Quiet Borderline Personality Disorder: What is it?

Note to Reader: The following article will spotlight specifically Quiet Borderline Personality Disorder. For an in-depth analysis on Borderline Personality Disorder, please click here.

Emotions are amplified: love swarms your mind in a coddled cotton bath of warmth, jealousy marvels angrily with caustic thorns for tearing, joy spins you giggling off your feet. The episodes feel as though you’re living poetry. Though considerably colorful, life lived this way is not inherently a smooth, vibrant painting; the colors are uncomfortably neon and the edges are smudged in blended confusion. Borderline Personality Disorder can be imagined as a grand sculpture with details noticeable to a professional. On the other hand, Quiet Borderline Personality Disorder appears similar to the aforementioned painting: details mixed with unnoticeable layers. Even professionals have difficulty spotting these intricacies. Unfortunately, many sufferers go un- or misdiagnosed.

Quiet Borderline Personality sufferers will act inwardly aggressive as compared to their more commonly known counterpart, BPD. Hence the differentiating abbreviation: “Q” for Quiet. Instead of violent and vocal outbursts exhibited by BPD sufferers, Q-BPD sufferers will inflict harm onto themselves. As to avoid abandonment, they will always act in favor of the other party member. Notoriously, Q-BPD sufferers are natural empaths as they don’t want to inflict harm onto others.

Low self-esteem and severe amplification of events, good and bad, are a few symptoms. Romantic relationships may be difficult to maintain as individuals with Q-BPD may idolize their partners and believe he/she/they will ward off all harm. As problems arise, Q-BPD sufferers may feel their partners do not value the relationship when, in reality, disagreements happen. The slightest abnormal action exhibited by their partners has a high chance of sending Q-BPD individuals into an overthinking frenzy.

Those affected with Quiet Borderline Personality Disorder will commonly be labeled as “shy”. However, preference for solitude becomes obligatory as most social interactions will cause anxiety—another symptom. The thought of even mingling with friends may skyrocket levels of discomfort. In order to prevent social anxiety, Q-BPD sufferers will remain in solitude. The desire to keep away from people quickly turns into a need.

Closed to the outside world, Q-BPD sufferers have a high risk of falling victim to depression. Approximately 83% of BPD sufferers will have had experienced at least one severe depressive episode during their illness. However, this percentage accounts for Q-BPD sufferers.

Experts have linked, as with most mental disorders, causes of Q-BPD to childhood trauma, genetics, and brain abnormalities. More research is being done regarding emotion regulation, impulsivity, and serotonin levels of BPD sufferers.

Though the causes of Q-BPD are still being researched, treatment of the disorder is already being administered. Q-BPD sufferers undergo psychotherapy, commonly known as talk therapy. Medication may be provided for the symptoms exhibited in the disorder: anxiety, depression, PTSD, and/or ADHD.

Help is all around you. More people are willing to aid you on your journey then we all first assume. If you are experiencing similar blurred emotions, severe internal struggles, and social anxiety, please speak to a guardian and/or a professional. We are human and we’re all here to help.

Research is limited on this disorder. If you have any suggestions on improving this article, please leave a comment and I will do my best in adding your credible information.

REFERENCES

Mahari, A.J. (2000, July 7) The Quiet Borderline. http://www.aapel.org/bdp/BLborderquietUS.html.

Vappleyard. (2013, December 26) What is a Quiet Borderline?. https://www.borderline-personality-disorder.com/mental-health/what-is-a-quiet-borderline/