ICD-11 now describes it by severity (mild, moderate, severe) and trait patterns rather than fixed labels.
Personality Disorder (overview)
Do the same problems keep repeating in your life — broken relationships, conflicts at work, emotions that feel too big — no matter where you are or who you're with? A personality disorder is a long-lasting (2 years or more) difficulty in how a person sees themselves and relates to others, causing distress or problems in daily life (ICD-11 6D10).
How common is it?
About 6–10 in 100 adults worldwide; far more among people visiting mental health services.
Who is at higher risk?
- People who experienced childhood neglect, abuse or bullying
- Inconsistent or harsh parenting
- Emotionally sensitive or impulsive temperament
- Family history of mental illness
Signs & symptoms
- Repeated conflict or instability in relationships
- An unclear, fragile or rigid sense of who you are
- Difficulty managing anger, anxiety or impulses
- The same painful patterns in family, work and friendships over years
What causes it?
A combination of inherited temperament (about 40–60%) and early life experiences — especially attachment, trauma and how emotions were handled at home.
How to know if you are struggling — you may relate if…
- People say I'm 'difficult,' but I feel misunderstood.
- Every relationship ends the same way.
How Mind Detox Centre helps
A comprehensive personality assessment — clinical interview plus tests such as MCMI-III and, where useful, Rorschach, TAT or Sentence Completion — to understand your pattern. Therapy is longer-term and structured: DBT, schema therapy and CBT, with family sessions when helpful.
Borderline Personality Disorder (Emotionally Unstable Personality)
Do your emotions swing from love to rage in minutes? Do you fear people will leave you, and sometimes act impulsively to cope with the pain? Borderline personality disorder (the "borderline pattern" in ICD-11, 6D11.5) involves intense, unstable emotions, relationships and self-image.
How common is it?
About 1.5–2 in 100 adults, and up to 10–20 in 100 people attending mental health clinics.
Who is at higher risk?
- People with childhood trauma or emotional neglect
- Emotionally sensitive temperament
- Invalidating home environments
- Women are diagnosed more often, though men are affected too
Signs & symptoms
- Intense fear of abandonment; desperate efforts to avoid it
- Stormy relationships — idealising someone, then feeling betrayed
- Rapid mood swings, intense anger, chronic emptiness
- Unstable sense of self
- Impulsive spending, eating, substance use or unsafe sex
- Self-harm or suicidal thoughts — please seek help immediately; call Tele-MANAS 14416
What causes it?
An emotionally sensitive nature combined with an environment where feelings were dismissed or punished (the biosocial model), often with trauma.
How to know if you are struggling — you may relate if…
- When someone doesn't reply, I panic that they're leaving me.
- I feel everything 100 times stronger than others.
- I don't know who I really am.
How Mind Detox Centre helps
Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT) — the leading treatment for BPD — teaching mindfulness, distress tolerance, emotion regulation and healthy relationship skills, with a personal safety plan and family guidance.
Frequently asked questions
Can personality disorders be treated?
Yes. DBT and schema therapy show strong results, and many people no longer meet criteria after treatment.
Is BPD the same as bipolar disorder?
No. Bipolar involves mood episodes lasting days to weeks; BPD involves rapid emotional shifts triggered by relationships, often within hours.
How is a personality disorder diagnosed?
Through a detailed clinical interview and standardised personality tests by a qualified psychologist.