For a layman, there won’t be visible differences between borderline personality disorder and bipolar disorder. After all, both are mental disorders and involve difficulties with impulse control and mood shifts. In fact, both can appear so similar that most doctors and medical practitioners based in clinical settings can have a tough time distinguishing one from the other. However, correct diagnosis of each is vital, at least when determining treatment for both psychiatric conditions.

Why Is Diagnosis a Vital Aspect?

It is chiefly on the basis of patterns or the symptoms that we can reach a point of diagnosis. Frankly speaking, a clear biological model is essential, and given the complexities of the human brain, the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) can offer professionals some clue about getting ahead with a trustworthy and continuous diagnosis.

How to Distinguish One From the Other?

On one hand, bipolar disorder is all about mood episodes, depression, and something more of mania. On the other hand, borderline personality disorder involves a persistent form of behavior, having extreme ups and downs. Now, this is largely similar to both, so sufferers cannot be easily segregated into two separate categories. If checked in more specific details, bipolar disorder can be divided into Type 1 and Type 2. Type 1 has manic symptoms and sometimes characterizes hallucinations, while Type 2 seems very similar to borderline personality disorder. Here are a few ways to demarcate bipolar from BPD:

Change of Moods

People affected with bipolar type 1 keep oscillating from depression to mania. The latter includes deep depressive states within the manic episode (like rapid cycling). In between these cycles, people also experience ‘true-symptom-free wellness’. Now, this can last for a considerable time, like weeks, months, and sometimes, years. Now, BPD includes emotional symptoms that create a substantial impact on everyday living, but are usually short-lived and reactive towards stress, both at home and work.

Sleep Changes

Bipolar disorder is marked by noticeable changes in sleep patterns. So, you might see someone with bipolar disorder who can be awake for days at a stretch without looking or feeling exhausted. On the other hand, BPD patients do not suffer in this way as their sleep patterns are considerably less impacted.

Family History

Many might not know this but bipolar disorders or depression and such are hereditary, for the most part. However, this doesn’t mean that such ailments pass directly via a single or specific gene. If there’s a family history of mood disorders, then there’s increased likelihood of it reappearing in relatives and the future generations. So, it’s important to check medical family history to know what you can do in case you might get a hereditary ailment.

Effect On Relationships

The hallmark of any BPD patient is that he or she gets affected by conflicts with certain strong relationships. They have such histories, and most of these experiences with emotional dysregulation (like strong reactions, variability) occur in response to interactions among the relationships.

Self-Harm Tops The Symptom

Ask any BPD patient, and he or she will tell you how inflicting self-harm is common, and that is thought of as a way to help with emotional regulation. This doesn’t imply everybody tends to feel suicidal but that’s just a way to change their feelings. Going by reports, almost 75% of individuals affected by BPD have either cut, hit, burnt, or injured themselves somehow.

Choose The Right Treatment

Thankfully, most professional psychologists and clinical experts are aware of how they must go about when diagnosing both these mental illnesses. However, it is always advised not to take the advice of novice just because of mere assumptions. Both bipolar disorder and borderline personality disorder are difficult to manage but patients respond to the right kind of treatment, too. Getting the first step right is the most important task towards achieving a healthy life. And if required, all queries related to both must be tackled from the start.

To accelerate the process of recovery in both cases, individual support, care, and assistance must be initiated. Besides, there are the treatment options. So talking to a clinician at the beginning is of utmost importance. If all these can be clubbed together, the results will soon begin to show. But if still unsure, asking for a second opinion is always welcome. After all, it makes sense to learn!