US Medical Term · mental-health
Borderline Personality Disorder
Trastorno límite de la personalidad
Also: Trastorno fronterizo de la personalidad (regional variant)
What it means
Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is a mental condition in which a person has long-term patterns of unstable or turbulent emotions, and these inner experiences often result in impulsive actions and chaotic relationships with other people. The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) describes it as a mental illness that severely impacts a person's ability to regulate their emotions. According to MedlinePlus, the cause of BPD is unknown, and genetic, family, and social factors are thought to play roles. BPD is diagnosed based on a psychological evaluation. MedlinePlus says that individual talk therapy may successfully treat BPD. Thoughts of suicide need help right away: in the U.S., call or text 988, and call 911 in a life-threatening situation.
Borderline Personality Disorder in Spanish
- Spanish term
- Trastorno límite de la personalidad
- Gender and article
- masculine: el trastorno límite de la personalidad
- Pronunciation
- trahs-TOR-noh LEE-mee-teh deh lah pehr-soh-nah-lee-DAHD
| Other Spanish terms | Where it is used | Note |
|---|---|---|
| trastorno fronterizo de la personalidad | General | The alternative name listed by the MedlinePlus en español encyclopedia. |
| TLP | General | Abbreviation the MedlinePlus en español encyclopedia gives after the full name and then uses through the article. |
| trastorno límite de personalidad | General | Wording without the article "la" that also appears in the MedlinePlus en español encyclopedia. |
Trastorno límite de la personalidad is the term used by both the MedlinePlus en español encyclopedia and the Spanish-language publication of the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH). It is masculine: el trastorno límite de la personalidad. MedlinePlus en español abbreviates it TLP and lists trastorno fronterizo de la personalidad as its alternative name.
For talk therapy, NIMH writes psicoterapia and adds that it is sometimes called terapia de diálogo. NIMH names terapia dialéctica-conductual (dialectical behavior therapy) among the psychotherapies used for the disorder. Symptom words in MedlinePlus en español include miedo intenso de ser abandonado (intense fear of being abandoned), impulsividad (impulsiveness), sentimientos de vacío (feelings of emptiness) and relaciones intensas e inestables (intense and unstable relationships). NIMH calls the 988 service the Línea de Prevención del Suicidio y Crisis.
Phrases for an appointment
What a patient or a clinician might say, in English and Spanish:
| Who | English | Spanish |
|---|---|---|
| Patient | I was diagnosed with borderline personality disorder last year. | El año pasado me diagnosticaron trastorno límite de la personalidad. |
| Clinician | Who made the diagnosis, and are you in therapy now? | ¿Quién le hizo el diagnóstico? ¿Está en terapia ahora? |
| Patient | My moods change very quickly, and it is affecting my relationships. | Mi estado de ánimo cambia muy rápido, y eso está afectando mis relaciones. |
| Clinician | How long have you had these symptoms? | ¿Desde cuándo tiene estos síntomas? |
| Patient | I am very afraid that the people I love will leave me. | Tengo mucho miedo de que las personas que quiero me abandonen. |
| Clinician | Have you had thoughts of hurting yourself or of suicide? | ¿Ha tenido pensamientos de hacerse daño o de suicidio? |
| Patient | I would like to find a therapist who offers dialectical behavior therapy. | Quisiera encontrar un o una terapeuta que ofrezca terapia dialéctica-conductual. |
| Clinician | If you are thinking about suicide, call or text 988. In a life-threatening situation, call 911. | Si está pensando en suicidarse, llame o envíe un mensaje de texto al 988. En una situación potencialmente mortal, llame al 911. |
In 9 languages
| Language | Term |
|---|---|
| English | Borderline Personality Disorder |
| Spanish (Español) | Trastorno límite de la personalidad |
| Chinese (中文) | 邊緣性人格障礙 |
| Korean (한국어) | 경계성 인격 장애 |
| Vietnamese (Tiếng Việt) | Rối loạn nhân cách ranh giới |
| Filipino (Tagalog) | Borderline personality disorder |
| Portuguese (Português) | Transtorno de personalidade borderline |
| Thai (ภาษาไทย) | โรคบุคลิกภาพผิดปกติแบบก้ำกึ่ง |
| Japanese (日本語) | 境界性パーソナリティ障害 |
Where you'll see it
Related ICD-10-CM category
ICD-10-CM code: F60 → Specific personality disordersRelated terms
Your right to an interpreter in the United States
If English is not your primary language and you have difficulty communicating in English, you may need an interpreter or a translated document when you visit a doctor or dentist, go to the emergency room or pick up a prescription. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights states that two federal laws, Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and Section 1557 of the Affordable Care Act, require programs that receive its funding to provide language access services free of charge.
You can ask when you make the appointment or at the front desk: "I need an interpreter, please." «Necesito un intérprete, por favor.»
More terms: Mental health
All terms in this area: Mental health — Salud mental
Sources
- Borderline personality disorder (Medical Encyclopedia) — MedlinePlus, National Library of Medicine
- Trastorno límite de la personalidad (Enciclopedia médica) — MedlinePlus en español, Biblioteca Nacional de Medicina
- Borderline Personality Disorder — National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), NIH
- Trastorno límite de la personalidad — Instituto Nacional de la Salud Mental (NIMH), NIH
- Limited English Proficiency (LEP): Your Right to Language Assistance Services — U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office for Civil Rights
This page is a language reference. It is not medical advice.
Last reviewed: October 7, 2026