On Instagram on October 5, 2026, Dr. Gérald Kierzek, emergency physician and medical director of True Medical, presents the book
Borderline adolescent by Professor Ludovic Gicquel. The right reflex is not to decide alone between adolescent crisis and borderline disorder, but to identify suffering that lasts, intensifies or disrupts daily lifethen seek professional advice.
Teenage crisis or borderline disorder: what really changes
During adolescence, mood swings, family tensions, self-doubts or relationship difficulties can exist without being a psychiatric disorder. This is precisely what makes identification difficult: an isolated sign is not enough to conclude.
Our expert insists, in his video, on the idea of
recognize the suffering rather than reducing all of the adolescent’s reactions to opposition or whim. He also presents the book as a guide aimed at “put in place concrete solutions to get better”. This approach can help parents get out of the face-to-face situation, but it does not replace a medical or psychological evaluation.
Borderline personality disorder is described by persistent instability of emotions, relationships and self-image, sometimes with significant impulsivity. Self-aggressive or suicidal behaviors may exist, but they are neither systematic nor specific to this disorder.
In other words, sadness, loss of confidence, conflicts or bodily discomfort do not, on their own, allow us to speak of borderline disorder. They can also reflect a difficult time, another disorder, harassment, anxiety, depression or suffering that simply deserves to be heard. The distinction is based above all on the duration, intensity, accumulation of signs and their impact.
The signals that should encourage you to ask for an opinion
The useful question is therefore not: “Is my teenager borderline?”, but rather: Does what I see permanently disrupt his family, school, social life or his relationship with himself? Health Insurance reminds that certain changes do not necessarily mean that there is a mental health problem, but that they should lead to remaining vigilant, especially when they persist.
It is preferable to ask for an opinion if several elements combine or worsen:
- Sadness, anxiety or irritability that lasts and seems to invade everyday life;
- Marked isolation, a break with friends, family or usual activities;
- Very intense and repeated conflicts, with a feeling of being at an impasse;
- A very degraded or fluctuating self-image, a very painful relationship with the body;
- Impulsive, self-aggressive behavior or scarification in adolescents.
In the video, a formula sums up the parental issue well:
“Manage daily life with your teenager and not against your teenager”.
Concretely, this means avoiding transforming each crisis into a trial, while not trivializing repeated distress. A parent can say what they observe, express their concern, offer to seek help, without labeling or announcing a diagnosis.
In the event of immediate danger, suicidal comments, attempted suicide, worrying scarifications or acute distress,
you must seek help quickly : call 15 or 112 urgently. In case of suicidal thoughts or concern for a loved one, 3114 is the national suicide prevention number, free and accessible 24/7.
Who to consult without waiting for the situation to settle?
If the discomfort persists or intensifies, the first contact may be the attending physician, the pediatrician, a psychologist, a child psychiatrist, an adolescent center or a medical-psychological center. The objective is a global assessment: history of the young person, family and school context, symptoms, possible risks, available resources.
This point is essential: a list of signs is not used to make a self-diagnosis. It helps you not to be alone in the face of suffering. To know when to consult for your adolescent’s mental health, the simplest criterion remains the impact: sleep, schooling, relationships, security, self-esteem, family life.
Early professional support, combined with a stable and supportive environment, can improve care and help young people find their bearings. It is not a question of promising that a parent alone can prevent the appearance of a disorderbut remember that appropriate help can avoid isolation and facilitate access to care.