Borderline Personality Treatment & Diagnosis- We Level Up

By We Level Up | Author Alex Evans, PharmD, MBA | Editorial Policy | Research Policy

Early signs of borderline personality traits can often appear during adolescence or young adulthood. Knowing these signs can help you spot problems early. This allows you to get support on time, which can improve your long-term emotional health.

• Emotional instability – Intense, rapidly changing moods that are difficult to manage.
• Fear of abandonment – Feeling rejected or separated can lead to strong reactions. These reactions can be managed with clear treatment goals for borderline personality disorder.
• Unstable relationships – Shifting between idealizing and devaluing friends or family.
• Impulsive behaviors – Risk-taking actions such as substance use, reckless driving, or unsafe sexual activity.
• Identity disturbance – Confusion about values, goals, or sense of self.
• Self-harm or suicidal thoughts – Engaging in cutting, burning, or frequent suicidal ideation.
• Chronic feelings of emptiness – Persistent lack of purpose or dissatisfaction with life.

Prevention and Risk Reduction

While BPD cannot always be prevented, certain strategies can lower risks and improve resilience:

• Building emotional regulation skills early through school programs, mindfulness, and coping strategies.
• Promoting secure attachments between parents/caregivers and adolescents to provide a strong emotional foundation.
• Addressing trauma and stress early with counseling or therapy after adverse childhood experiences.
• Encouraging healthy peer and family relationships to model balanced, supportive interactions.

Early Intervention Approaches

Timely professional care can make a significant difference in outcomes:

• Psychotherapy: Evidence-based methods like Dialectical Behavior Therapy for Adolescents (DBT-A) and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) help teach skills. These skills include emotional regulation, distress tolerance, and effective communication.
• Family Therapy: Involving family members helps improve communication, reduce conflict, and create a supportive environment.
• School-based support: Collaborating with teachers and counselors ensures consistency and monitoring in academic settings.
• Medication (when needed): Medications are not the main treatment for BPD. However, they can help with related issues like depression or anxiety.

Best Practices for Families and Caregivers

Families play a vital role in shaping recovery and resilience. Helpful practices include:

• Validating emotions rather than dismissing them.
• Maintaining consistent boundaries while showing empathy.
• Encouraging healthy coping outlets such as journaling, sports, or creative expression.
• Seeking professional guidance early, even before a formal diagnosis, if concerning behaviors persist.

Borderline Personality Treatment & Symptoms

• Individuals need to make efforts to avoid real or imagined abandonment.
• Intense bouts of anger, depression, or anxiety that may last only hours or, at most, a few days.
• A person has an unstable or dysfunctional self-image or a distorted sense of self.
• A person has unstable career plans, goals, and achievements.
• Recurrent suicidal behavior.

You may be experiencing one or more of the above symptoms daily. A person with a borderline personality disorder consistently shares many of the symptoms listed above throughout adulthood.

You are extremely sensitive to rejection, reacting with anger and distress to mild separations. These fears of being abandoned are linked to trouble feeling close to important people when they are not around. This can make someone with Borderline Personality Disorder feel lost or worthless.

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Borderline Personality Disorder Complications

You may suffer emotional harm in many areas of your life. This can hurt many parts of your life. This includes your close relationships, school, job, self-image, and social activities. This can result in repeated job losses or failing to complete your education. You can see multiple legal issues, resulting in jail time, conflict-filled relationships, marital stress, or divorce.

Also, BPD can show self-injury and involvement in abusive relationships. Also in unplanned pregnancies, sexually transmitted infections, motor vehicle accidents, and physical fights.

These BPD behaviors are due to impulsive and risky behavior, leading to attempted or even actual suicide. Furthermore, mental health disorders can result from depression, alcohol, or other substance abuse. In addition to anxiety disorders, eating disorders, bipolar disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, and other personality disorders.

BPD Causes

Borderline Personality Disorder is currently being studied. Some aspects of BPD illness are unknown. But it can perhaps relate to child abuse or neglect. And could also be led to the need for Borderline Personality Treatment in adulthood.

Genetics is another cause of Borderline Personality disorder. One can inherit BPD-related genes. We already understand that generics are strongly associated with other mental health disorders among family members.

In addition, Brain abnormalities are also possible causes for Borderline Personality disorder. Based on research, BPD shows changes in some regions of the brain. These sections of the brain involve emotion regulation, impulsivity, and aggression. Brain chemicals that help regulate mood, such as serotonin, may not function properly.

Finally, environmental, cultural, and social factors that may contribute to traumatic life events are also relevant. These include abandonment or adversity during childhood, exposure to unstable, invalidating relationships, and hostile conflicts.

If you see signs or symptoms in a family member or friend, please talk to someone. Encourage them to see a doctor or mental health provider. If your relationship causes significant stress, you may find it helpful to see a therapist yourself.

Early identification and intervention can make a significant difference for individuals with Borderline Personality Disorder. Learning healthy coping strategies, building strong support networks, and seeking proven treatments like therapy can help manage symptoms. These steps can also improve your overall quality of life. Raising awareness about BPD in families, schools, and communities can help reduce stigma. This encourages people to seek professional help sooner.

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• Online Borderline Personality Disorder Quiz (BPD Test).

Stigma and Misconceptions Surrounding Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD)

Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) is a complex mental health condition characterized by intense emotions, unstable relationships, and difficulties with self-image and behavior regulation. Despite growing awareness about mental health, BPD remains heavily stigmatized, often leading to misunderstanding, discrimination, and barriers to treatment.

Common Misconceptions About BPD

• BPD Is “Attention-Seeking” or Manipulative

One of the most pervasive myths is that individuals with BPD are intentionally dramatic or manipulative. In reality, these behaviors are often coping mechanisms developed in response to intense emotional pain or fear of abandonment. They are not deliberate attempts to control others.

• People with BPD Are “Dangerous”

While BPD can involve self-harming behaviors or emotional outbursts, most individuals are not inherently dangerous to others. Misunderstanding this can lead to unnecessary fear and social isolation for those affected.

• BPD Cannot Be Treated

Some believe BPD is untreatable or a permanent personality flaw. Therapies such as Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), and Schema-Focused Therapy (SFT) work well. They are very effective. They help people manage their symptoms and live fulfilling lives.

• BPD Only Affects Women

BPD is often stereotypically associated with women, but research shows it affects all genders. Misgendering the disorder contributes to underdiagnosis in men and can prevent them from seeking help.

• People with BPD Are Always Unstable

The intensity of emotional experiences can fluctuate. With appropriate treatment and coping strategies, individuals with BPD can achieve stability, maintain healthy relationships, and succeed in personal and professional endeavors.

Reducing Stigma and Promoting Understanding

• Education and Awareness: Learning about the causes, symptoms, and effective treatments of BPD helps replace myths with facts.
• Compassionate Communication: Using nonjudgmental language, avoiding labels, and validating experiences can improve social interactions.
• Supportive Communities: Peer support groups and family education foster understanding and reduce feelings of isolation.
• Encouraging Treatment: Promoting evidence-based therapy and mental health support can empower individuals to seek help without shame.

Digital Tools and Teletherapy for Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD)

Besides teletherapy, many digital tools can help people with BPD. These tools can track emotions, practice coping skills, and support therapy techniques. Some effective tools include:

• Mood Tracking Apps: Apps like Daylio and Moodpath let users record their daily feelings and triggers. This helps patients and therapists see patterns.
• Mindfulness and Meditation Apps: Apps like Headspace, Calm, and Insight Timer help you learn mindfulness. They can reduce emotional reactions and promote relaxation.
• DBT Skill Apps: Apps like DBT Diary Card & Skills Coach provide guided exercises. These exercises focus on distress tolerance, emotion regulation, interpersonal effectiveness, and mindfulness. These are the main skills taught in Dialectical Behavior Therapy.
  

Considerations and Best Practices

• Ensure the security and privacy of online platforms for the treatment of borderline personality.
• Choose evidence-based apps and programs recommended by mental health professionals.
• Combine digital support with in-person therapy when possible for comprehensive care.
• Communicate openly with your therapist about the use and effectiveness of these tools.

While digital tools and teletherapy are highly beneficial, it is important to:

BPD Treatments and Therapies

Many people with the disorder experience fewer or less severe symptoms and improved quality of life. Most importantly, those with Borderline Personality disorder receive evidence-based, specialized treatment from an appropriately trained provider. It is important to be careful. Other BPD treatment programs by doctors or therapists may not be effective if they lack proper training. More likely to develop other chronic medical or mental illnesses and less likely to make healthy lifestyle choices. Borderline Personality Disorder is linked to a much higher rate of self-harm and suicide than the general public. This shows how important inpatient treatment centers are for people with this disorder.

Borderline Personality treatment starts with psychotherapy. This is the first choice for these patients. Borderline personality disorder can make it difficult for people to trust their therapist. This can affect their ability to form a strong connection.

Examples of Psychotherapies Used to Treat BPD

Dialectical Behavior Therapy, or DBT, is the therapy developed for individuals with borderline personality disorder. DBT focuses on mindfulness and acceptance. This means being aware of and paying attention to your current feelings and situation. Dialectical Behavior Therapy also teaches skills that can help:

• Control intense emotions
• Reduce self-destructive behaviors
• Improve relationships

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy is a type of therapy. It helps people with borderline personality disorder. This therapy helps them identify and change core beliefs and behaviors. These beliefs and behaviors can lead to wrong views of themselves and others. They can also cause problems in interacting with others. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy can help lower mood and anxiety symptoms. It may also reduce suicidal thoughts and self-harming behaviors.

BPD Medications

In some cases, medications are not typically used as the primary treatment for Borderline Personality Disorder. However, We Level Up recommends using a psychiatrist, group, peer therapy, and family support to treat specific symptoms like:

• Mood swings
• Depression
• Other co-occurring mental disorders

Treatment for borderline personality disorder often needs help from more than one medical professional. This includes finding the most effective medications.

BPD Treatment Near Me

Suppose you experience severe symptoms and need intensive, often inpatient care. Others may use some outpatient treatments but never need hospitalization or emergency care.

Here at We Level Up Treatment Facility, we offer great care. Our doctors are available 24/7 to help you with your recovery. Reclaim your life, and call us to speak with one of our treatment specialists. Our specialists know what you are going through and will answer any of your questions.

Your call is private and confidential, and there is never any obligation.

Top 5 Borderline Personality Treatment Studies with Insights

When you look at the top five studies on Borderline Personality Treatment, you will see that science-based methods can help. Patients, doctors, and program leaders can support recovery by using proven therapies.

Frequently Asked Questions