Personality disordered people have a higher rate of psychosomatic illness.
Specific disorders like Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) are associated with higher rates of chronic conditions, including cardiovascular disease, arthritis, and gastrointestinal issues like IBS.
El-Gabalawy, R., Katz, L. Y., & Sareen, J. (2010). "Comorbidity and associated severity of borderline personality disorder and physical health conditions in a nationally representative sample." Psychosomatic Medicine, 72(7), 712–718.
Finding: This study identified a unique association between BPD and numerous physical health conditions, specifically cardiovascular disease, hypertension/arteriosclerosis, and gastrointestinal disease.
Quirk, S. E., et al. (2016). "Borderline Personality Pathology and Chronic Health Problems in Later Adulthood." Psychosomatic Medicine, 78(
, 920–929.
Finding: BPD features were significantly related to the reported presence of heart disease, arthritis, and obesity.
Gastrointestinal & Syndrome-Like Citations
Zanarini, M. C., Frankenburg, F. R., Hennen, J., & Silk, K. R. (2004). "The association between borderline personality disorder and chronic medical illnesses, poor health-related lifestyle choices, and costly forms of health care utilization." The Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, 65(12), 1660-5.
Finding: Non-remitted BPD patients were significantly more likely to have a history of "syndrome-like" conditions, which include chronic fatigue and fibromyalgia, as well as higher rates of osteoarthritis, diabetes, and hypertension.
Frankenburg, F. R., & Zanarini, M. C. (2006). "The association between borderline personality disorder and obesity." Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, 75(5), 315-322.
Finding: Confirmed that BPD is related to an increased risk of obesity and its related medical comorbidities.
Comprehensive Reviews
Gunderson, J. G., Herpertz, S. C., Skodol, A. E., Torgersen, S., & Zanarini, M. C. (2018). "Borderline personality disorder." Nature Reviews Disease Primers, 4, 18029.
Finding: This comprehensive review notes that BPD patients have a higher prevalence of somatic comorbidities, including endocrine, metabolic, respiratory, and cardiovascular diseases than those without the disorder.
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