Borderline schizophrenia is a chronic mental illness that affects cognitive abilities. A person suffering from this disorder experiences altered perceptions and behavior. This disorder involves the symptoms of both bipolar disorder and schizophrenia. Although both are different mental disorders but have quite similarities. If you or your loved one is suffering from borderline schizophrenia disorder, then you should know about a reliable platform that offers top-notch mental health services. However, before getting reliable therapy, you should have a better understanding of this disorder. After reading this article, you will get familiar with all the facts of borderline schizophrenia. Furthermore, you will also get familiar with the borderline schizophrenia symptoms.
What is Schizophrenia?
Schizophrenia is a common but complex mental illness. This medical condition affects the person’s ability to think, feel, and behave normally. Persons suffering from the schizophrenia disorder feel that they have a disconnection from reality. Their brain remains indulged in intrusive thoughts that are devoid of any fact. Moreover, most of the time, they believe that whatever they are thinking is accurate. However, when they realize that they have lost touch with reality, they get stressed. Due to their behavior, their relationship with their loved ones also gets altered.
A person suffering from schizophrenia experiences the following symptoms:
Hallucinations: Persons see or hear those things which have no existence in reality.
Delusions: Affected individuals think about those concepts that are not accurate and only occur as a result of intrusive thoughts.
Some other common symptoms of schizophrenia include:
- Undesired or unusual body movements
- Confused thoughts
- Altered behavioral patterns
What is bipolar disorder?
Bipolar disorder is a mental illness that alters the person’s behavior. If you have bipolar disorder, then you can experience sudden and major mood shifts. Moreover, you will also feel the reduced energy in your body. Instead of participating in social activities, you will feel pleasure while staying at home. On some days, you will experience manic episodes where you will feel intense energy with extreme feelings of excitement. While on the other hand, you will also feel sadness at some other time. That second phase involves the initiation of depressive episodes. Affected individuals then feel the sensation of hopelessness with consistent sadness.
Some common symptoms of manic episodes:
- Extreme excitement
- Full of potential
- Jumpy nature
- Talkative behavior
- Disturbed eating patterns
- Trouble in sleeping
- Rapid shifting of activities
- Undesired thoughts
While on the other hand, the symptoms of depressive episodes include:
- Feelings of worthlessness
- Emptiness
- Lack of interest or passion
- Slow body movements
- Overeating or reduced eating
- Suicidal thoughts
- Trouble in concentration
- Fatigue or tiredness
Types of Bipolar disorder
There are different types of bipolar disorder which vary based on the severity of symptoms such as:
Bipolar disorder I
Persons with bipolar disorder I experience at least one episode of mania. The symptoms of manic episodes can last for one or more weeks. Most people recover easily while some experience the major adverse effects of bipolar disorder I.
Bipolar disorder II
Bipolar disorder II involves the hypomanic and depressive episodes. Like bipolar disorder, there is more likelihood that a person suffers from one depressive episode in bipolar disorder II. Moreover, the duration of hypomanic episodes is longer as compared to depressive episodes.
Cyclothymia
This condition comprises the symptoms of both depressive and hypomanic episodes. Symptoms affect the body for over two years or more.
What is borderline schizophrenia?
Borderline schizophrenia involves the combined occurrence of both schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. Both are complex mental health conditions with numerous similarities. Therefore, the conditions exhibit a major resemblance in terms of symptoms. However, it does not mean that both mental conditions are completely similar as they involve the separate diagnosis and related factors.
Primarily, different studies have supported the occurrence of bipolar and schizophrenia symptoms in borderline schizophrenia. Experts think that they have a significant genetic relationship between them. Moreover, they also exhibit the perceptual-cognitive symptoms.
Persons suffering from borderline schizophrenia face extreme difficulty in paying attention to essential details. Moreover, they are also unable to regulate their emotions. Therefore, they also experience altered behavioral patterns that affect the quality of life. Their undesirable behavior also affects their relationships with their loved ones. Furthermore, they not only face complications in their personal life, their professional life also get affected.
Learn more: Can drugs cause schizophrenia?
Symptoms of borderline schizophrenia
Borderline schizophrenia involves both conditions of bipolar and borderline schizophrenia and the symptoms exhibit resemblance such as:
- Severe cognitive impairments
- Hormonal dysregulation
- Disorganized thinking patterns
- Delusions and hallucinations
- Hyperactivity
- Impulsive behavior
- Trouble in stress management
- Anosognosia
- Self-harming thoughts
- Fear of abandonment
What are the major differences between schizophrenia and bipolar disorder?
There are numerous similarities between schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. Most of the symptoms overlap making it difficult to individually diagnose both conditions. Bipolar disorder is a common personality disorder. It involves sudden alterations in mood and energy levels. Moreover, the thinking abilities are also affected. However, persons affected by schizophrenia disorder are unable to make a strong association with reality. Similarly, bipolar disorder involves depressive episodes that can last for several hours. However, persons with schizophrenia experience psychotic symptoms. Delusions and hallucinations are the major psychotic symptoms that occur during schizophrenia disorder. Psychotic conditions also adversely affect the cognitive abilities of a person.
However, the occurrence of psychotic conditions is not limited to schizophrenia. Most of the persons with bipolar disorder also experience some major symptoms of psychosis. The most common symptoms of bipolar disorder involve the persistent feeling of sadness. Individuals feel a lack of interest or motivation. They think that they are worthless and unable to participate in any productive activity. Likewise, the occurrence of intrusive thoughts is also high in bipolar disorder.
Learn more: A Remarkable Guide to Psychosis Test
While on the other hand, individuals suffering from schizophrenia feel paranoid most of the time. Hallucinations and delusions prevent them from considering reality and living a quality life. Similarly, they also face difficulty in speech. In addition, the onset of schizophrenia symptoms occurs in early adulthood or late teenage years. Moreover, both men and women are equally affected by this disorder. Bipolar disorder diverts the person to struggling pathways of self-recognition. In addition, persons are also involved in substance abuse or alcohol consumption.
What are the main causes of borderline schizophrenia?
Different factors are responsible for causing this disorder such as:
Genetics
Various recent studies have reported that borderline schizophrenia tends to run in families. If the person has any previous family history, then there is more likelihood to get suffering from borderline schizophrenia. Moreover, not a single gene is involved in this disorder. Different genetic factors can cause the onset of bipolar disorder symptoms.
Chemical imbalances
As borderline schizophrenia involves emotional instability, various undesired changes occur in the brain. Those parts of the brain that regulate emotions are unable to perform the function optimally. Therefore, the resulting behavior is also affected.
Environmental factors
Environmental stressors can also cause the development of borderline personality disorder. Any childhood trauma can also initiate the symptoms of this disorder. According to studies, it is suggested that approximately 70 to 80% of patients suffering from borderline schizophrenia have experienced any childhood trauma. Moreover, financial loss and the death of a loved one also act as major stress factors that can develop the symptoms of borderline schizophrenia.
Can borderline personality disorder lead to schizophrenia?
A borderline personality disorder is a common mental disorder that affects a person’s behavior. Affected individuals have reduced control over their emotions. Due to emotional dysregulation, they experience impulsive behaviors. Moreover, the ability of individuals to see their personality traits is also affected. Impulsivity affects the relationship patterns of individuals. Persons suffering from borderline personality disorder think that they are alone. The onset of borderline personality disorder occurs during the early adulthood stages. However, if the condition is left untreated, then it can lead to severe stages during late adulthood stages. Most of the adults recover from aggression and impulsive behavior.
Most individuals think that borderline personality disorder can lead to schizophrenia. However, the reality is antagonistic to this situation. Bipolar disorder won’t turn into schizophrenia, but individuals can live with both conditions. Different researchers also reported that not all schizophrenia treatments are useful for bipolar disorder. Similarly, therapeutic procedures for bipolar disorder do not result in the desired outcomes for schizophrenia.
How to treat borderline schizophrenia?
Different therapeutic procedures are considered effective in treating borderline schizophrenia treatment which include:
Medications
If the therapy does not provide the desired results, then certain medications are used to treat borderline schizophrenia which include:
- Antidepressants
- Mood stabilizers
- Antipsychotics
- Anticonvulsions
- Olanzapine
- Opioid antagonists
- Risperidone
- Clonazepam
Cognitive behavioral therapy
Cognitive behavioral therapy is the renowned talk therapy. Persons suffering from borderline personality disorder can recover easily with this therapy. For treating this disorder, this therapy is considered a basic and reliable treatment approach. Mental health therapists provide different talk therapies based on the person’s condition. The main goal of talk therapy is to assist patients with how they can improve their ability to focus and concentrate. Moreover, persons affected by this disorder also learn the strategies to regulate their emotions. They also learn how to strengthen their relationships with their family or friends. Talk therapists strive to find the main causes that negatively affect their emotions, thoughts, and behavior. After getting regular therapy sessions, persons experience reduced mood swings. They effectively learn how to overcome their intrusive thoughts.
Mentalization-based therapy
This therapy can also treat borderline personality disorder symptoms. However, this is a type of long-term psychotherapy. This theory assists the person in understanding the association between emotions, thoughts, and behavior. Individuals make appropriate sense of their thoughts. After considering their emotions and feelings, they observe things in a different and useful manner.
Schema focused therapy
This therapy involves different psychotherapy techniques that function to change the pattern of negative thoughts. This therapy was first found effective for borderline personality disorder but now it can manage the symptoms of borderline schizophrenia.
Dialectical behavior therapy
Dialectic behavioral therapy can also reap positive results for borderline personality disorder. Moreover, this therapy also involves both individual and group therapy sessions according to the person’s mental health needs. Persons with borderline schizophrenia can benefit from this therapy and learn the best possible ways to cope with frightening or distressing situations.
Other life changes
If you do not want to take any medication or therapy, then by adopting some healthy habits, you can treat or prevent the symptoms of borderline schizophrenia. Some common useful self-care methods include:
- Regular workout
- Healthy diet
- Adequate sleep
- Meditation practises
- Joining support groups
- Extracurricular activities
Exceptional mental health support Renewed mental health group
Anyone who is struggling with borderline schizophrenia always needs phenomenal mental health support to overcome the situation. At Renewed Mental Health Group, you can find highly skilled and professional mental health therapists who can perform an effective evaluation of the disorder. Our mental health experts employ evidence-based therapies in sessions. Moreover, therapists can also provide reliable treatment for other mental issues such as obsessive-compulsive disorder, bipolar disorder, mood disorders, psychotic disorders, eating disorders, and many more. By getting the right therapy, you can perfectly manage any mental illness such as borderline schizophrenia. So don’t strive more and achieve sound mental health.
