1. What chemicals in the brain usually determine components of our personality?
The two main chemicals in the brain, also known as neurotransmitters, that helps determine one’s personality are Serotonin and Dopamine. The brain is wired with Serotonin and Dopamine pathways which is where the personality traits come from. The two chemicals are part of their own system of pathways and the activity of the system is what determines the type of personality, or some general traits you are likely to possess.
Serotonin was found to be associated with personality types that are less anxious. In other words people with active Serotonin systems seemed to be more sociable and risk averse (less open to situations with unknown risks). People who are Serotonin dominant follow the general trends of being conscientious and religious, following the rules, and prizing order and habit.
Dopamine, on the other hand, was found to be associated with reward-driven and impulsive people. These people generally seek out novelty and new experiences, and get bored easily. However, people with Dopamine-active systems do tend to be more curious, energetic, and mentally flexible.
Although Serotonin and Dopamine are the main chemicals that play a role in determining personality, they are not the only ones. Other chemicals include Testosterone and Estrogen. (*These may be recognized as the male and female sex hormones however both, Testosterone and Estrogen, are present in both, males and females.) Testosterone-dominant people were discovered to be highly analytical, competitive, and emotionally contained. Estrogen-dominant people tended to be empathetic, nurturing, and trusting, and seemed to seek meaning and identity.
Dopamine, on the other hand, was found to be associated with reward-driven and impulsive people. These people generally seek out novelty and new experiences, and get bored easily. However, people with Dopamine-active systems do tend to be more curious, energetic, and mentally flexible.
Although Serotonin and Dopamine are the main chemicals that play a role in determining personality, they are not the only ones. Other chemicals include Testosterone and Estrogen. (*These may be recognized as the male and female sex hormones however both, Testosterone and Estrogen, are present in both, males and females.) Testosterone-dominant people were discovered to be highly analytical, competitive, and emotionally contained. Estrogen-dominant people tended to be empathetic, nurturing, and trusting, and seemed to seek meaning and identity.
In summary, there are many chemicals present in the brain which have their own pathways and jobs. They are all present in different amounts, and are all exercised to different extents. Your personality can hugely depend on which chemical pathway is exercised and utilized the most. Although the main ones listed above seem to cover a lot of general personality traits, they are not the only chemicals that help to identify one’s personality as they work together will all the other chemicals that are present, which is important to remember. Just because your personality fits the descriptions set out by one chemical pathway, it does not mean that you lack any of the other chemicals. There may be certain chemicals which are dominantly present in our brains, however all of them remain equally important.
2. What is Borderline Personality disorder (BPD)?
Borderline Personality Disorder is a serious mental illness that impairs the stability of a person’s emotions and behaviours. This mental illness usually begins in early adulthood or adolescence, causing the patient to have problems regulating their own thoughts and feelings, to have reckless behaviour, and even have unstable relationships. BPD is usually seen as a very serious illness because it can open the door to many other disorders, including depression, anxiety disorders, eating disorders, substance abuse, and even other personality disorders.
Common symptoms associated with BPD include the following; frantic efforts to avoid real or imagined abandonment, a pattern of unstable and intense interpersonal relationships, identity disturbance, impulsivity, recurrent suicidal behaviour, emotional instability, chronic feelings of emptiness, inappropriate or intense anger, and transient, stress-related paranoid thoughts.
Common symptoms associated with BPD include the following; frantic efforts to avoid real or imagined abandonment, a pattern of unstable and intense interpersonal relationships, identity disturbance, impulsivity, recurrent suicidal behaviour, emotional instability, chronic feelings of emptiness, inappropriate or intense anger, and transient, stress-related paranoid thoughts.
Luckily, BPD is not an incurable disorder as research has proven that specialized therapy hugely decreases the occurrence of symptoms and automatically seems to improve patients’ lives.
3. How is the chemical presence in the brain different for someone with BPD?
Someone with BPD, as discussed earlier, experiences many extreme symptoms, all of which are related to emotional disturbances. Many of these, as discovered by scientists, are a result of extremely low levels of serotonin in the brain. Serotonin is the chemical that helps to maintain order and limit impulsivity. With low levels of serotonin, the patient becomes considerably more impulsive. A lack of Serotonin usually leads to criminal-like behaviour, anger-related traits, violent suicidal behaviour, and impulsive aggression.
When there is a low amount of Serotonin in the brain, this means that Dopamine is predominantly present. According to studies, high amounts of Dopamine have the same, or quite similar, effects as a lack of Serotonin. This is because elevated levels of Dopamine directly correspond with aggression. The resulting aggression tends to be so severe that by the end of the aggressive phase, the patient almost fails to recognize angry expressions. The increased impulsivity causes the brain to remain less focused on certain tasks which is what causes impairment in simple tasks, such as reading and recognizing facial expressions.
When there is a low amount of Serotonin in the brain, this means that Dopamine is predominantly present. According to studies, high amounts of Dopamine have the same, or quite similar, effects as a lack of Serotonin. This is because elevated levels of Dopamine directly correspond with aggression. The resulting aggression tends to be so severe that by the end of the aggressive phase, the patient almost fails to recognize angry expressions. The increased impulsivity causes the brain to remain less focused on certain tasks which is what causes impairment in simple tasks, such as reading and recognizing facial expressions.
Therefore, someone with BPD tends to either have a lack of Serotonin or an excess amount of Dopamine in the chemical pathways. Although there may be slight differences in the resulting symptoms between the two situations, they both generally lead to the same aggressive, impulsive, and dangerous behaviours.
4. Why might the chemical make-up of the brain change and cause someone to develop BPD?
Borderline Personality Disorder is a result of a lack or an excess of a certain chemical in the brain. Research shows that these brain abnormalities cause changes in certain parts of the brain that are involved in emotion regulation, impulsivity, and aggression. These abnormalities can happen due to several reasons, however the main causes seem to be genetics and environmental factors.
Personality Disorders act similarly to any other kind of illness, which means that an illness such as this one can easily be inherited. BPD can also stem from other illnesses that may have presented themselves in a family member.
BPD can also result from the environment in which someone grew up, considering it usually shows itself during adolescence or young adulthood. The brain abnormalities mentioned above can result from traumatic experiences such as a history of child abuse, neglect, and separation from loved ones.
Personality Disorders act similarly to any other kind of illness, which means that an illness such as this one can easily be inherited. BPD can also stem from other illnesses that may have presented themselves in a family member.
BPD can also result from the environment in which someone grew up, considering it usually shows itself during adolescence or young adulthood. The brain abnormalities mentioned above can result from traumatic experiences such as a history of child abuse, neglect, and separation from loved ones.