Which personality disorder is marked by a pervasive pattern of instability in interpersonal relationships, self-image, and affect?

Borderline Personality Disorder is characterized by a pervasive pattern of instability in interpersonal relationships, self-image, and affect. Individuals with this disorder often experience intense and fluctuating emotions, which can lead to severe difficulties in their relationships. They may display a pattern of whirlwind relationships, characterized by idealization and devaluation of others.

The instability in self-image can lead to an acute sense of identity disturbance, where the individual may feel a lack of consistent self-concept, often changing their goals, values, and even opinions based on the circumstances or the people around them. This dynamic nature of self-image contributes to feelings of emptiness and an unstable sense of self.

Affectionally, those with Borderline Personality Disorder may experience emotional dysregulation, which can manifest as mood swings, irritability, or intense episodes of anger and anxiety, often in response to perceived abandonment or rejection.

In contrast, the other personality disorders listed have different core characteristics—the focus is either on grandiosity and lack of empathy in Narcissistic Personality Disorder, disregard for the rights of others in Antisocial Personality Disorder, or social inhibition and hypersensitivity to negative evaluation in Avoidant Personality Disorder. These differences help to clearly delineate Borderline Personality Disorder from the other disorders