People with intellectual disability and borderline personality

disorder

People with intellectual disability may present differently to the general population when

they have a borderine personality disorder.

Identity disturbance may present in the following ways:

• Thought content may be concrete. • May be unable to see how behaviour is connected to consequences. • May state they are someone else. • May have a confused sexual identity.

Feelings of emptiness may present as:

• Complaints of boredom, loneliness and emptiness. • Not really enjoying experiences, making non-specific complaints about their current programs or situation. This is only diagnostic if other features are present. Because of limitations in functioning, people with intellectual disability rarely express feelings of boredom or emptiness. Even when these are expressed, social isolation and rejection make it difficult to determine how much is based in reality.

Fear of abandonment may present as:

• Constant and unreasonable demands on carers for exclusive attention. • Threats and anger projected at workers when demands are not met. This may be difficult to assess because people with intellectual disability are frequently dependent on others and often experience repeated loss of carers.