What behavior might someone with borderline personality disorder exhibit?

Individuals with borderline personality disorder (BPD) typically exhibit rapid and intense mood swings as a defining characteristic of their condition. This emotional instability can lead to significant changes in their mood over short periods, often resulting from perceived interpersonal challenges or triggers. People with BPD may feel extremely happy one moment and then experience deep sadness or anger shortly thereafter, reflecting their difficulty in managing and regulating emotions.

While other options like stable mood and behavior, avoidance of emotional conflicts, and high levels of empathy may describe behaviors seen in some individuals, they do not accurately represent the core symptoms of BPD. In particular, the tendency to have unstable emotions is central to understanding the challenges faced by individuals with borderline personality disorder, making the identification of rapid and intense mood swings as the correct behavior to be expected in such cases.