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Does Donald Trump have Borderline Personality Disorder?

Interpersonal relationships[edit]

People with BPD can be very sensitive to the way others treat them, by feeling intense joy and gratitude at perceived expressions of kindness, and intense sadness or anger at perceived criticism or hurtfulness.[28] Their feelings about others often shift from admiration or love to anger or dislike after a disappointment, a perceived threat of losing someone, or a perceived loss of esteem in the eyes of someone they value. This phenomenon, sometimes called splitting, includes a shift from idealizing others to devaluing them.[29] Combined with mood disturbances, idealization and devaluation can undermine relationships with family, friends, and co-workers.[30] Self-image can also change rapidly from healthy to unhealthy.

While strongly desiring intimacy, people with BPD tend toward insecure, avoidant or ambivalent, or fearfully preoccupied attachment patterns in relationships,[31] and they often view the world as dangerous and malevolent.[28] BPD, like other personality disorders, is linked to increased levels of chronic stress and conflict in romantic relationships, decreased satisfaction on the part of romantic partners, abuse, and unwanted pregnancy.[32]

Sense of self[edit]

People with BPD tend to have trouble seeing a clear picture of their identity. In particular, they tend to have difficulty knowing what they value, believe, prefer, and enjoy.[33] They are often unsure about their long-term goals for relationships and jobs. This difficulty with knowing who they are and what they value can cause people with BPD to experience feeling "empty" and "lost".[33]

Cognitions[edit]

The often intense emotions experienced by people with BPD can make it difficult for them to control the focus of their attention—to concentrate.[33] In addition, people with BPD may tend to dissociate, which can be thought of as an intense form of "zoning out".[34] Dissociation often occurs in response to experiencing a painful event (or experiencing something that triggers the memory of a painful event). It involves the mind automatically redirecting attention away from that event, presumably to protect against experiencing intense emotion and unwanted behavioral impulses that such emotion might otherwise trigger.[34]

Although the mind's habit of blocking out intense painful emotions may provide temporary relief, it can also have the unwanted side effect of blocking or blunting the experience of ordinary emotions, reducing the access of people with BPD to the information contained in those emotions, which helps guide effective decision-making in daily life.[34] Sometimes, it is possible for another person to tell when someone with BPD is dissociating, because their facial or vocal expressions may become flat or expressionless, or they may appear to be distracted; at other times, dissociation may be barely noticeable.[34]

Posted - July 8, 2016

Responses


  • 3934

    No, I just think he's your ordinary rich narcissistic jerk who happened to come along when being a rich narcissistic jerk on television granted one wealth and fame.

      July 8, 2016 2:34 PM MDT
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  • 46117

    The rich narcissistic jerk who..... is the long name for borderline personality disorder. (I am kidding about that remark, but not kidding about The Donald)

     Tell me what doesn't define TRUMP here.....

    Point one

    People with BPD can be very sensitive to the way others treat them, by feeling intense joy and gratitude at perceived expressions of kindness, and intense sadness or anger at perceived criticism or hurtfulness.[28] Their feelings about others often shift from admiration or love to anger or dislike after a disappointment, a perceived threat of losing someone, or a perceived loss of esteem in the eyes of someone they value.

    2.

    People with BPD tend to have trouble seeing a clear picture of their identity. In particular, they tend to have difficulty knowing what they value, believe, prefer, and enjoy.[33

    and 3.

    The often intense emotions experienced by people with BPD can make it difficult for them to control the focus of their attention—to concentrate.[33] In addition, people with BPD may tend to dissociate, which can be thought of as an intense form of "zoning out".[34] Dissociation often occurs in response to experiencing a painful event (or experiencing something that triggers the memory of a painful event).

    I know I am guilty of picking and choosing what fits here.  Not very scientific. I agree.  BUT it does show that Trump has some real issues that cannot be fixed and are not even being addressed. They are being VOTED FOR.

      July 8, 2016 2:46 PM MDT
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  • 46117

    If she is not voting for Trump, I like her.  If she is? She is a bimbo harlot.

      July 8, 2016 2:51 PM MDT
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  • 3934

    @Sharonna -- Perhaps the core principle I learned from my Abnormal Psychology classes is that the boundaries between "normal" and "abnormal" and "personality quirk" and "mental health disorder" are broad, gray, and fuzzy.

    As I previously noted, by the list of symptoms I meet most of the definition of Schizoid Personality Disorder. By my own lights, I'm just an introverted nerd.

    Trump seems to be doing OK for himself. He's able to support his material needs, and he seems to be able to connect with other people at least on some level. In the clinical psychology world, that just about rules out labeling him with any sort of "disorder." At most, we can say he displays personality traits similar to Borderline Personality Disorder.

      July 8, 2016 2:53 PM MDT
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  • 386

      July 8, 2016 3:41 PM MDT
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  • 3934

    She looks sort of like a young Caribou Barbie, if the Palinator had decided to stick with the beauty pageant thing. Instead, she went down this road....;-D...

      July 8, 2016 3:46 PM MDT
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  • 1002

    I think he's probably just a narcissist. If not, he plays that role very well.

      July 8, 2016 3:50 PM MDT
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  • Armchair psychologists should probably not diagnose anyone with anything at all but by all means that's your freedom to do so.

      July 8, 2016 5:18 PM MDT
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  • 2327

    Could be, but I think he fits the bill for a possible antisocial personality disorder better.

      July 8, 2016 8:07 PM MDT
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  • 17599

    I'm no pro but I have read everything written about this diagnosis, the symptoms, and the treatments.  Someone very close to me was diagnosed with BPD.  It is one of the worst diagnoses out there.  In my non-professional-but-educated opinion, the answer is no

      July 9, 2016 10:29 AM MDT
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  • 46117

    No.  I'm right.   I see where you are going.   I see what he has done and said.  I think I am much  closer than you are in my diagnosis here.     You give him far too much credit.  There is something not right upstairs.  They are stuck in some infantile stage of their development that is hard to discern, since many of them are intelligent.  (God it's hard for me to call him that)

    Next you will be telling me that Dick Cheney is not a sufferer.  He is a sociopath.  He has borderline personality disorder.  And, Trump has a lot of that fuzzy.  Enough to render him suspect.    Very suspect.   I bet I could do a credible paper defending my position.

    I'm not just throwing these words around trying to play at being a shrink.    He has a mental disease the size of New Jersey.  Some of it lends to BPD, some of it lends to extreme narcissim, histrionic tendencies and knee-jerk responses to being insulted. 

    This is not a SHOW. This is a man out of control.  All of the above lend to the diagnosis of BPD.  Of course there is much more in-depth study to confirm a definite diagnosis, but I am on the right track.   He is totally scary nuts. 

      July 9, 2016 11:10 AM MDT
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  • 46117

    I was thinking Katie Holmes.  You know the one that married Tom Cruise and realized she and her daughter were being brainwashed by him and his Scientologists?  Now his daughter and Katie are displaced persons, shunned and no longer allowed to be around Tom and his ilk.

    But I digress, heeeere's Katy.

    Image and video hosting by TinyPic
      July 9, 2016 11:29 AM MDT
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  • 46117

    Narcissism is a chief ingredient of Borderline Personality Disorder.  Being a narcissist goes beyond just being vain and looking in the mirror a lot.   

      July 9, 2016 11:33 AM MDT
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  • 46117

    Well tell those armchair psychologists, to pay heed.

    This is NOT even psychology, genius.  It is Psychiatry.    You cannot even tell the difference. You do not even earn an armchair. 

      July 9, 2016 11:34 AM MDT
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  • 46117

    Thank you CHAMP but....What do you think Borderline Personality Disorder IS?

    A pro social disorder?  It is very anti-

      July 9, 2016 11:35 AM MDT
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  • 46117

    That is because you have not read everything if this is your conclusion after what I posted.   He fits the bill to a T and Borderline is far from the worst diagnosis unless you are criminally insane.  It lends to one going down that path, but not all borderlines are criminals to that degree, nor are they legally insane.

    The ones that pass by your desk are the worst of the worst.

      July 9, 2016 11:39 AM MDT
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  • 1029

    Release the hounds!

      July 9, 2016 11:46 AM MDT
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  • 1029

    Borderline disorder and narcissistic disorder are related.

      July 9, 2016 11:46 AM MDT
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  • 3375

    I don't know if this really fits Donald Trump, but I do know someone with this diagnosis.  It really isn't fixable and they are very difficult people to ever have a relationship with.

    I guess if I was playing armchair psychologist, I would say Donald Trump is more of a narcissist.

      July 9, 2016 11:47 AM MDT
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  • 17599

    I have read everything and I have lived with someone diagnosed with BPD.  I am still a member of a group for people with a BPD relative.   I have researched all of the meds and talked to psychiatrists in three states and and one in Europe.  I wish I knew nothing about it.  But I do.

      July 9, 2016 2:52 PM MDT
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  • 22891

    have no idea, i dont really know much about him

      July 9, 2016 6:56 PM MDT
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  • 2327

    Antisocial personality disorder signs and symptoms may include:

    • Disregard for right and wrong
    • Persistent lying or deceit to exploit others
    • Being callous, cynical and disrespectful of others
    • Using charm or wit to manipulate others for personal gain or personal pleasure
    • Arrogance, a sense of superiority and being extremely opinionated
    • Recurring problems with the law, including criminal behavior
    • Repeatedly violating the rights of others through intimidation and dishonesty
    • Impulsiveness or failure to plan ahead
    • Hostility, significant irritability, agitation, aggression or violence
    • Lack of empathy for others and lack of remorse about harming others
    • Unnecessary risk-taking or dangerous behavior with no regard for the safety of self or others
    • Poor or abusive relationships
    • Failure to consider the negative consequences of behavior or learn from them
    • Being consistently irresponsible and repeatedly failing to fulfill work or financial obligations

    Borderline PD is very similar to Major Depression. It's that girl who can't stand to be alone, longs to be loved, and can't let anybody go.

      July 9, 2016 8:53 PM MDT
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