Borderline: What Does It Mean?

A high score on the borderline scale in SoulMatcher is not a diagnosis. Instead, it serves as an indicator that you or your potential partner may exhibit significant mood swings, impulsive behavior, and profound feelings tied to self-esteem.

Individuals with a high borderline score can be intensely captivating due to their dynamic emotional nature. They often experience emotions deeply and can quickly develop infatuations, making relationships feel thrilling and deeply engaging. This intensity, driven by sensitivity to dopamine-driven emotions, can lead to passionate and exciting connections. However, it can also pose challenges in maintaining long-term stability, as they may seek new relationships to recapture the initial thrill.

Borderline traits are linked to a variety of psychological symptoms and conditions, including not only borderline personality disorder (BPD) but also hysteria and bipolar personality disorder. While these terms might sound alarming, it’s essential to remember that mental health issues are more common than many people realize. Statistically, nearly one in five or six individuals has experienced mental health challenges and sought help from a specialist at some point. Even more people remain undiagnosed, navigating life with unrecognized symptoms.

Despite the prevalence of these issues, most dating apps neglect to address them. Even platforms that incorporate psychological tests often avoid touching on this topic. Yet, understanding whether a potential partner has empathy, resilience, or emotional instability is far more critical for a lasting relationship than simply knowing if they’re introverted or extroverted.

While some psychological traits, like extroversion or introversion, can be observed early in a relationship, others, such as narcissism or bipolar disorder, can take months to become evident due to the nature of their cycles.

How can you identify a person with high borderline traits if you’re not a psychologist and they haven’t taken the SoulMatcher test? A formal diagnosis requires a professional. However, you can still notice certain behaviors or emotional patterns that suggest borderline traits. And the key thing is to approach the situation with care and avoid making judgments or labels without professional guidance.

Here are five ways you might recognize someone who shows signs of high score of borderline, based on observable behaviors:

1. Extreme Reactions to Relationships

• They may have a pattern of rapidly shifting between being very close to others and then pushing them away. One day, they might be overly affectionate and the next, distant or angry.
• Watch for signs of frequent conflicts with friends, family, or partners, where they might become overly clingy or excessively distant in response to minor triggers.

2. Dramatic Emotional Shifts

• You might notice that they experience very intense emotions, often swinging from happiness to sadness or anger very quickly, sometimes without clear cause.
• These emotional shifts may seem disproportionate to the situation and can lead to unpredictable behavior or reactions.

3. Fear of Being Abandoned

• They may react strongly to the idea of being left out or rejected, even in situations where others may not perceive it as abandonment (e.g., someone not replying to a text quickly).
• Their fear of abandonment might lead them to act in ways that seem overly dependent, like repeatedly checking in with you or seeking reassurance.

4. Impulsivity or Risky Behavior

• Watch for behaviors that seem impulsive or poorly thought out, like sudden changes in plans, making hasty decisions, or engaging in reckless activities (e.g., overspending, risky driving).
• They may act impulsively to manage their emotions, especially in stressful situations.

5. Difficulty in Defining Their Own Identity

• You may notice that the person struggles to maintain a consistent sense of who they are. For example, they might change their goals, career path, or personal beliefs frequently.
• They may express feelings of emptiness or confusion about their identity, leading to difficulty making long-term plans or commitments.

If you or someone you know displays these traits, it’s important to respond with understanding and compassion. Encourage reaching out to a licensed mental health professional for a proper diagnosis and the right support.