BPD is a mental illness making it difficult for a person to manage their emotions.
Borderline personality disorder (BPD) treatment is mainly recommended for adults. In children or teenagers, it is believed their symptoms will subside as they mature.
Borderline Personality Disorder Treatment
Many people who have mental health issues fail to realise they need BPD treatment. BPD disorder treatment aims to help the affected persons learn skills to manage and cope with their mental health condition and live a more stable life.
Borderline personality treatment involves a combination of counselling or talk therapy (psychotherapy), medication, and hospitalisation.
Psychotherapy
Its goal is to help the patient learn how to deal with their emotions. It is the most common borderline treatment. Patients observe their feelings, like "I'm very angry”, rather than act on them. It helps them in normal functioning in day-to-day life and relationships. Depending on the symptoms and situation, healthcare providers may use any of the below-listed psychotherapy:
- Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT): This therapy helps manage crisis behaviour, such as suicidal thoughts or self-harm. It is the most commonly recommended for borderline disorder therapy. DBT works with the concept of mindfulness or being present at the moment. It helps patients recognise emotions, moods, and their behaviour. They learn how to deal with bad emotions and communicate correctly.
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT): It helps change beliefs that come from distorted ways of seeing things. CBT can also help with relationship issues. The goal is to learn to pinpoint negative thoughts and cope with those thoughts. This BPD treatment can reduce mood swings and make them less anxious. It can also make it less likely that a patient will harm himself or attempt suicide.
- Schema-focused therapy is similar to CBT BPD therapy treatment that tries to reframe negative thoughts about oneself into positive ones.
- Systems Training for Emotional Predictability and Problem-Solving (STEPPS) is a 20-week borderline disorder treatment programme where patients work in groups that include their family members, caregivers, friends, or significant others. The aim is to encourage the patients to talk freely and shun any inhibitions they have.
Medication
BPD symptoms may also be treated with medication. Depression and anxiety are major side effects of BPD. So, anti-depressant and anti-anxiety medicines are often helpful. Affected persons often experience distorted thinking patterns. A counsellor may recommend an antipsychotic medication or mood-stabilising drug. It is advisable to check out medicines' benefits and side effects with a doctor or mental health professional. Behaviors of self-harm, like nerve cutting and suicide attempts, are common symptoms of BPD. In such cases, hospitalisation is highly recommended.
Hospitalisation
The doctor may recommend an in-hospital stay for a short time if symptoms are severe. Staying in the hospital may also keep the patient safe from harming himself or help talk about thoughts or behaviours related to suicide to a professional counsellor.
Conclusion
BPD therapy treatment, including DBT and CBT, is crucial for managing unstable moods and behaviours. Remember that a comprehensive health insurance policy ensures access to effective BPD therapies and medicines to lead a better life.
Disclaimer: The information provided in this blog is for educational and informational purposes only. It is not intended as a substitute for professional advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Please consult your general physician or another certified medical professional for any questions regarding a medical condition. Relying on any information provided in this blog is solely at your own risk, and ICICI Lombard is not responsible for any effects or consequences resulting from the use of the information shared.