 Hey Psych2Goers and welcome back to another video. Your love and support have enabled us to send your way another wealth of everyday psychology. So let's explore. Have you heard of Borderline Personality Disorder or BPD before? It's a personality disorder that affects about 1-3% of the population. So what is BPD? People with BPD struggle with self-image and self-perception. Their behavior and view of others changes quickly as they battle waves of sadness, anger or anxiety. It's linked to traumatic events, brain chemistry and family history. But these factors aren't always present in people with the disorder. Hidden BPD is a type in which the symptoms of the disorder are internalized. They're not displayed outwardly, making its diagnosis difficult. This leads your friends, partner or family members to misunderstand your actions as having a toxic personality or a different mental disorder like anxiety rather than Borderline Personality Disorder. Before we begin, we would like to remind you that the purpose of this video is to create awareness and should in no case be used to self-diagnose. If you find you can relate to these signs, please reach out to a professional for help. With that being said, here are seven hidden signs of Borderline Personality Disorder 1. Self-hatred, self-harm Do you often see the world in extremes and struggle to maintain a sense of identity? One hidden sign of Borderline Personality Disorder is drastically low self-esteem or self-hatred. This creates internal conflict like constant self-criticism, negative self-image and feeling like you're a bad person. Self-harm is another sign of Borderline Personality Disorder and this can escalate to suicidal thoughts or attempts at suicide. 2. Difficulty Regulating Emotions You cycle between periods of intense emotions like emptiness, sadness, anger and anxiety. People with BBD struggle to feel in control of their emotional responses to situations. This is called effective instability and it's more intense and longer lasting than hormonal mood swings. Because people with hidden BBD tend to internalize their feelings, their mood swings likely won't be as noticeable to others. It's important to note, however, that intense mood swings can also be a sign of mood disorders, which is why it's so important to get diagnosed by a mental health professional. In some cases, a person may be diagnosed with both Borderline Personality Disorder and the mood disorder such as bipolar. 3. Internalized Anger Intense anger can also be a sign of BBD. Some people verbally or physically lash out at others, brought on by BBD, but in the case of hidden BBD, this anger has turned inwards against the self and in the form of self-hatred or if suppressed, which is even more lethal. Such anger can also manifest as repeated frustration or extreme irritation when faced with interpersonal stressors that people without BBD or other personality disorders can handle without getting upset. 4. Fear of Rejection Would you agree that rejection is hard to stomach, even in the best of times? For those with BBD, fear of rejection is yet another hidden sign. This could manifest in an irrational fear that loved ones will leave you, social anxiety or a desire to please everyone around you to try and prevent them from ejecting you. The fact that people with BBD often struggle to maintain relationships only adds to this fear. 5. Unstable Relationships Do you face difficulty maintaining interpersonal relationships like friendships, sibling bonds or romantic relationships? It can be difficult for people with BBD to preserve relationships because they often idealize, think very highly of and then romanticize someone for a while and then devalue or distrust or become disgusted with them. A 2016 study suggests that some people with BBD react to relationship stressors with impulsivity which generates instability in relations as well. 6. Impulsive Decisions While cycles of impulsive decisions commonly occur in those with bipolar disorder and other mood disorders, they are also a sign of BBD. Examples of impulsive decisions someone with BBD might make are substance abuse, spending or gambling sprees, skipping work or appointments, unprotected sex, binge eating or reckless driving. Impulsive decisions are a hidden sign of BBD because others may think this impulsivity comes from low impulse control or another mental disorder instead of BBD. 7. Disassociation Finally, people with borderline personality disorder may disassociate more frequently and for longer periods of time than typical functioning people. Dissociation is when thoughts or emotions enter your mind and you find yourself incapable of focusing on your actions, instead operating on autopilot or watching yourself do things without feeling connected to your body. Disassociation is a hidden symptom of BBD because others may assume someone who is disassociating is just tired or distracted. Disassociation can also be a symptom of PTSD or Disassociative Identity Disorder also known as DID. But if it occurs alongside the other things, it's likely a hidden sign of BBD. It's important to remember that mental disorders affect everyone differently. Not everyone experiences all the symptoms. You might also experience symptoms not listed here. That's why it's so important to seek help from a licensed mental health professional with experience and personality disorders if you think you or someone you love might have BBD. Have you or someone you know been diagnosed with BBD? Are you now better equipped to look out for its hidden symptoms? Let us know in the comments below. If you found this video helpful, be sure to hit the like button and subscribe. And share it with someone who might benefit from it. Thanks for watching and we'll see you soon.