what do you guys think about BPD being a "personality" disorder aka being defined by how a person behaves &amp; what they do &amp; how they act, rather than other mental factors? 

 in the diagnostic criteria, everything is defined by how another person would see it. "people with bpd DO this" "pwbpd SAY this" "pwBPD BEHAVE like this." instead of "people with BPD FEEL this way" "they see one thing as another" "mischaracterize things," etc. 

it doesn't say "extreme fear of abandonment" it says "FRANTIC EFFORTS to avoid abandonment." again, placing the behavior, the "efforts," that you can physically see. 

even the "DBT" therapy is focused primarily on behavior.

some people want BPD to be renamed "Emotional Dysregulation Disorder" or "Emotional Intensity Disorder." i think the quandary with this, is that it might change what the diagnosis means. bpd would no longer become a "personality" disorder, it would become an emotional disorder, and would probably be seen as far beyond just behavioral.

there's this youtuber with BPD that i watch, her name is "Ava Benji." and with the way that she talks about bpd, she really seems to see it as a disorder where you have really intense emotions, overactive  amygdala and limbic system, etc. instead of defining it by just behavioral things. 

if there was a way to change the way people see the BPD diagnosis, would you change this aspect? do you think it might lead to stigma or misconceptions? or do you like it, and find it very helpful and beneficial? after all, all personality disorders are set up to be this way.

curious to know. &lt;3