Borderline Personality Disorder Treatment

Borderline personality disorder, often abbreviated as BPD, affects millions of people around the world. And it can dramatically impact the lives and relationships of the individuals who suffer from the condition.

What Is Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD)?

Borderline personality disorder is a mental health condition, specifically a type of personality disorder, characterized by a long-term pattern of unstable, intense, and potentially explosive emotions. Those with BPD have difficulties regulating their emotions, which can cause negative consequences in all aspects of their lives.

This condition is considered one of the most potentially damaging mental health conditions. BPD is closely associated with self-harm, suicide, reckless behavior, substance misuse, behavioral and chemical addiction, and criminal behavior.

In fact, borderline personality disorder causes such a wide range of symptoms (including depression disorders) that it is very frequently misdiagnosed.

For many years, borderline personality disorder was widely believed to be untreatable. Luckily, we now know that is not the case. There has been recent success in treating the condition, although it is not curable.

There is no reason an individual with borderline personality disorder cannot live a normal and productive life.

Common Misconceptions about Borderline Personality Disorder

Borderline personality disorder is one of the most misunderstood and stigmatized mental health conditions.

Some of the most common misconceptions about borderline personality disorder include:

• BPD is untreatable. While there is no cure for BPD, a combination of medicines and therapy can dramatically improve the quality of most patients’ lives.
• BPD is “attention-seeking” behavior. The intense emotional reactions and behaviors exhibited by people with borderline personality disorder are caused by genuine emotional distress and difficulties regulating emotions.
• People with BPD are dangerous. Those who live with BPD are far, far more likely to injure or even kill themselves than harm anyone else.
• BPD is the same thing as bipolar disorder. While it is common for one patient to exhibit borderline personality disorder and bipolar disorder, they are separate conditions with distinct pathologies, symptoms, and causes.
• Those with BPD can’t maintain meaningful relationships. While BPD greatly strains many relationships, most people with BPD can and do maintain meaningful relationships, especially when receiving proper treatment and support.
• Medication alone is enough to treat borderline personality disorder. In fact, therapy is considered more effective at treating borderline personality disorder than medication, and any meaningful BPD treatment program must include both therapy and medication.
• People with BPD can’t succeed in life. Millions of individuals with BPD maintain highly successful careers, raise healthy families, and have great achievements in many fields and hobbies.
• Only women suffer from BPD. Although traditionally women have been two to three times as likely to be diagnosed with BPD as men, recent studies have found that the actual difference is statistically insignificant.

Borderline Personality Disorder Symptoms

Borderline personality disorder can cause a wide variety of symptoms, which can vary dramatically from person to person or even from day to day within the same person. However, some of the most common include:

• Long-term patterns of emotional volatility.
• Difficulty regulating emotions.
• Explosive emotions.
• Emotional irritability.
• Intense mood swings.
• Feelings of emptiness.
• Impulsive behaviors.
• Self-harm.
• Suicidal thoughts and behaviors.
• Feeling disconnected.
• Intense anger and rage.
• Chronic sense of loneliness.
• Difficulty with establishing and maintaining healthy intimate relationships.
• Unstable relationships.
• Fear of abandonment.
• Idealization and devaluation of others, often in quick succession.
• Brief psychotic or pseudo-psychotic episodes.

Causes of Borderline Personality Disorder

The causes of borderline personality disorder have not been thoroughly researched and are not well understood. It is safe to say that most of what is propagated about the causes of borderline personality disorder is more theory than fact.

However, there are several factors that seem to be involved in the development of BPD, including:

• Genetics: Family and twin studies have shown that there is likely a hereditary component to BPD. However, no specific genes have been linked to the condition, and the genetic influence is hard to separate from environmental influences.
• Trauma: It is thought that trauma influences the development of BPD. Childhood trauma, especially neglect, physical or sexual abuse, emotional mistreatment, and inconsistent caregiving, is thought to greatly impact the development of BPD.
• Brain chemistry, structure, and functioning: Some evidence suggests that people with BPD may have a different brain chemistry, structure, and functioning than others. Regions of the brain involved in processing emotions and impulse control are thought to be affected, such as the neurotransmitter systems, amygdala, prefrontal cortex, and insula.
• Biology: It is thought that those who live with BPD may have a biological sensitivity to emotional stimuli. This might make them more prone to suffering from rapidly changing and strong emotions.
• Family history: A family history of BPD is closely linked with an individual developing the condition. Additionally, growing up in a family environment where emotions were invalidated or dismissed is also thought to make developing BPD more likely.
• Personality traits: Certain personality traits are thought to influence the development of BPD, such as high levels of neuroticism and impulsivity.

Treatment Options for Borderline Personality Disorder

Borderline disorder is not curable. However, it is possible to dramatically reduce the severity of some symptoms and equally possible to dramatically reduce how severely the condition impacts the individual’s life.

It is widely believed in the mental health community that the only way to effectively treat borderline personality disorder is through a combination of medication and therapy.

“Dialectical behavior therapy, which focuses on developing skills in emotion regulation, distress tolerance, interpersonal effectiveness, and mindfulness, can be especially effective,” says psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner (PMHNP) Valerie Puffenberger. “That, coupled with medication, like mood stabilizers or antidepressants to address specific symptoms or co-occurring conditions, forms a complete treatment plan.”

Medication for Borderline Personality Disorder

Medications are not as useful for treating borderline personality disorder as they are for many other mental health conditions. However, a number of medications have proven useful in alleviating BPD symptoms. Some of the most important include:

• Anxiolytics: Alleviate the anxiety associated with borderline personality disorder and minimize emotional fluctuations.
• Antipsychotics: Alleviate or eliminate symptoms such as mood swings, anger, rage, and brief psychotic episodes.
• Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs): Reduce the severity and occurrence of mood swings and impulsivity.

Psychotherapy for Borderline Personality Disorder

Psychotherapy is considered the most effective treatment for borderline personality disorder.

The main goal of psychotherapy is to increase the patient’s awareness of themself and their disorder to minimize the impacts of BPD on their life. In some cases, therapy may help alleviate symptoms or prevent episodes altogether.

Some of the most effective psychotherapy treatments for BPD include:

• Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT): The most widely researched, used, and recognized treatment for BPD. It combines cognitive and behavioral elements with mindfulness practices to help patients tolerate distress, manage intense emotions, and develop healthier relationships.
• Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT): Helps individuals identify and change negative thought patterns and behaviors. CBT also helps BPD patients recognize their moods and emotions better while improving how they react to them.
• Schema-focused therapy: Helps patients identify and modify deep-seated beliefs and patterns.

What if I Am Diagnosed with BPD?

If you’ve recently found out you have BPD, remember there’s a path to recovery with the right kind of help and support.

Puffenberger provides the following guidance for those who have recently been diagnosed with borderline personality disorder:

• Reach out to mental health professionals who specialize in BPD. They’re the experts who can guide you.
• Learn about the disorder and pick up coping skills to manage those tricky symptoms.
• Therapy can be a game-changer. Dialectical behavior therapy is a solid option that’s shown some great results.
• Having people who get it around you matters. Friends, family, or support groups that understand can make a real difference.
• Don’t forget to take care of yourself. Prioritize your own well-being.
• Healing doesn’t happen overnight, so be kind and patient with yourself.
• And always remember, you’re not alone. Reaching out for help is a brave step toward getting your mental health back on track.

Living with Borderline Personality Disorder

Borderline personality disorder can make life very difficult. However, there are many strategies and techniques that can make living with BPD much easier:

• Seek and continue to seek professional help. The best way to properly manage BPD is to seek out and continue to participate in professional therapy.
• Practice mindfulness. Being aware of yourself and your internal processes makes a dramatic difference when emotions start to fluctuate. Even when you can’t control your emotions, you can still control the actions that stem from them.
• Set boundaries. Healthy boundaries can improve the quality of relationships of those impacted by BPD.
• Practice self-care. Individuals who are medically healthier and in a happier, more relaxed state of mind will be less impacted by BPD.
• Prioritize physical well-being. Those who are in good physical health are less likely to experience severe BPD episodes.
• Have a strong support network. Close friends and family improve the overall well-being of a person with BPD. It can also serve as a warning siren for abnormal behavior and as a means of preventing disaster when the condition causes strong symptoms.

When Your Loved One Has BPD

Individuals with borderline personality disorder can often be very hurtful to their loved ones. The mood swings and intense emotions caused by borderline personality disorder often impact the individual as well as those around them. However, there are many ways to make life easier.

Some of the most important strategies you can use if your loved one has borderline personality disorder include:

• Educating yourself
• Practicing empathy
• Setting and enforcing healthy boundaries
• Staying calm
• Communicating openly
• Validating emotions
• Practicing active and non-judgmental listening
• Patience
• Avoiding judgment.
• Offering support, not solutions
• Avoiding arguing
• Offering encouragement
• Respecting their autonomy
• Staying consistent
• Encouraging them to seek professional help
• Being mindful of triggers
• Encouraging self-care.
• Seek support for yourself.
• Managing expectations
• Celebrating progress

Find Support for Borderline Personality Disorder

Borderline personality disorder can dramatically impact the lives of those who suffer from the disease and their loved ones. Tragically, BPD is often fatal, with some estimates claiming that up to 10% of those who suffer from the disease will end their own lives.

However, there is hope out there. A combination of intensive therapy and proper medication can dramatically improve your life.

Treating BPD requires a three-pronged approach, which includes:

1. The right psychotropic medications
2. Evidence-based psychotherapy
3. Peer support

We are here to help you or your loved one recover from BPD, along with any co-occurring mental health or substance abuse issues. Simply call 888-534-2295 to speak with a staff member and begin your journey to treatment.