Borderline Personality Disorder vs. C-PTSD

C-PTSD vs. BPD.

Are Borderline Personality Disorder and Complex C-PTSD the same thing? I have gotten this question quite a bit so let’s clear the air. 

BPD is a specific pattern of behavior and way of coping with trauma and severe stress. Almost all of the symptoms overlap with PTSD, including emotional reactivity, substance use, other risky behavior, and trouble in relationships. 

However, complex PTSD has a longer list of symptoms, including flashbacks, nightmares, and dissociation. I use the term C-PTSD to refer to complex PTSD. C-PTSD is not an official diagnosis in the DSM but a common categorization for someone whose PTSD comes from a multitude of traumas throughout their life. Particularly during childhood.

Yet, not everyone with PTSD has the same coping pattern as someone with BPD. For example, one of the signature features of BPD is chronic self-harm and suicidal ideation. 

Many people with BPD meet the criteria for PTSD as well. Someone’s temperament can play a role in people being susceptible to BPD, such as naturally higher levels of impulsivity and emotional reactivity. 

If you have PTSD or BPD, you are likely to have one or the other, but they are not the same. At least not how we categorize these disorders today. 

-ETC