Borderline personality disorder is often a life long condition characterised by mood instability, poor self image, poor impulse control and difficulty relating to other people. People with this disorder are prone to insecurity, substance dependencies such as alcohol and or other drug abuse (misuse) and self-harm.
Substance dependency and self harm are believed to be used as a means of dealing with chronic, long term anxiety. People with borderline personality disorder are also extremely dependent on others, as a result of anxiety concerning separation and fear of abandonment.
Symptoms and characteristics
Typical symptoms and characteristics of borderline personality disorder include:
- chronic, long term anxiety, for example always seeming to be in a state of crisis
- unstable mood, for example shifting quickly from inappropriate intense anger to excitement and euphoria
- impulsive, unpredictable behaviour including spontaneous outbursts, fights, over eating or shoplifting as some examples
- substance dependencies
- self mutilation related to poor self image
- difficulty tolerating normal levels of frustration, rejection and loss
- irregular sleep-wake cycles.
For further information on the symptoms above, please see the links below:
Workplace solutions and adjustments
There are various factors that would greatly assist people with borderline personality disorder to better manage their symptoms in the workplace. These include:
- working in a disciplined environment
- consistent support in the workplace from co-workers and employers
- avoiding jobs requiring monotonous or repetitious tasks
- avoiding frequent shift changes due to irregularity in sleep-wake cycles.
There are solutions and adjustments for the following job requirements:
References
Mental Illness Fellowship of Australia 2008, Understanding borderline personality disorder, Mental Illness Fellowship of Australia, Adelaide, viewed 14 August 2011, http://www.mifa.org.au/sites/www.mifa.org.au/files/documents/UnderstandingBorderlinePersonalityDisorder.pdf.