if you're in crisis, see urgent help.