Borderline personality disorder & Bipolar disorder both are disabling and life-threatening conditions. The serotonin system and the HPA (stress) axis are predominantly affected in both. However, the deterioration of psychiatric and physical health caused by borderline personality disorder rivals that of bipolar disorder, according to Mark Zimmerman, M.D., a researcher at Rhode Island Hospital. His research was published online in the British Journal of Psychiatry on 25th april 2015. “The level of psychosocial morbidity and suicidality associated with border line personality disorder is as great, or greater, than that experienced by patients with bipolar disorder,” said Zimmerman, director of outpatient psychiatry at Rhode Island Hospital and director of the Rhode Island Methods to Improve Diagnostic Assessment and Services (MIDAS) project. Thus, from the perspective of mental health improvement, detection and treatment of Borderline personality disorder is equally important as diagnosing and treating bipolar disorders. Like bipolar patients, persons with Borderline personality disorder are likely to also suffer from depression, anxiety disorders, eating disorders and suicidal behaviors. These co-occurring mental illnesses may have symptoms that overlap with both disorders make it tricky recognize in patients.
Bipolar disorder is a widely researched, well-publicized, well-funded topic. By contrast, Border line personality disorder is seldom discussed and it is not included in the Global Burden of Disease study, a comprehensive registry that quantifies diseases by cost, mortality, geography, risk and other factors.
The cause of borderline personality disorder is complex with both psychologically and neurobiologically. Genetic factors and adverse childhood experiences (e.g. attachment trauma, emotional neglect) may cause emotional dysregulation and heightened impulsivity leading to dysfunctional behaviours and psychosocial
deficits, which again could reinforce emotional dysregulation and impulsivity.There might be the chance that undiagnosed or unrecognized borderline personality disorder may lead to bipolar disorder and worsens the mental health of person. Therefore, unrecognized Border line Persnality Disorder needs attention in the field of neuroscience research.
Reference:
Psychosocial morbidity associated with bipolar disorder and borderline personality disorder in psychiatric out-patients: comparative study.
Mark Zimmerman, William Ellison, Theresa A. Morgan, Diane Young, Iwona Chelminski, Kristy Dalrymple
The British Journal of Psychiatry Apr 2015, DOI:10.1192/bjp.bp.114.153569