In this episode of The Personality Couch Podcast, we (licensed clinical psychologists Doc Bok and Doc Fish) help differentiate between paranoid and borderline personality disorders. We explore the similarities and differences between these two disorders, discussing their core characteristics, emotional responses, symptoms, and how our own intuition helps us more than we realize. We specifically look at the instability unique to these two personality disorders and how both express anger, shame, and fear. As both disorders can have fleeting episodes of psychosis, we also discuss how delusions can show up in each, but how their triggers are vastly different. We further discuss our own personal experiences treating both disorders and ways we use our intuition to guide diagnosis. We end by highlighting the need for empathy in treatment and welcome other providers to reference this information or to contact us directly if in need of a consultation.

To schedule a consultation, please visit the practice website for more information! www.questpsych.org

Chapters 00:00 Intro to Paranoid vs Borderline Personality Disorders 01:59 What is an Unstable Personality Structure? 03:34 Borderline Personality Symptoms Explained 06:50 Paranoid Personality Symptoms Explained 08:30 Comparing and Contrasting BPD and Paranoid PD 08:32 Anger 11:40 Shame 13:03 Fear 14:15 Paranoia & Psychotic Episodes 15:54 Fluidity vs. Rigidity 17:21 Using Intuition with Paranoid and Borderline Personalities 17:35 Dramatic Narratives 19:44 Dependent and Avoidant Attachment Dynamics 23:35 Countertransference 25:20 How they Present to Treatment 26:31 Suicidality & Trauma 28:47 Summary, Learning, and Conclusion