Borderline personality disorder, or BPD, is not an easy condition to have or live with, but there are effective treatments available that can help improve the quality of life for someone who suffers from it. This guide will explain what borderline personality disorder (BPD) is and how it?s treated, as well as how you can help if you or someone you know has this condition.
1) Defining BPD
Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) is defined as an emotional disorder marked by an ongoing pattern of varying moods, impulsiveness and conflicts with others. People who suffer from BPD often have trouble regulating their emotions, which causes them to behave in impulsive or erratic ways. Some people suffering from BPD will even harm themselves when they’re experiencing severe emotional distress. The two most common approaches for treating BPD are dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) and medication. DBT is a type of psychotherapy that focuses on mindfulness techniques and helps patients manage their emotions more effectively. Medication can help ease severe depression or anxiety caused by BPD; however, there’s no one drug used to treat all aspects of BPD. 2) Diagnosing BPD
To properly diagnose borderline personality disorder, clinicians use a structured interview (the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV) to confirm the presence of several diagnostic criteria. The patient’s mental health history is reviewed and any co-occurring diagnoses are noted. For example, itR...