What Is Quiet Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD)? Common Symptoms and Causes

Personality disorders like borderline personality disorder (BPD) are often difficult to understand. These conditions have many facets and symptoms, and they’re not always easy to identify, especially when they present in subtler ways. It’s not clear how prevalent BPD is among college-aged people, one meta-analysis shows. Reported figures for BPD symptoms in college populations range between 0.5% and 32.1%. If you think you may have BPD, learning more about the disorder may offer helpful insights into your own condition.

Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is a Cluster B personality disorder. Some quiet or internalizing behaviors might overlap with other Cluster B disorders or even complex trauma. Proper professional assessment is vital to get a proper diagnosis.

Cluster B personality disorders are characterized by emotional dysregulation and dramatic, emotional behavioral patterns. Cluster B encompasses BPD, histrionic personality disorder, narcissistic personality disorder and more. BPD specifically is a condition involving emotional and impulsive thinking. If you have BPD, seeking professional mental health treatment can be a good step toward improving your symptoms.

What is quiet BPD?

Though BPD often involves dramatic behaviors, it can sometimes be hard to identify due to masking. Masking is a term for hiding or suppressing mental health symptoms. When people with BPD mask their symptoms, it’s sometimes referred to as quiet BPD. Quiet BPD isn’t an official diagnosis; however, it can be a helpful term to describe masked BPD. Masking can feel necessary, especially when you’re trying to fit in. As a college student, you may want to avoid thinking about your mental health altogether so you can focus on your studies. While masking your symptoms can be tempting, it’s often harmful in the long run. Masking your symptoms can prevent you from working through your mental health challenges. It can also lead to more internalization of negative thoughts and feelings, which may contribute to worsening mental health over time.

The causes of BPD are not fully understood by experts. Factors like genetics and early development may play a role. Other potential contributors include childhood trauma and changes in the brain. If one of your parents has BPD, you may be more likely to have the same personality disorder. BPD symptoms tend to develop during adolescence or early adulthood. It’s possible for symptoms to first start appearing in college. Whether you’ve been managing symptoms for years or you’re just starting to notice them, seeking treatment now can put you on a positive trajectory.

Quiet BPD symptoms

Not sure whether you have BPD? Learning about the symptoms of masked or quiet BPD can help you get a better idea of your own mental condition. If you want to learn more about what you might be experiencing, you can get a comprehensive evaluation from a mental health professional.

Some key symptoms of quiet BPD may include:

• Fear of abandonment — People with BPD often fear abandonment. If you have BPD, you may worry that your closest friends and family members secretly want to leave you behind. Instead of voicing your worries, you may suppress them to avoid seeming clingy or needy. Over time, this can cause your fears to become more intense and pervasive.
• Feeling empty — BPD can make you feel empty or hollow. As a result, you may feel disconnected from your environment and the people around you. This feeling of emptiness can be isolating. It can also make it harder for you to enjoy life. Activities that you used to enjoy, such as spending time with friends or engaging in your favorite hobbies, may start to feel less fulfilling. Keeping your feelings of emptiness to yourself can prevent you from getting the treatment you need.
• Suppressing anger — If you have BPD, you may feel sudden, intense swells of anger. Rather than expressing your frustration or anger, you may instead choose to suppress your feelings. Though you may feel like you are sparing others by masking your symptoms, suppressed anger can still have significant negative effects. Suppressing your anger may cause you to channel your frustration into passive-aggressive behaviors. You may also experience increased internal turmoil.

Lightfully U can help you manage your borderline personality disorder symptoms

Some research indicates that BPD symptoms can lessen in intensity over time or with treatment. Comprehensive treatment can be key to managing the symptoms of BPD. You can get top-notch mental health care from Lightfully U. We take a unique approach to treatment with our Precision Care Model (PCM), a fully personalized framework for mental health treatment. PCM integrates the most effective aspects of evidence-based modalities such as dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT). Everything we do is driven by data, compassion and a commitment to delivering whole-person-centered care.

Change is possible. When you’re ready to take the first step to address your BPD, reach out to our Admissions Concierge Team. We’ll take the next steps together, toward the fullest, brightest version of you.