What type of personality disorder involves a significant fear of abandonment?

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Borderline Personality Disorder is characterized by a pattern of unstable interpersonal relationships, self-image, and affects, alongside marked impulsivity. A significant feature of this disorder is an intense fear of abandonment. Individuals with Borderline Personality Disorder often experience heightened sensitivity to perceived abandonment and may go to great lengths to avoid being left alone or rejected. This fear often leads to emotional instability and can result in hasty and reactive behaviors.

In contrast, while Dependent Personality Disorder also deals with issues of attachment and fear of separation, the primary characteristic is an excessive need to be taken care of, leading to submissive and clinging behaviors, rather than the intense emotional responses seen in Borderline. Antisocial Personality Disorder is marked by a disregard for the rights of others, and Obsessive Compulsive Personality Disorder involves a preoccupation with orderliness and perfectionism—none of which specifically include a fear of abandonment as a core feature. Thus, Borderline Personality Disorder is clearly aligned with the significant fear of abandonment described in the question.

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