Borderline Personality Disorder

What causes borderline personality disorder?

Borderline personality disorder is a serious mental health condition that leads to severe instability. Men and women who have borderline personality disorder often have a fear of abandonment and experience difficulty tolerating being by themselves. Usually, borderline personality disorder stems from:

• A family history of borderline personality disorder
• Brain abnormalities involving neurotransmitters
• A stressful or abusive childhood

While the exact cause of borderline personality disorder isn’t always known, no matter what, the condition is certainly manageable with proper treatment.

Are there symptoms of borderline personality disorder?

Yes. Generally, borderline personality disorder affects your behaviors and feelings, as well as how you relate to others. It’s commonly associated with diagnoses of depression and anxiety. Common signs and symptoms of borderline personality disorder include:

• Severe mood swings
• Experiencing emotions very intensely
• Intense fear of abandonment
• A pattern of unstable intense relationships
• Suicidal thoughts or behaviors
• Ongoing feelings of emptiness
• Self injurious behaviors (such as cutting)
• Impulse control problems

Men and women who struggle with borderline personality disorder also tend to display impulsive or risky behavior. This can include binge eating, gambling, reckless driving, or suddenly quitting a job.

When should I get help for borderline personality disorder?

If you have thoughts of hurting yourself, including suicidal thoughts, it’s important to seek emergency medical attention right away. You need to follow up with long-term help at Intrepid Mental Wellness if you:

• Have difficulty holding a job
• Are involved in abusive relationships
• Intentionally injure yourself

Or if your borderline personality disorder results in risky behavior, you need to get help if you have regular sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), motor vehicle accidents, or gambling debt. These are just some of the red flags that your condition is affecting your actions.

How is borderline personality disorder treated?

Treated borderline personality disorder often involves a collaborative approach that includes both psychotherapy (talk therapy) and specialized medications. At Intrepid Mental Wellness, our psychiatric nurse practitioners work closely with your mental health therapist to ensure you’re getting the care you need. We may also prescribe medications, such as:

• Mood stabilizers
• Antidepressants
• Antipsychotics

These medications are known to minimize symptoms and help restore your sense of well-being. Because medications for borderline personality disorder take several weeks or months to take effect, it’s important to meet with your provider regularly to ensure you’re progressing healthfully. Our psychiatric providers can even help you learn to cope and pinpoint triggers that worsen your condition.

Your provider may also recommend dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT), or Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) to help with past trauma.

You can get help for borderline personality disorder today at Intrepid Mental Wellness. Book your initial evaluation by submitting a "contact us" inquiry or by calling the clinic.