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From an early age Keriann McDonnell struggled to cope with her emotions.

She would often feel depressed and lash out at loved ones for little or no reason and frequently self-harmed.

She even attempted suicide.

For years she was diagnosed with depression but later doctors told she her she had a personality disorder.

Keriann said: “When I was about 12 I started to get very down. I went to see a psychologist and a psychiatrist and I was put on medication when I was 13. I had quite a rough time with it for a few years.”

At 17, Keriann, known to her friends as Kez, was diagnosed with borderline personality disorder (BPD).

Now 26, Keriann, from Splott in Cardiff, said: “After that it got progressively worse.

“I started to self-harm and got drunk a lot. I also started taking drugs. I did attempt suicide but thankfully it didn’t happen.

“BPD affects me in different ways. If one tiny thing goes wrong I will lose my temper. It looks like I’m having a temper tantrum but I’m not.

“Someone else would keep calm but I can’t do that. In my head it’s not just something tiny.”

Keriann said her BPD has calmed down in the last two years but it still gets very bad now and again.

She said: “I’ve had to learn how to deal with it. It affects my family and friends if they are around it. It doesn’t matter who I am around. The medication I’m on does calm me down compared to how I used to be.”

Keriann, who was once arrested because of an episode triggered by her condition, said the slightest things can cause her to lose control within seconds.

She said: “Last year I was walking to my local shop and I tripped over the curb. I got really embarrassed and I came home crying and angry. I started feeling useless. To me it was the biggest problem in the world at that moment.”

She said every day is a constant battle with extreme mood swings.

“I can go from high to low to angry to sad. I experience so many emotions within the space of 24 hours. In an instant something can be so intense and so bad and ten minutes later I can be absolutely fine.”

Kerianne said she also struggles with paranoia.

She said: “A lot of people with BPD get paranoid people are looking at them.

“It happens me when I am on the bus or walking down the street. I usually put my head down but it gets to the point where I don’t go out because of it and there have been times I haven’t gone out because of it.”

Keriann recalled another episode she had after she was graded lower in a college assessment than she expected.

She said: “I went into my room and I started throwing things around. I wanted to self-harm but I didn’t.”

Keriann recalled how she began to cut herself to release her anger when she was 12.

To cover her scars Keriann has had “sleeves” tattooed on her arms to disguise the marks left by years of self-mutilation.

She said: “At one point it was very bad. In those moments nothing else existed but as soon as I did it I would be filled with shame.

“I was left with scars all over my arms. I couldn’t leave the house without wearing long sleeves because if someone saw my scars it would make me ashamed. The tattoos give me a bit more confidence.”

Keriann said there is no explanation for her disorder but said it may have resulted from her childhood.

She said: “When I was small there was a bit of domestic violence going on and that had an impact.

“I was bullied in school and overall I wasn’t really confident. I’m not sure if those things contributed to it. It could be a number of things.

“Everyday I wish I didn’t have it. I hate having it.

“I have unfortunately found that many people don’t understand BPD or even try too.”

To shed more light on the condition, Keriann has made a short film to raise awareness about her condition.

She said: “I wanted to lift the stigma as I think people can be scared of things they don’t fully grasp.”

The film reveals the chaotic nature of the disorder, which can cause severe mood swings, impulsive behaviour, and feelings of emptiness and despair.

She said: “The film could be described as a typical day in the life of someone with BPD.

“It shows some of the symptoms that someone who has the disorder could have, such as paranoia, anger and hallucinations.

“It also depicts the process of trying to calm down and hide it,” she said.

The film, supported by Fixers, uses rapid camera movements to convey “a sense of panic and unpredictability” that many BPD sufferers experience daily.

Keriann said she hopes to make those who have the disorder feel less alone, but also wants to raise awareness among family members, friends and potential employers.

She said: “BPD is a lot more prominent in society than people may think.

“A lot of my friends who have the disorder will often find it hard to speak to people about it, unless it is someone they can relate too.

“That’s why I am hoping to help those with BPD as well as educate others without it.”

For more information, see www.bpdworld.org , www.mind.org.uk , or www.time-to-change.org.uk .