Management of Borderline Personality Disorder

Abstract

The management of borderline personality disorder (BPD) can be difficult, and specialized psychotherapy remains the core component of treatment with the most robust evidence. Dialectical-behavioral therapy and mentalization-based therapy are the most studied and commonly used among the specialized psychotherapy treatment options. Pharmacotherapy has more limited evidence and should be used primarily to address specific symptom alleviation. Inpatient hospitalization should be used cautiously to minimize unintended, unproductive consequences. Day hospital or intensive outpatient programs are good alternatives between hospitalization and routine outpatient visits for many patients. Because the rate of nonsuicidal self-injury is high among people with BPD, safety assessments by clinicians are an ongoing part of treatment and often involve family and loved ones. [ Psychiatr Ann . 2020;50(1):24–28.]

Impact of borderline personality disorder traits on the association between age and health-related quality of life: A cohort study in the general population

“…Timely recognition of borderline personality traits and providing of the appropriate treatment may prevent the occurrence of comorbid physical and mental health problems that would otherwise accumulate with aging. Moreover, attention for all aspects of a healthy life (e.g., life style, physical health, and self-management) is justified, as has been advocated by others [45][46][47]. Secondly, as pertaining to later life stages, it would be erroneous to assume that absence of clinically established borderline personality disorder in older adults equals the absence of borderline-related health problems.…”