Borderline Personality Disorder Treatment for Young Adults
Borderline Personality Disorder, also known as BPD, is a disorder that is characterized by unstable relationships, moods, and behaviors. People with BPD are usually diagnosed in early adulthood, due to symptoms in the younger population are often confused with developing personalities and incomplete development. According to NAMI, approximately 1.4% of the population, struggles with BPD.
For people who suffer from BPD, it is more complex than unstable relationships. BPD is a complex mental health issue and can present differently due to various subtypes and often disguises itself as another mental illness.
The main symptoms of BPD are intense emotions, extreme fear of rejection and abandonment, and unstable relationships. While these are the main ones, there are many more that can be present. According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM), at least five of the following eight criteria must have been present in a repetitive and chronic pattern.
- Impulsivity leading to reckless and harmful behavior (including self-destructive behaviors)
- Extreme fear of rejection and abandonment, both real and imagined
- Stormy personal relationships swinging from idealization to devaluation
- Emotional instability, including irritability and anxiety
- Unstable self-image
- Chronic feelings of boredom or emptiness
- Inappropriate bouts of intense anger
- Paranoid and dissociative thoughts
While BPD may not be “curable”, it is treatable, and those that suffer from it can learn to effectively manage the symptoms. There are also several forms of therapy that have been found effective in treating BPD. Symptoms that are mild and do not interrupt your life, can most often be addressed in outpatient therapy. However, many young adults have symptoms that significantly impede relationships and life progress. For those, a more intense treatment setting may be appropriate.
Treatment for Borderline Personality Disorder almost always includes traditional talk therapy. The therapist may choose to use different treatment modalities, such as Dialectical Behavior Therapy, Transference- focused therapy, and Mentalization-based therapy, to help you overcome BPD symptoms. At Winds of Change, we focus on DBT to help clients manage BPD symptoms. DBT has been proven most effective in treating borderline personality disorder. Additionally, medications prescribed by your psychiatrist might also help regulate emotions and control BPD symptoms. Not everyone at Winds of Change is prescribed medication, however, some evidence suggest that medications can help you manage BPD symptoms. At Winds of Change, you will work closely with your medication management provider to find the best course of medication, if that is what you chose.
