Understanding BPD in Men and Effective Treatment Approaches
Spreading awareness about borderline personality disorder (BPD) in men is crucial. In some cases, it might even be life-saving. BPD representation mostly features women, so men don’t get to see themselves in it. A lack of awareness surrounding the prevalence of BPD in men can make it more difficult to identify, diagnose, and treat BPD patients who are not women.
Going without a diagnosis is unfortunate, as BPD can cause severe emotional pain, distress, and impairment when it goes untreated. So, what should you know about BPD in men? What should you do if you suspect that you have BPD yourself?
First, let’s answer the question, “Do men get borderline personality disorder?” in depth and discuss possible gender differences seen in people with the disorder. Then, we’ll talk about BPD treatment for men at Catalina Behavioral Health.
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Do Men Get Borderline Personality Disorder?
Yes, men can absolutely get borderline personality disorder. While it was once thought that BPD rarely affects men and is usually seen in women only, recent research suggests that this is not true.
A 2024 article published in the Official Journal of the World Psychiatric Association, or WPA, shows that there is not a significant difference in rates of BPD in men vs. women. About 2.4% of men have BPD, and the same is the case for about 3% of women.
Unfortunately, the stereotype or idea that men are unlikely to have borderline personality disorder still exists. The myth that BPD does not affect men can, unfortunately, permeate treatment spaces as well as the public’s general beliefs about the mental health condition.
It is crucial that providers check their own biases when evaluating clients for conditions like BPD, including gender bias.
Gender Differences in BPD
While there are a lot of similarities among people with BPD regardless of gender, studies point us to some possible differences, too, which may impact disparity in diagnosis. Here are some possible gender differences in people with BPD.
Manifestation of Symptoms
Men may be more prone to certain borderline personality disorder symptoms, like impulsivity and intense, uncontrollable anger. On the other hand, women may face more chronic feelings of emptiness, suicidality, self-harm behaviors, and affective instability.
As for why this is the case, one possibility is that societal expectations impact the way men are most apt to express BPD symptoms. In society, men are often expected to hide their feelings, but they may feel more “allowed” to experience anger as opposed to other emotions.
Sometimes, symptoms like angry outbursts are disregarded as “typical male behavior” based on societal norms. Similarly, men with BPD might attempt to hide symptoms like extreme emotional pain or instability due to societal expectations, even if it causes them tremendous harm internally.
Types of Co-Occurring Mental Health Disorders
Co-occurring disorders are common in people with BPD, regardless of gender. However, the type of co-occurring disorder you are more likely to get diagnosed with may be impacted by gender.
While it can’t be said enough that men can also experience these conditions, including men with BPD, women with BPD appear to be more prone to the co-diagnosis of eating disorders, depression, and anxiety. Men with BPD, however, are more likely to have comorbid antisocial personality disorder or substance use disorders.
BPD can pair with other conditions, too. For example, intermittent explosive disorder.
Treatment and Diagnosis
Research suggests that the context in which people seek help for their symptoms may vary based on gender. Male patients may be more likely to seek help via drug and alcohol rehab services than females but tend to receive fewer psychotherapeutic and pharmacotherapeutic interventions than women.
Seeing providers who are more well-versed in the mental health condition you have can, without a doubt, make a serious difference in your diagnosis and treatment. If men are unaware that they have BPD and seek help for co-occurring conditions, like substance use disorder, BPD may still go undetected.
It can feel like there’s a missing puzzle piece. You might wonder why you experience the symptoms you do and grieve the effects BPD has had on your life without even knowing what it is. When you do finally get the right diagnosis, you might feel a serious sense of relief.
Understanding Borderline Personality Disorder in Men
Though there can be gender differences in BPD, there are far more similarities. Regardless of gender and other demographic factors, borderline personality disorder is always diagnosed by providers using the diagnostic criteria in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM).
Signs of BPD include:
- Risky or impulsive behaviors (e.g., unsafe sex, reckless driving, substance use, eating disorder behaviors, impulsive spending).
- Fear of abandonment, which can lead to frantic efforts to avoid real or perceived abandonment (this can lead to unstable relationships).
- Intense anger, which may intersect with or lead to violent behavior.
- Patterns of intense and unstable relationships.
- Stress-related paranoia or dissociative symptoms.
- Suicidal ideation or self-harming behaviors.
- Identity disturbance or unstable self-image.
- Intense mood swings and emotional distress.
No matter who you are, BPD can look different from person to person, and some symptoms may stand out in your experience more than others. If you notice BPD symptoms in yourself, you deserve to get help for them.
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How Catalina Behavioral Health Treats BPD in Men
In addition to gender-related myths, a common misconception about borderline personality disorder is that it’s not treatable. In reality, BPD is treatable, and people with BPD can lead fulfilling lives with successful interpersonal relationships and well-managed symptoms.
Catalina Behavioral Health provides comprehensive treatment for mental health conditions and substance use disorders. Men with BPD may benefit from a combination of the services offered in our inpatient and outpatient programs, including:
Assessments for BPD Symptoms
In addition to our treatment programs, we provide informal BPD assessments, which can help you find out whether you have BPD. Getting an accurate diagnosis matters.
After all, it’s often the first step toward appropriate treatment. Assessments at Catalina Behavioral Health will help you work with our team to develop a personalized mental health treatment plan.
Help for Co-Occurring Substance Abuse
Catalina Behavioral Health provides high-quality substance abuse treatment in Arizona. Since there is a high prevalence of substance abuse in people with BPD, this can be critical. Men are at an increased risk of overdose death compared to women.
Support for Other Mental Health Disorders
Alongside BPD and substance abuse, the Catalina Behavioral Health team works with a broad range of mental health concerns that could present alongside your BPD diagnosis.
These include but certainly are not limited to self-harm, mood disorders like depression or bipolar disorder, anxiety disorders, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
Evidence-Based Therapies for BPD
Dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT) is the most well-known treatment for BPD. Considered the gold standard for treating BPD, DBT can help you increase distress tolerance and interpersonal effectiveness (e.g., communication and relationship skills) while building coping skills for BPD symptoms.
Catalina Behavioral Health offers DBT. Multiple therapies, like DBT skills groups and transference-focused psychotherapy (TFP), can be used in conjunction with one another to best support your full spectrum of mental health needs.
Catalina Behaviors Health offers inpatient and outpatient treatment programs for personality disorders like BPD. Inpatient BPD treatment involves getting daily therapy throughout the week while living on-site at our treatment center. Outpatient programs for BPD provide more flexibility, allowing you to work and live at home while participating in treatment.
Some BPD patients attending Catalina Behavioral Health will attend multiple levels of care, but others will complete just one.
Medication Management and Psychiatry
There is no medication designed or approved to treat BPD specifically at this time, but some medications can help you manage symptoms of other mental health conditions. If you have a co-occurring disorder, you may benefit from medication alongside talk therapy.
Get Expert Help for Borderline Personality Disorder at Catalina
Catalina Behavioral Health provides effective addiction and mental health treatment to individuals in Tucson and surrounding areas. We are well-versed in working with men who have BPD and accept most forms of health insurance, which can help you or your loved one cover the cost of treatment at our center.
If you are interested in learning more about Catalina Behavioral Health Tucson for yourself or someone you know, please call our admissions line today. We’re here to answer your questions, verify your insurance coverage, or help in any other way we can.
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FAQs on Men and Borderline Personality Disorder
What does BPD look like in men?
Men with BPD may experience intense anger and difficulty regulating emotions, identity disturbance, patterns of intense and unstable interpersonal relationships, and impulsivity, which may involve reckless or harmful behaviors.
Even though symptoms like self-harm behavior or a chronic feeling of emptiness are more common in women, it’s important to remember that men with the condition can experience them, too. Treatment can help individuals with BPD address and develop coping strategies for the symptoms they experience, regardless of gender patterns.
What triggers borderline personality disorder?
Trauma is one of the most common risk factors for borderline personality disorder. For example, events like abuse or abandonment in your childhood or teenage years may trigger BPD. Genetics and family history can also play a role.
