Bi-Polar Disorder and Borderline Personality Disorder

A person with bi-polar disorder is no different than the person standing next to you.On the other hand I've observed certain life situations set them apart from the rest of the world. Their nervous system and perceptions of life become more disoriented than the average person when they are under stress.

These conditions are observations I have made of a friend I have who has BPD. My friend can not function when too many things are occurring at the same time. It frazzles his nerves.Talking too fast and making demands on the individual also sends the individual into a state of panic and anger at the same time. In an effort to understand bi-polar disorder I did a little research on the topic. Maybe this hub will help those with BPD as well as friends and acquaintances who suspect there is something amist with their friend or relative.

Signs of BPD or Bi-polar personality may include the following:

• Short tempered and irritible
• Fun activities are no long enjoyable
• Eating likes and dislikes noticeably change
• No regular sleep habits
• Can't make a decision
• Feeling overwhelmed
• Thoughts of death or suicide
• Feeling guilty for no reason

Bipolar disorders are associated with manic depression, emotional disturbances and other acute personality deviations.

The symptoms are identified by mood swings from a state of manic depression to one of elation.During an episode with this illness, the individual may have a decreased need for sleep and an increased level of activity. One moment the individual is feeling on top of the world and the next moment the person is in a state of feeling extremely stressed. Impulsive behavior seems natural to the individual with bipolar disorder while confusing to observing friends and relatives.

It is common for most people to view these extreme mood changes as bipolar disorder. However there is another diagnosis for these symptoms. The individual may be experiencing "Borderline Personality Disorder" or BPD.

A person with BPD and bi-polar disorder symptoms are distinguishable by the length of the episodes they experience and the triggers that bring on the personality changes. The BPD individual flares up as a result of environmental stressors such as arguments. The BPD experiences a few hours of personality change. BPD individuals rarely experience periods of elation.

The bi-polar disorder episode can last for days or weeks. The individual experiences extreme changes from deep depression to high elation.There is a decreased need for sleep and an increased activity level during the active state of bi-polar disorder. The bi-polar personality will sink into the altered state for no reason at all. One moment the individual is "normal" and the next moment the person's personality changes for a long period of time.

Triggers to bi-polar disorder include hormonal imbalance such as cortisol levels that become too high and contribute to depression. The progesterone level becomes too high and contribute to mood swings. A surgery such as hysterectomy causes a drop in estrogen and bring on a hormone imbalance which could lead to depression. Smoking,high stress and children are circumstances which contribute to the on set of bi-polar behavior.

Omega-3 fatty acid is an important fatty acid. Omega-3 is also known as EFAs. The fatty acid helps maintain normal human brain function and activity. As important as omega-3 is to the brain, the body can not produce it. Omega-3 is added to the body by eating foods such as fish, legumes, seeds and nuts. foods are called brain foods because they play essential rolls in maintaining healthy brain activity. B-ipolar disorder occurs in individuals before the age 25 and gets worse over time. There is no cure for bipolar disorder but there are medications that help manage it.

The human brain is approximately 60 percent fat. The fatty acids make up about 25 percent of the adult human brain weight.The essential fatty acids are essential to the brains neurotransmitters. They are key communication connectors in the brain.

An individual with below normal levels of essential fatty acids suffer from the ability to communicate and in severe cases the individual may experience the inability to communicate at all.

Most people experience occasions where they are irritable one moment and back to normal the next. The thing that makes it an illness is the frequency of the illness and the stimuli that bring the illness to surface. If you are aware of a person experiencing the illness, bring it to his/her attention in a loving and sensitive manner. The individual may be in strong denial about the illness or may be concerned about his/her behavior. If needed help the individual find the medical help needed to manage the illness. Becoming a distant friend is probably one of the worse things you could do to the person.

Understanding stress is a trigger for the illness may be a key to helping the individual avoid situations that have the potential to bring on a personality disorder episode. It is highly likely the bipolar personality is stimulated by the same environmental stimuli as BPD.

In the long run, respecting the individual with bi-polar or borderline personality disorder is the most human thing you can do. Don't talk about the individual with other friends. Instead help where you can help and let the professionals do the rest. Be there for your friend but don't carry the burden for your friend.