Options For Treating Borderline Personality Disorder

Borderline personality disorder is a widely popular psychiatric disorder characterized by extreme mood swings, irrational responses, impulsivity, and unstable emotions. Individuals who have borderline personality disorder are likely to come off as aggressive and difficult in their relationships; they tend to have strong opinions, and even polite disagreement is seen as a personal insult.

This condition is painful for both patients and their loved ones. The 'black-and-white' thinking that categorizes the disorder often causes intense conflict, jealousy, and emotional pain to a person with borderline personality disorder. Understanding the treatment options available can help patients find the right approach for their condition and learn to manage their symptoms so they can lead happier, stabler lives.

Schema-Focused Therapy

Schema-focused therapy is a common therapy used for the treatment of borderline personality disorder. Patients with this condition struggle with intense emotions and polarized thinking patterns. In psychology, a schema is a deeply held belief and set of thinking patterns that define how we view ourselves and the world around us.

Schema-focused therapy helps patients identify distorted thinking patterns, relate them to past events that caused them and develop more productive, healthier views. Patients with borderline personality disorder are prone to lash out in fits of anger, so a schema-focused approach to therapy can help them identify their thoughts and feelings when they are angry, understand why they react so intensely, and develop better ways to cope with and express their emotions.

Patients who undergo schema-focused therapy are likely to experience greater control over their emotions and less distressing, maladaptive thinking. Their new coping strategies and perspectives can help them communicate better and maintain peace in their relationships.

Emergency Hospitalization

Due to reduced impulse control and a tendency to partake in risky, self-destructive behaviors, individuals with borderline personality disorder may require emergency hospitalization. Some patients may check themselves into the hospital for being suicidal or contemplating self-harm; others may be involuntarily committed during a time of psychological crisis, which a family or concerned friend may refer to as a 'breakdown.'

The main goal during hospitalization is to stabilize the patient. If a person with borderline personality disorder is checked into the emergency room, a doctor will treat any immediate physical injuries and then refer them to a hospital psychologist. The psychologist will then evaluate the patient's mental state and determine whether they need additional inpatient treatment or refer them to outside help.

Inpatient treatment will focus on stabilization through one-on-one counseling, group therapy and, possibly, medication. Once discharged, a patient may either be referred to a partial hospitalization program or outpatient therapy. Continuing treatment with a psychologist or psychiatrist after discharge is vital to the prolonged management of symptoms and the reduction of future hospitalizations or emotional crisis.