By  Jamie N. Sedgwick, LCPC, NCC

EMDRIA Consultant & Basic Trainer

“What is the difference between Bipolar Disorder and Borderline Personality Disorder?” I have had many clients and clinicians pose this question when exploring possible diagnoses and treatment planning. It has taken over 10 years of experience as a clinician specializing in trauma and working in several different treatment settings for me to feel confident in answering this question.

 Let’s start by taking a look at the technical, “on paper” diagnostic criteria for each.

Let’s Take a Look at Diagnostic Criteria

The Fifth Edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM-5) indicates that there are different categories of Bipolar Disorder including Bipolar Disorder I, Bipolar Disorder II, and Cyclothymic Disorder (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders: Fifth Edition. 2013. Pg 123). To understand the diagnostic differences between Bipolar Disorder and Borderline Personality Disorder, we will foc...

By Jamie Sedgwick, LCPC, NCC
EMDRIA Approved Consultant

Increased access to social media in recent years has meant more access to information about mental health and various diagnoses. There are pros and cons to the increased exposure, with one of the biggest drawbacks being no quality control to verify the accuracy of the information being shared. Individuals hoping to better understand themselves or a loved one may receive inaccurate or biased information.

One mental health diagnosis that has garnered a lot of social media attention is Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD). This is a diagnosis that has carried a negative connotation even among medical professionals. Some even believe this diagnosis cannot be cured. As a result, many clinicians will refuse to treat BPD and attempt to refer those who have it to other clinicians.

As a clinician specializing in this disorder, I have seen a significant increase in the amount of individuals self-diagnosing and seeking treatment. Due to...