Borderline personality issues often start in childhood. Research reveals that it is highly associated with abuse of some type and primarily from sexual abuse or incest, which affects approximately 25% of females and about 17% of males. The inappropriate sexual relationship that young children are subjected to is usually more than they can psychologically handle for their age. Consequently as adults, women tend to go one of three ways. Some women find that they develop an aversion to sexual intimacy but still desire a close emotional connection with someone. Other women find themselves becoming sexually promiscuous and discover that sex can be a way to form and maintain an emotional connection. A third option is that some women develop healthy attitudes about sex which allow them to have more typical marriages. Borderline personality persons often times see themselves as having been unloved with many concluding that they are unlovable. Beliefs like these create tremendous self-doubt. A wounded spirit often emerges that causes this personality type to see little value in self that then opens the door to self-abusive behaviors like cutting, burning or even suicidal attempts. Victims of sexual abuse that develop Borderline issues tend to view relationships in a black or white fashion and walk a fine line between determining that their relationships are either the most wonderful they have ever experienced or the worst thing ever. Over time they develop a skepticism about partners that may cause them to periodically test others to conform or disconfirm their lovability, which often leads to periods of intense relationship or tumultuous conflicts. If in addition to these behaviors already mentioned, that you also find yourself frantically trying to avoid rejection or abandonment, then you may be suffering from this condition.