Mental Health

Genetics, Unpredictable Parenting and Abuse Cause Borderline Personality Disorder

By Jesmae Anne Aurita | Update Date: Dec 12, 2016 08:31 AM EST

When a child harms himself/herself, is impulsive and has extreme emotional swings, chronic feeling of emptiness and explosive anger, he/she most likely suffers from Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD).

These symptoms are only few of the signs of BPD, a serious mental disorder, which should be looked into as often as possible as children at early ages usually experience them and may affect them as they grow. A research has shown genetics, unpredictable parenting and abuse as few of the major causes of this. Although genetics is unchangeable and absolute nature of human, bad parenting and abuse are controllable or, yet, can be stopped, Helpguide reported.

The child's perspective in life, goals and ambitions, attitude and possibility of who they will become in the future depend on his/her upbringing and what he/she learns from his/her parents. Parents often do not realize the bad habits they are showing greatly affect their children. Abuse, as worst as it can be, also play a great role in the mental, social and psychological health, Psych Central reported.

Dr. Jonice Webb's, author of the book "Running on Empty: Overcome Your Childhood Emotional Neglect," expertise covers treatment of couples and families such as those with this case.

Dr. Webb considers Childhood Emotional Neglect (CEN) and defines it "a childhood characterized by the absence of enough emotional attention, emotional validation and emotional responsiveness from one's parents."

Although CEN does not generally lead to acquiring BPD, the Dialectal Behavior Therapy or DBT, identified through  research,  is considered the most effective treatment method which specifically targets the primary symptoms of CEN. BPD doesn't seem as serious as it sound but the signs and symptoms one can see in their child may actually push them to reach out for help. 

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