When it comes to borderline personality disorder, the signs of BPD in teens don’t always look the same as they do for adults. As the parent or caregiver of a teen, it’s important that you know what to look for, including the emotional, behavioral, and relational BPD symptoms that often make their first appearance during adolescence or early adulthood.
Below, we’re covering some of the early signs of borderline personality disorder in teens, plus what you should do if you notice them.
What is Borderline Personality Disorder?
BPD is a personality disorder characterized by emotional instability, intense relationships, and struggles with identity.
Sound familiar? That’s because the signs and symptoms of BPD often overlap with normal teen feelings and behaviors, making it all the more essential that you can identify when something more serious is going on.
It’s estimated that BPD occurs in about 3% of adolescents, including 78% of teens who end up in the emergency room for suicidal behaviors. Triggers vary from individual to individual, and episodes are rarely caused by one single thing. That being said, common triggers for BPD symptoms in teens include interpersonal conflict, rejection, extreme stress, or unresolved trauma. Borderline personality disorder also tends to present alongside other co-occurring mental health conditions such as anxiety, depression, or substance use disorder.
Borderline Personality Disorder: Teenage Symptoms
The sooner a teen gets help for borderline personality disorder, the better. The journey usually starts with parents or other caregivers, who may be the first to recognize the signs of BPD in their loved one.
Common signs to watch out for with BPD in teens include:
- Intense Mood Swings: Rapid shifts in emotions and difficulty managing feelings.
- Fear of Abandonment: Extreme efforts to avoid real or imagined rejection.
- Unstable Relationships: Idealizing friends or partners, then quickly devaluing them.
- Impulsive Behaviors: Risky actions such as self-harm, substance abuse, or reckless driving.
- Identity Struggle: An unstable sense of self and frequent changes in goals or values.
- Chronic Feelings of Emptiness: Persistent emotional numbness or dissatisfaction.
- Self-Harm or Suicidal Thoughts: Engaging in self-injury or expressing suicidal ideation.
What sets these apart from general teen angst is the intensity and persistence of symptoms. If you notice one or more of these signs interfering with your teen's daily life, it’s probably time to react.
Social and Mental Health Impacts of Borderline Personality Disorder in Teens
Left untreated, borderline personality disorder can have an extreme impact on a teen’s mental health and relationships.
Teens with BPD have incredible difficulty coping with stress and regulating emotions, and may be quick to conflict with family, friends, teachers, and peers. They’re also more likely to engage in harmful behaviors, with some studies finding substance abuse to be anywhere from 4x to 9x more likely in borderline teens.
Academic and job struggles are common with BPD, as are co-occurring mental health disorders like anxiety and PTSD. Ultimately, there are few places in a teen’s life not impacted by the condition, which further highlights the need for professional care.
Addressing BPD in Teens: How Parents Can Offer Support
While the teenage symptoms of borderline personality disorder can be tricky to spot, acknowledging that something may be wrong is a big first step. From there, you can take action to get your teen the help they need, starting with changes at home.
Openly Communicate
Practice open communication and use conversations with your teen to foster trust and understanding, rather than as pure fact-finding missions. Teens with BPD tend to benefit greatly from clear rules and expectations, so make sure to clarify boundaries too, and work together to figure out appropriate consequences if they fail to abide.
Model Healthy Behaviors
Promote healthy coping strategies at home, encouraging skills like mindfulness, journaling, and stress-management techniques, and giving your teen the right tools as needed. Even better, model these strategies yourself, and let your teen know it’s okay to prioritize their own self-care.
Seek Professional Support
Treatment for borderline personality disorder in teens may include individual counseling, group therapy, family therapy, medication, and/or residential care. It all depends on the severity of symptoms and what works best for your family. Specific evidence-based treatments for BPD include Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) or Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT).
Educate Yourself
If you’re reading this, you’re already doing a fantastic job building awareness of the signs of BPD in teens and what you, as a parent, can do to help. Continue to educate yourself by seeking out additional articles, books, etc. that will help you better understand the condition and your teen’s experiences with BPD.
Help for Teen Borderline Personality Disorder
Early intervention and caregiver support are a must for helping teens cope with borderline personality disorder, and it all starts with knowing the signs. At Paradigm Treatment, we’re proud to be a trusted resource for teen BPD management. Explore our website for additional resources, and contact us today for more information on effective borderline treatment options for teens.
