Psychological Matters

Since those with Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) frequently have wild emotional vacillations, odd black-and-white thinking, and scary disruptive behavior, it is commonly believed that they must have different type of emotions than everybody else. This, however, is a myth. Their emotional experience is the same as other people’s, they just struggle to have adequate internal coping mechanisms to handle their emotional pain or strong impulses.  As mentioned in the article of Borderline Personality Disorder: Definition , it is their difficulty to regulate emotional challenges and impulses that causes their dysfunctional and erratic behavior. Medication is only one part of an effective treatment plan.  Psychotherapy is also a necessary critical component to achieve lasting improvements in those diagnosed with BPD. Currently the gold standard in counseling modalities for BPD is Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) developed by Dr. Marsha Linehan, Professor at the Unive...

Treatment for BPD usually consists of several different components.  A combination of drug treatment, individual counseling, and group therapy are the common regiment. Over the next three articles, the current available modalities will be explored. This article is going to focus on the use of medications to address the more troubling BPD symptoms. Most individuals with BPD only seek help after they have exhausted their social support system, risked a job or two, or have gotten into legal trouble. They may also be in financial difficulty, abusing drugs or alcohol, and have contemplated or attempted suicide. Their life is careening out of control. It is not surprising that most BPD sufferers are experiencing significant psychological symptoms when they initially seek treatment. A list of these symptoms can be found here . A first important step in getting the proper treatment is to seek an evaluation with a psychiatrist familiar in the peculiarities of BPD. Most insurance com...