Affective instability due to a marked reactivity of mood (e.g, intense episodic dysphoria, irritability, or anxiety usually lasting a few hours and only rarely more than a few days).

 

 

Affective instability due to a marked reactivity of mood simply put means - mood related instability which is clearly defined by a change in the way in which we feel and is usually a dysphoric like state. 

 

 This is that part of BPD that makes you go from feeling "normal" and able to cope to feeling like you've hit an all time low. Like a sudden bout of acute depression that leaves us feeling,angry,restless, unsatisfied with intense feelings of discontent, and in some cases indifference /despondency to those around us with no prior warning or sign of how long it will continue for or when it will end.

 

 The repeated, rapid and abrupt shifts in mood and may also be an underlying cause for several other BPD related issues - Impulsiveness, self harm & suicide.

 

 It is often due to these sudden changes in mood that may cause clinicians to frequently misdiagnose BPD as Bipolar Disorder. One study found that 24% of patients misdiagnosed with bipolar disorder met criteria for BPD and this may lead to inappropriate treatment that focuses largely on pharmacotherapy.(which is not as effective for BPD as it is with Bipolar)

 

 The good news is that another study found that after 6 years, only 40% of BPD patients initially reporting affective instability continued to report it; after 10 years, this percentage declined to 13%....so it will get better for many of us! 

 

 

DBT ( Dialectical behavior therapy) is highly recommended as it addresses affective instability by focusing on affect regulation and distress tolerance and in further studies have found that people who have applied their DBT skills over a one year period, noticed reductions in affective instability.

 

 For those of us with BPD there seems there is no specific pattern to our shifts in mood but it may be likely that it is triggered by events. 

 

 So, what can you do to help yourself? Here are a few suggestions:

 

 Maybe try keeping a journal of morning and evening mood ratings for 14/28 days, maybe you will see a pattern in the way your moods change, what triggers the changes in you - people, places, situations.

 

 Although it doesn't seem to follow any specific pattern,interestingly many people in our group have mentioned 'new moon & full moon phases' seem to affect them...might be worth seeing how we all are on the next one! (2nd & 17th Dec, for those of you interested!).

 

 Have a list of coping techniques ready for when the rought times do arrive and keep it handy for when you need it.

 

 Again, do the same for a support network of friends, family members, medical professional and also websites and pages like this one ;) 

 

 There is now a lot of information online about DBT, many which offer tips on what to do and how/when to do it so you may wish to do an engine search for those, although a trained professional will of course be a better idea as you can have 1-1 guidence and feedback.

 

 It is important to remember that although whilst feeling this way, it is usually short lived and your mood will shift back again so try to allow yourself to feel this way, give yourself some ‘me’ time to breathe and practice some self care as it is at times like this that we most need to do something positive and kind for ourselves. <3 ~ Emma.