l have pretty severe abandonment issues because of certain events during my childhood...I am a little confused, though, on what separates normal abandonment issues from Borderline Personality Disorder...l tend to have panic attacks and self-detrimental behaviors when confronted with the possibility of abandonment from a loved one, which is my biggest concern. Aside from a psychiatrist is visit, which will happen, does anyone have any suggestions to help me figure out how to differentiate the mental disorder from normal abandonment issues??

Abandonment may cause borderline personality disorder, and therefore would be labeled under abandonment issues. You should go see a psychiatrist for more accurate testing. Borderline personality disorder is what your mind has done to itself to cope with the issues, and extensive therapy may help you work out those issue therefore eliminating the borderline personality disorder.

Abandonment is a major issue in Borderline Personality Disorder but is not the only factor. Those with BPD also show several of the following symptoms:
* a pattern of unstable & intense interpersonal relationships
* an unstable self-image or sense of self
* impulsivity in at least two areas such as spending or reckless driving
* suicidal behavior or self-mutilating behavior
* marked reactivity of mood lasting a few hours & rarely more than a few days
* chronic feelings of emptiness
* inappropriate intense anger or difficulty controlling anger
* transient stress related paranoia or severe dissociative symptoms

In fact to be diagnosed as BPD, someone must show 5 of the 9 symptoms -- including frantic efforts to avoid real or imagined abandonment as one of the nine symptoms. So, unless u show several of the others, u may only be dealing with abandonment issues. However, u may still want to see a therapist to discuss those issues, so u can handle ur self-detrimental behaviors & not develop BPD as a coping skill.