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Borderline Personality Disorder: How You Can Help

Borderline Personality Disorder Explained

Borderline personality disorder, often abbreviated as BPD, is a serious mental health condition which requires professional treatment. This diagnosis is characterized by erratic behavior, unstable relationships, self-harm, and an inability to manage one’s emotions. The mood swings and intensity exhibited by a person with BPD can be devastating to friends and family members. Unfortunately, without treatment, it is possible for symptoms to intensify over time, resulting in increased impulsivity, substance abuse, and suicidality.

At Whitman Recovery Service, we offer professionally planned mental health interventions for those with borderline personality disorder. Through careful consideration and collaboration with a consulting psychiatrist, we help you to convince your loved one to accept the help they desperately need.

Identifying Signs and Symptoms

Borderline personality disorder can cause a person to feel and behave very intensely. The below signs can be helpful in determining whether your loved one has BPD.

Individuals with this disorder are often terrified of abandonment; something as simple as a loved one returning later than intended may trigger intense fear, clinging, begging, and fighting. As you can imagine, this results in a pattern of unstable relationships, which are often short-lived and intense. The black-and-white thinking common to people with BPD may mean that they see a relationship as either perfect or horrible, with no in-between.

People with borderline personality disorder may also exhibit…

• Unstable sense of self (frequently change jobs, friends, values)
• Impulsive and self-destructive behaviors (reckless driving, substance use, risky sex)
• Self-harm or suicidal behavior
• Extreme mood swings which pass quickly
• Feelings of emptiness
• Intense episodes of rage, short temper
• Feeling out of touch with reality (dissociation)

Borderline personality disorder typically co-occurs with other conditions, such as depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety, substance abuse, and eating disorders. It is important for individuals with a dual diagnosis to receive treatment for both conditions at once; with proper care, it is possible to recover from the worst symptoms of BPD.

Intervention for Borderline Personality Disorder

As with almost any health concern, early intervention can make an incredible difference in the outcome of a person’s treatment. The sooner that a person has access to a therapist, the sooner they can learn vital coping skills which will replace their problematic behaviors.

At Whitman Recovery Service, we approach each borderline personality disorder intervention with care and tact. If you are close to someone who is struggling with this mental illness, you know how difficult their lives have become. However, it can be challenging to convince them that help is available (and needed). It is our aim to provide support and guidance throughout that process.

Because individuals with BPD may become hostile or upset during the intervention, we fully plan each step of the conversation. Whitman Recovery Service works directly with family and friends to effectively intervene in your loved one’s life. By planning everything out to the last detail, we ensure that you have the best chance of getting people the help they require, all while keeping each participant safe. With professional execution, mental health interventions can be a crucial step in guiding your loved one toward wellness and recovery.

After a successful borderline personality disorder intervention, you may begin weighing treatment options for your loved one. Fortunately, there are myriad options available for those suffering from BPD.

Treatment Options

Current research indicates that with the proper, evidence-based treatment, the symptoms of people with BPD can be reduced over time. Clinicians should begin the treatment process with an in-depth assessment, which enables them to create a tailored plan of recovery for each individual patient. Because borderline personality disorder is a condition with a great amount of variation – no two cases are the same – it is important to receive fully customized care.

Once treatment begins, either on an inpatient or outpatient basis, your loved one will take part in individual and group therapy sessions. Cognitive-behavioral therapy and dialectical behavioral therapy, collectively referred to as “talk therapy,” are widely accepted to be the gold standard of BPD treatment. Within these sessions, your loved one will be able to manage their symptoms and adjust maladaptive patterns of thinking. Research shows that treatment is highly effective in the reduction of anger, suicidality, and self-harm; it also boosts overall functioning and social interaction.

Certain symptoms, such as fear of abandonment, intense and unstable relationships, or feelings of emptiness may take longer to address. These deep-seated beliefs are challenging to overcome in a therapeutic setting, and they may require many dedicated sessions before a person begins seeing results. However, with the proper care, it is possible for individuals with borderline personality disorder to live healthy, happy lives.

Find Healing Today

At Whitman Recovery Service, it is our goal to provide guidance through life’s most difficult conversations. Our team has a success rate of over 90 percent. To learn more about planning a borderline personality disorder intervention with Rich Whitman, please contact us at 512-722-7566.