According to the DSM-IV, borderline personality disorder is
generally defined by a “pervasive pattern of instability of
interpersonal relationships, self-image, and affects, and marked
impulsivity” (DSM-IV 2000) with these symptomatic elements of
the disorder emerging in many situations and with varying
degrees of severity and length. As the hypothesis and research
questions around the topic go, fears of being abandoned form the
core of many of the responses that are cited in the criteria for
borderline personality disorder. When confronted with the real
or imagined possibility of being left or denied care and
attention, many of the symptoms related to anger emerge and a
person with this diagnosis can have intense, angry outbursts,
talk about or attempt suicide (even though the DSM-IV notes that
it is only carried through with between 8-10% of the time) and
other self-destructive behaviors. Due to the fact that they feel
they are inherently “evil” these self-destructive behaviors
occur according to this menta