Do symptoms of borderline personality disorder belong to mental illness

Borderline personality disorder belongs to mental disorders, but is usually not classified as a mental illness. Mental illness mainly refers to diseases such as schizophrenia accompanied by a loss of ability to test reality, while the core symptoms of borderline personality disorder are emotional instability, interpersonal conflicts, and self-identity disorders. Patients with borderline personality disorder often exhibit strong emotional fluctuations, which may transition from extreme pleasure to depression or anger within a few hours. They have a pathological fear of being abandoned and may maintain their relationship through self harm or suicide threats. Self image confusion leads to frequent changes in career goals and values, and some patients may experience a brief loss of realism or paranoid attitudes, but these symptoms are usually triggered by stressful events and have a short duration.

Psychiatric symptoms such as hallucinations, delusions, etc. are sporadic manifestations in borderline personality disorders and do not persist. When such symptoms occur, comorbidities such as depression or bipolar disorder should be considered. Diagnosis requires a strict distinction between transient stress reactions and genuine psychiatric disorders, with the former often disappearing with emotional recovery. For the intervention of borderline personality disorder, dialectical behavior therapy can effectively improve emotional regulation ability and establish stable interpersonal relationship patterns. Family members should learn non critical communication skills to avoid reinforcing the patient's fear of being abandoned. Regular psychological therapy combined with mindfulness training can reduce impulsive behavior, and when symptoms are severe, mood stabilizers should be used under the guidance of a psychiatrist. Early systemic intervention can significantly improve patients' social functioning.