Personality+Disorders+and+Children

**from Daniel K. Hall-Flavin, M.D. **
Traumatic events in childhood increase the risk of borderline personality disorder and other mental health problems. Emotional trauma at a time when the brain isn't fully developed may cause changes to the brain and decrease a person's ability to deal with stressful situations later in life. While the exact cause of borderline personality disorder isn't fully understood, it's most likely caused by a combination of heredity and environmental factors. You're at increased risk of borderline personality disorder if: Borderline personality disorder is a serious emotional disturbance that's characterized by: It's common for borderline personality disorder to occur along with other mental health problems. Childhood abuse also can be associated with other mental illnesses. Examples include:
 * You have a first-degree relative — a parent, sibling or child — who was diagnosed with borderline personality disorder.
 * You were physically or sexually abused or grew up in an environment with fighting and conflict.
 * Unsatisfactory and unstable personal relationships
 * Self-esteem that goes up and down
 * Intense anger or trouble managing anger
 * Impulsive, dangerous or self-harming behavior
 * Feelings of emptiness
 * Intense fears of abandonment
 * Depression
 * Post-traumatic stress disorder
 * Anxiety disorders
 * <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Substance abuse disorders
 * <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Eating disorder

<span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;"> Retrieved from The Mayo Clinic, <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">__http://www.mayoclinic.com/print/borderline-personality-disorder/AN01093/METHOD=print ,__ <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">June 25, 2010.