Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is a neurological disorder that causes extreme fear of abandonment and powerful feelings of emptiness. It can create instability in your relationships and cause you to take impulsive actions depending on your mood and emotions.
There are often considered to be four different classifications of the disorder:
- Petulant borderline, which includes unpredictable behavior
- Discouraged borderline, which includes feelings of inadequacy
- Self-destructive borderline, which includes self-sabotaging your relationships and goals
- Impulsive borderline, which includes impulsive actions and a quick temper
Because one of the symptoms of this disorder can be extreme distrust in others, it’s often difficult for people with BPD to reach out for help. But if any of the above symptoms or classifications sound familiar to you and your experiences, it’s important to seek professional care.
BPD is a life-long psychological condition that requires continued care and maintenance. If you’re struggling with BPD symptoms, the psychiatrists, psychologists, and other mental health professionals at Thriveworks in Bedford, NH are here to help.
How Can I Determine if I Have BPD?
Like many mental illnesses and disorders, BPD can present itself differently in different individuals. While you may not experience all of the symptoms of this disorder, many people with BPD have reported:
- Impulsive behaviors such as excessive spending, drinking, and eating
- Intense emotions and mood swings from ecstatic highs to depressive lows
- Suicidal thoughts or thoughts of self-harm (often as a result of mood swings)
- Dissociation, which can include out-of-body sensations
- Intense fear of abandonment, which can put extreme pressure on your relationships
- Unstable relationships with friends and family members (relationships may border on obsessive and you may feel affection at one moment and extreme dislike soon after)
- Inability to be alone or a desire to constantly surround yourself with people
- Trouble controlling your anger or temper
- A history of loneliness, emptiness, and feelings of unworthiness
Because of symptoms such as suicidal thoughts and reckless behavior, borderline personality disorder often requires the care of a licensed mental health professional. If you’ve ever experienced the symptoms listed above, please phone us at Thriveworks in Bedford, NH so we can assess your condition and create an appropriate treatment plan that addresses your individual symptoms and needs.
Therapy, Medication, and Other Treatments for BPD
BPD is a long-term mental health disorder. While there is no cure for the disorder, you can take steps to decrease its effect on your daily life. Your first course of action after you receive your BPD diagnosis should be to sit down with your provider and discuss next steps.
Your psychiatrist, psychologist, or another mental health provider will gather more information about your background and environment. They will then use this information to create a treatment plan that may include a combination of medication and therapy. While medication can be used to treat BPD symptoms, it isn’t used to treat the disorder itself.
Some of the most commonly used medications include:
- Antidepressants
- Antipsychotics
- Mood stabilizers
- Anti-anxiety medications
Some of the more common types of therapy used to treat BPD include:
- Talk therapy, which encourages you to discuss your emotions, feelings, and concerns with your provider in order to help you better understand your illness
- Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), a type of psychotherapy that stresses regulating your emotions, practicing mindfulness, tolerating distress, and dealing with interpersonal relationships
- Transference-focused therapy, which was created specifically to address BPD and allows you to use your therapist or another provider as a springboard for addressing difficult emotions. It allows you to address BPD symptoms in real-time.
Other types of psychotherapy may be used to address your BPD symptoms. In addition to therapy and medication, your provider may also recommend coping methods and self-help materials as part of your treatment for BPD. Call us at Thriveworks in Bedford, NH to get started today with your own professional assessment and customized treatment plan.
Meet With a Licensed Professional at Thriveworks in Bedford, NH
If you are experiencing BPD symptoms, please reach out to us for assistance. The sooner you begin treatment, the sooner you can manage your symptoms.
Our offices offer convenient opening and closing times, weekend and evening appointments, and online sessions through video or by phone. Clients get access to a virtual life coaching Q&A, our eBooks, video content, and a message board on our online portal. Different insurance types are accepted at Thriveworks, and we have a generous cancellation window.
As a new client, you may be eligible to be seen by a provider within 24 to 48 hours. Set up an appointment with us today at Thriveworks in Bedford, NH to begin managing your BPD symptoms.
