
Medication
“This led to a number of striking discussions and observations, and in the end, I was assessed to be a person with Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD), and, like the vast majority of people I speak with, I had no idea what this was or meant at that time.”
Therapy
- Psychotherapy. There are several types of therapy that have been shown to work well in the treatment of borderline personality disorder. ...
- Medication. Two types of drugs are especially recommended. ...
- Life skills and education classes. ...
- Holistic mind-body healing techniques. ...
- Additional treatment for co-occurring disorders. ...
Self-care
- we know ourselves,
- we have a sense of control over ourselves,
- our stable sense of self guarantees a consistent behavior in different situations.
How to deal with someone with borderline personality disorder?
Why Therapy Is Difficult for BPD Patients. Many people suffering from borderline personality disorder (BPD) find that therapy works well for them. Unfortunately, however, this is not the case for everybody. Therapy requires the patient's commitment to wellness and an understanding of their disorder. Because personality disorders heavily affect the way a person thinks about and perceives things, people suffering from BPD often cannot recognize their disorder.
How to get rid of borderline personality disorder?
How to spot the nine traits of borderline personality disorder?
Why is borderline personality disorder "difficult" to treat?
Why is it important to get treatment for borderline personality disorder?
What are the symptoms of borderline personality disorder?
What is the difference between DBT and Schema Focused Therapy?
How to reduce impulsiveness?
How to prepare for a mental health appointment?
How to deal with a substance abuse problem?
What is schema therapy?
See more
About this website

Can borderline personality disorder be successfully treated?
While there is no definitive cure for BPD, it is absolutely treatable. 1 In fact, with the right treatment approach, you can be well on the road to recovery and remission. While remission and recovery are not necessarily a "cure," both constitute the successful treatment of BPD.
What kind of medicine helps BPD?
Stronger evidence exists for the use of the mood stabilizers topiramate, lamotrigine and valproate semisodium in BPD. Topiramate and lamotrigine have both been shown in small RCTs to be effective in the treatment of symptoms of aggression in BPD [Nickel et al.
What is the first line of treatment for borderline personality disorder?
First-line treatment for BPD is psychotherapy [5-7]. Psychotropic medications are used as adjuncts to psychotherapy, targeting specific BPD symptom clusters.
What is the gold standard treatment for borderline personality disorder?
Dialectical Behavior Therapy is a “gold standard” treatment for emotion dysregulation and borderline personality disorder AND so much more…. can it be effective for you, too? You may have heard of Dialectical Behavior Therapy. It is the treatment of choice for individuals that struggle with managing intense emotions.
What is the best mood stabilizer for borderline personality disorder?
Divalproex sodium and valproate Divalproex sodium is among the mood stabilizers, which are comprehensively studied in patients with BPD [52]. Wilcox claimed that divalproex decreased agitation significantly in patients with BPD.
What triggers a person with borderline personality disorder?
These include: being a victim of emotional, physical or sexual abuse. being exposed to long-term fear or distress as a child. being neglected by 1 or both parents. growing up with another family member who had a serious mental health condition, such as bipolar disorder or a drink or drug misuse problem.
How do you stop borderline personality disorder?
For example, it can help to:Try to get enough sleep. Sleep can help give you the energy to cope with difficult feelings and experiences. ... Think about your diet. ... Try to do some physical activity. ... Spend time outside. ... Avoid drugs and alcohol.
Does BPD go away with age?
Most of the time, BPD symptoms gradually decrease with age. Some people's symptoms disappear in their 40s. With the right treatment, many people with BPD learn to manage their symptoms and improve their quality of life.
How do you stop borderline splitting?
Caring and ManagementCultivate empathy. Start by reminding yourself that splitting is part of the disorder. ... Encourage and support treatment. ... Maintain lines of communication. ... Remind your loved one that you care. ... Set boundaries. ... Take care of yourself. ... Try to manage your response.
What is the most successful approach to treating borderline personality disorder?
Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) The most well-known, well researched, and widely available EBT for BPD is DBT [39, 40].
Can BPD be managed without medication?
Overcoming BPD without medication is possible, but you should always follow the guidance and treatment plan set forth by your doctor or health care provider. Medication isn't necessarily the primary treatment for BPD in most cases. It's typically only used to treat specific symptoms such as depression or mood swings.
Can BPD be treated with medication?
BPD is sometimes treated with medications for anxiety or depression, for instance, which may reduce some symptoms. Medications may also be used to treat psychological conditions that frequently co-occur with this condition, such as major depressive disorder.
What Works in the Treatment of Borderline Personality Disorder
Recent Findings. Evidence-based advances in the treatment of BPD include a delineation of generalist models of care in contrast to specialist treatments, identification of essential effective elements of dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT), and the adaptation of DBT treatment to manage post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and BPD.
TREATING BORDERLINE PERSONALITY DISORDER - Psychiatry
TREATING BORDERLINE PERSONALITY DISORDER •257 A. Initial Presentation 1. Initial Assessment to Determine Treatment Setting Consider partial hospitalization(or brief inpatient hospitalization if
Diagnosing borderline personality disorder - PMC
Borderline personality disorder can be a difficult diagnosis because of similarities to other conditions, particularly mood disorders. It is a common presentation in both psychiatric and general practice, with accurately diagnosed cases seen in 10% of psychiatric outpatients, 20% of psychiatric inpatients 1, 2 and 6% of family medicine patients. 3 These values are higher than would be expected ...
Why is it important to get treatment for borderline personality disorder?
Treatment can help you learn skills to manage and cope with your condition. It's also necessary to get treated for any other mental health disorders that often occur along with borderline personality disorder, such as depression or substance misuse.
What are the symptoms of borderline personality disorder?
You may be aware that your emotions, thoughts and behaviors are self-destructive or damaging , yet you feel unable to manage them.
What is the difference between DBT and Schema Focused Therapy?
DBT uses a skills-based approach to teach you how to manage your emotions, tolerate distress and improve relationships. Schema-focused therapy. Schema-focused therapy can be done individually or in a group.
How to reduce impulsiveness?
Reduce your impulsiveness by helping you observe feelings rather than acting on them. Work on improving relationships by being aware of your feelings and those of others. Learn about borderline personality disorder. Types of psychotherapy that have been found to be effective include: Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT).
How to prepare for a mental health appointment?
You may start by seeing your primary care doctor. After an initial appointment, your doctor may refer you to a mental health provider, such as a psychologist or psychiatrist. Here's some information to help you prepare for your appointment.
How to deal with a substance abuse problem?
Manage intense emotions by practicing coping skills, such as the use of breathing techniques and mindfulness meditation.
What is schema therapy?
Schema-focused therapy can be done individually or in a group. It can help you identify unmet needs that have led to negative life patterns, which at some time may have been helpful for survival, but as an adult are hurtful in many areas of your life.
Why is BPD important?
These findings are particularly important given that BPD is a disorder for which significant stigma may introduce barriers to successful treatment. The success of treatment dissemination depends in large part on whether clinicians are willing to use treatments and feel competent to do so.
What is mentalization in BPD?
Mentalization refers to the complex capacity human beings develop to imagine the thoughts and feelings in one’s own and other’s minds to understand interpersonal interactions [ 41 ]. Therein lies its mechanism of change. MBT proposes that BPD symptoms arise when a patient stops mentalizing, leading patients to operate from pathologically certainty about other’s motives, the disconnection from grounding influence of reality, and a desperate need for proof of feelings through action. Attachment interactions become hyperactivated, feeding into distress and difficulty coping, rather than providing safety and security, rendering the therapeutic process with BPD difficult.
What is schema therapy?
Schema-focused therapy (SFT) is an integrative cognitive therapy focused on generating structural changes to a patient’s personality. In twice weekly individual therapy sessions, the clinician uses a variety of behavioral, cognitive, and experiential techniques that focus on the therapeutic relationship, daily life outside therapy, and past traumatic experiences. Unlike the more neutral stances of other therapies, SFT encourages an attachment between therapist and client, a process described as “limited re-parenting”. Therapy focuses on four schema modes of BPD: detached protector, punitive parent, abandoned/abused child, and angry/impulsive child. Its mechanism of change occurs through changing negative patterns of thinking, feeling, and behaving and developing healthier alternatives to replace them so that these dysfunctional schemas no longer control a patient’s life.
Is there a medication for BPD?
To date, no medication has been approved by the FDA for BPD or proven to definitively manage its cardinal symptoms, interpersonal impairments, and functional difficulties. Clinical applicability of the available evidence is hampered by a limited number of studies, small sample sizes, non-overlapping batteries of outcome measures, brief observation periods, and exclusion of co-morbidities in a population for whom both psychiatric and medical co-morbidity are the rule rather than an exception.
What is the treatment for borderline personality disorder?
Psychotherapy, or talk therapy, is the main treatment for borderline personality disorder (BPD). Several types of therapy may benefit people with BPD, and each type takes a different approach. This article explores the potential benefits of five types of therapy for people with BPD:
What is the treatment for BPD?
Trusted Source. of people in the United States. Its main treatment is psychotherapy, otherwise known as talk therapy. Talk therapy teaches people vital skills for managing their thoughts and emotions. There are many types, and each has its own aims and methods.
How long does BPD stay in remission?
91% went into remission after 10 years. 99% were in remission after 16 years. In this study, 75% of participants experienced remission for at least 8 years. However, therapy does not cure BPD — the symptoms can come and go throughout a person’s life.
What is a STEPPS therapy?
STEPPS therapy is is a skills-based group program that people attend alongside other types of therapy. It frames BPD as an “emotional intensity disorder” and helps people regulate their emotions and behaviors.
What is the purpose of DBT?
The aim is to teach skills that enhance mindfulness, help tolerate distress, regulate emotions, and manage relationships. Clinical psychologist Dr. Marsha Linehan developed DBT for people with BPD and suicidal thoughts. It is similar to cognitive behavioral therapy, but DBT focuses more on emotions and relationships.
What are the best therapies for BPD?
This article explores the potential benefits of five types of therapy for people with BPD: 1 dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) 2 mentalization-based therapy (MBT) 3 schema therapy (ST) 4 transference-focused therapy (TFP) 5 systems training for emotional predictability and problem solving (STEPPS)
How to help someone with depression?
For depression or sadness: Write a comforting letter to yourself, watch a favorite TV show or film, or listen to uplifting music.
How to treat borderline personality disorder?
Treatments. Talk therapy . Medications. Self-care. Next steps. Borderline personality disorder (BPD) can have a big impact on your mood, relationships, and daily life. The good news is that therapy and a good self-care routine can greatly reduce your symptoms and improve your quality of life. BPD means something different for everyone.
What is the best treatment for BPD?
The most effective treatment for BPD is individual psychotherapy and, sometimes, group therapy . Right now, there aren’t any FDA-approved medications for BPD; however, in some cases, antidepressants and mood stabilizers may be helpful.
What is schema therapy?
Schema-focused therapy (SFT) is a twice-weekly therapy that combines cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) with psychodynamic and emotion-focused therapy. SFT therapists believe that people with BPD may adopt one of four schemas: 1 detached protector 2 punitive parent 3 abandoned/abused child 4 angry/impulsive child
What is mentalization based treatment?
Mentalization-based treatment (MBT) teaches you how to “mentalize,” which involves making sense of other people’s intentions and behaviors in different ways. Individuals with BPD may misread another person’s behavior as hurtful or rejecting, leading to intense emotional reactions and assumptions.
What are the symptoms of BPD?
Other symptoms of BPD can include extreme changes in mood, impulsive behavior, chronic feelings of emptiness, relationship difficulties, and substance use. BPD can also cause you to see others as entirely good or bad, which is a defense mechanism called “ splitting .”.
How many people have BPD?
BPD is a mental health condition that affects approximately 1.6% of the general population. One older research study found that after 2 years of therapy, 35% of individuals with BPD were in remission, meaning they had fewer symptoms and felt much better.
What happens when you have BPD?
BPD can cause profound fears of abandonment and rejection.
How to treat BPD?
Psychotherapy is considered the cornerstone for treating BPD because it aims to address the emotional dysregulation associated with the condition. A hallmark of effective treatment is learning to master dysregulation with coping skills, insight and acceptance. There are several types of psychotherapy that have shown to be effective in doing this: 1 Dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT) focuses on teaching coping skills to combat counterproductive urges, regulate emotions and improve relationships. Involving individual and group work, DBT encourages practicing mindfulness techniques such as meditation, regulated breathing and self-soothing. DBT has been shown to be effective in reducing suicidal behavior, psychiatric hospitalization, treatment dropout, substance use, anger and interpersonal difficulties. Learn more about DBT. 2 Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) helps address the negative thinking and behaviors associated with BPD. The goal of this therapy is to recognize negative thoughts and learn effective coping strategies. 3 Mentalization-based therapy (MBT) teaches people how to become conscious of their internal states and how to develop empathy for other people’s experiences. This treatment is also used to explore emotions and develop alternative explanations for negative interactions with others.
Why is psychotherapy important for BPD?
Psychotherapy is considered the cornerstone for treating BPD because it aims to address the emotional dysregulation associated with the condition. A hallmark of effective treatment is learning to master dysregulation with coping skills, insight and acceptance.
How effective is DBT?
DBT has been shown to be effective in reducing suicidal behavior, psychiatric hospitalization, treatment dropout, substance use, anger and interpersonal difficulties. Learn more about DBT. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) helps address the negative thinking and behaviors associated with BPD.
What is MBT therapy?
Mentalization-based therapy (MBT) teaches people how to become conscious of their internal states and how to develop empathy for other people’s experiences. This treatment is also used to explore emotions and develop alternative explanations for negative interactions with others.
Can BPD be treated with medication?
There is no singular medication designed to specifically treat the core symptoms of BPD. Medications can be useful in treating certain symptoms associated with BPD, such as depression and anxiety. They can also be used to help increase a person’s ability to engage in psychotherapy.
Can BPD be co-occurring?
People with BPD often have other co-occurring conditions and their treatment plan should address these as well. Work with your treatment team to understand the risks and benefits of each of these individual courses of action as well as how they work with each other.
How to help someone with BPD?
To help someone with BPD, first take care of yourself. When a family member or partner has borderline personality disorder, it’s all too easy to get caught up in heroic efforts to please and appease him or her.
What is borderline personality disorder?
People with borderline personality disorder (BPD) tend to have major difficulties with relationships, especially with those closest to them. Their wild mood swings, angry outbursts, chronic abandonment fears, and impulsive and irrational behaviors can leave loved ones feeling helpless, abused, and off balance.
What does BPD mean in a relationship?
People in a close relationship with a borderline adult often liken talking with their loved one to arguing with a small child. People with BPD have trouble reading body language or understanding the nonverbal content of a conversation. They may say things that are cruel, unfair, or irrational.
What is the problem with BPD?
The problem for people with BPD is that the disorder distorts both the messages they hear and those they try to express. BPD expert and author, Randi Kreger, likens it to “having ‘aural dyslexia,’ in which they hear words and sentences backwards, inside out, sideways, and devoid of context.”.
What happens when someone has BPD?
This emotional volatility can cause turmoil in their relationships and stress for family members, partners, and friends. Many people in a close relationship with someone who suffers from BPD often know that there’s something wrong with their loved one, but have no idea what it is or if there is even a name for it.
Is it easy to recognize BPD?
Recognizing the signs and symptoms of BPD. Recognizing the signs and symptoms of borderline personality disorder is not always easy. BPD is rarely diagnosed on its own, but often in conjunction with co-occurring disorders such as depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety, an eating disorder, or substance abuse. Your family member or loved one ...
Can you help someone else?
You can’t help someone else or enjoy sustainable, satisfying relationships when you’re run down and overwhelmed by stress. As in the event of an in-flight emergency, you must “put on your own oxygen mask first.”. Avoid the temptation to isolate.
Why is it important to get treatment for borderline personality disorder?
Treatment can help you learn skills to manage and cope with your condition. It's also necessary to get treated for any other mental health disorders that often occur along with borderline personality disorder, such as depression or substance misuse.
What are the symptoms of borderline personality disorder?
You may be aware that your emotions, thoughts and behaviors are self-destructive or damaging , yet you feel unable to manage them.
What is the difference between DBT and Schema Focused Therapy?
DBT uses a skills-based approach to teach you how to manage your emotions, tolerate distress and improve relationships. Schema-focused therapy. Schema-focused therapy can be done individually or in a group.
How to reduce impulsiveness?
Reduce your impulsiveness by helping you observe feelings rather than acting on them. Work on improving relationships by being aware of your feelings and those of others. Learn about borderline personality disorder. Types of psychotherapy that have been found to be effective include: Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT).
How to prepare for a mental health appointment?
You may start by seeing your primary care doctor. After an initial appointment, your doctor may refer you to a mental health provider, such as a psychologist or psychiatrist. Here's some information to help you prepare for your appointment.
How to deal with a substance abuse problem?
Manage intense emotions by practicing coping skills, such as the use of breathing techniques and mindfulness meditation.
What is schema therapy?
Schema-focused therapy can be done individually or in a group. It can help you identify unmet needs that have led to negative life patterns, which at some time may have been helpful for survival, but as an adult are hurtful in many areas of your life.

Specialized Evidence-Based Treatments (Ebts) For BPD
Generalist Approaches to BPD
Dismantling Studies
Other Brief Cost-Effective Options
Specialist to consult
Treatments For BPD and Major Co-Morbidities
Pharmacology
- Borderline personality disorder is mainly treated using psychotherapy, but medication may be added. Your doctor also may recommend hospitalization if your safety is at risk. Treatment can help you learn skills to manage and cope with your condition. It's also necessary to get treated for any other mental health disorders that often occur along with...