Announcement

This article will highlight the critical differences in how Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) manifests in men compared to women, helping readers recognize signs and symptoms in men.

Introduction

Borderline personality disorder affects an average of 4% of the general population and up to 20% of those who seek inpatient treatment for mental health disorders have borderline personality disorder. Sometimes, symptoms of mental health disorders present differently in men versus women, which is why understanding BPD signs in men can be useful in recognizing when symptoms May Point toward a mental health disorder that requires proper treatment.

It is a complex mental health condition in large part because it has high rates of comorbidities, which means it often includes the core symptoms of BPD as well as secondary and tertiary mental health conditions. Understanding the way borderline personality disorder manifests differently in women versus men is important to understanding when you might have BPD symptoms in men.

What Is Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD)?

A borderline personality disorder is a psychiatric disorder, one of 10 personality disorders categorized by the DSM 5. It causes significant problems with relationships and emotional instability, often manifesting in the form of impulsivity and an unstable sense of self.

Signs and Symptoms of BPD in Men

The signs of BPD in men fall under the same categories as women but manifest slightly differently.

-Emotional Instability in Men

Men show emotional instability, but in different ways, like chronic feelings of emptiness, intense and inappropriate anger, as well as impulsivity.

-Impulsivity and Risk-Taking Behaviors

The impulsivity and risk-taking behaviors associated with BPD in men can include things like:

• Drug abuse
• Risk-taking behaviors
• Aggression
• Self-harm and suicide

Note: Due to the high risk of BPT suicide, roughly 10% of people who are diagnosed have control over impulsivity, which is a key aspect of treatment.

-Difficulty in Relationships

Men who struggle with BPD have difficulty in their relationships because of things like aggression and impulsivity. Women are more likely to have a fear of abandonment, which causes them to be needy or quick to be overbearing and jealous in relationships, whereas men are more likely to be impulsive and aggressive, which can damage their relationships.

-Aggression and Anger

BPD signs in men are more likely to be external, which means symptoms of aggression and anger are directed at others. Men tend to display more aggression rather than internal instability, and that aggression is also more likely to lead to mood disorders or substance abuse rather than eating disorders, which is more common in women.

-Depression and Shame

There are comorbid disorders among males and females, including mood disorders, anxiety, and eating disorders, but the BPD symptoms in men are more likely to manifest as depression and shame rather than anxiety.

Key Differences Between BPD in Men and Women

So, what are the key differences between men and women in terms of the symptoms?

-Expression of Emotional Instability

The way in which emotional instability is expressed differs between men and women. Women are more likely to have internal symptoms like affective instability, whereas men are more likely to have external symptoms like aggression.

-Relationship Dynamics

This can have an impact on relationship dynamics where men display more inappropriate anger in a relationship, whereas women are more likely to have chronic feelings of emptiness and depression that might become a burden on their partner. In fact, women with borderline personality disorder are actually more likely to have unstable relationships compared to men.

-Social Expectations and Stigma

Some findings suggest that there are different subtypes to borderline personality disorder, a way that males versus females help to deal with public stigma. Men are more likely, because of their aggression, to be seen as dangerous, and this can cause them to live with the stigma of being a dangerous or aggressive individual, whereas females are more likely to evoke pity from others.

-Diagnosis Rates

In the United States, the prevalence of borderline personality is roughly the same between males and females, at 5.6% for males and 5.2% for females.

Treatment Options for BPD in Men

The treatment options for men versus women are somewhat similar. However, women are more likely to use things like social support and restraint coping compared to men.

Psychotherapy

Psychotherapy is the primary form of treatment for borderline personality disorder. Men can participate in things like schema-focused therapy to help identify and change unhealthy thought patterns, cognitive behavioral therapy, or dialectical behavioral therapy.

Medication

There are medication options which include anticonvulsants and mood stabilizers, which are more efficacious when combined with therapy.

Emotional Regulation Skills

Other activities can help encourage emotional regulation for men including grounding techniques, diet, cognitive reframing, mindfulness, emotional acceptance, exercise, and proper sleep.

TMS

At present, signs of BPD in men have seen some promise with neuromodulatory effects from transcranial magnetic stimulation. A wide scope of literature has suggested that TMS is a well-tolerated treatment for those who have borderline personality disorder, especially when combined with psychotherapy. The combination of TMS with psychotherapy increases the longevity of both improvements.

Several studies have determined that BPD symptoms in men are connected to the cerebello-thalamo-cortical areas of the brain and that these are responsible for impulsive reactions. With transcranial magnetic stimulation over the left lateral cerebellum, performance on impulsive controls improved. This also helped to improve emotional regulation.

Another study showed that TMS resulted in decreased activity in the postcentral gyrus and the middle temporal gyrus, areas associated with emotional stimuli. This showed that BPD signs in men could be temporarily managed by increasing emotional stimulation and decreasing impulsivity through TMS.

Conclusion

BPD symptoms in men fall into the same categories as women but manifest differently. The way in which BPD manifests in men compared to women means men are more likely to be seen as aggressive, with higher rates of impulsivity and external aggression. Recognizing BPD signs in men is important in getting an early diagnosis and proper treatment.