Borderline Personality Disorder
Medically reviewed by Drugs.com. Last updated on May 4, 2025.
AMBULATORY CARE:
Borderline personality disorder (BPD)
is a mental condition that makes it hard to control your mood, thoughts, and behavior. BPD causes extreme shifts in moods, thoughts, and opinions. Areas of your life may not be stable, such as relationships, work, or school.
Signs and symptoms of BPD
may include many of the following:
- Impulsive or risky behavior that can be harmful to you or others
- Relationships that are intense, dramatic, or not stable
- Trouble controlling your emotions
- Suicidal thoughts or self-harm such as cutting, burning, or scratching yourself
- Intense fear of being abandoned
- Feeling empty or emotionally numb often
- A self-image that changes often
Call your local emergency number (911 in the US), or have someone call if:
- You see, hear, or feel things that are not real.
- You want to harm or kill yourself or someone else.
Call your doctor or therapist if:
- Your symptoms do not improve, or they get worse.
- You have questions or concerns about your condition or care.
Treatment
may need to take place in a hospital or clinic. Your healthcare provider will teach you about BPD and help create a treatment plan with you. Try to be patient during treatment. Do not give up if you have a setback. Treatment for BPD is a slow process, but over time you may improve symptoms or even recover from BPD.
- Therapy helps you learn skills to control your moods and improve your relationships. You also learn how to replace negative thoughts and beliefs with positive ones. You might work alone with a therapist, or attend group therapy with others who have BPD.
- Medicines may be used to treat severe symptoms that can occur with BPD:
- Antidepressants treat anxiety and depression.
- Mood stabilizers control mood swings and may decrease impulsive behavior.
- Antipsychotics help regulate thought and judgment, and may reduce anxiety, paranoia, and hostility.
Treatment options
The following list of medications are related to or used in the treatment of this condition.
Create a crisis plan:
Your healthcare provider will help you create a crisis plan to follow if you have thoughts about hurting yourself or someone else. The plan will include the names of people to call during a crisis. Share your plan with friends and family. Ask someone to stay with you if a crisis occurs.
Contact a suicide prevention organization:
- For the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline:
- Call or text 988
- Send a chat on https://988lifeline.org/chat
- Call 1-800-273-8255 (1-800-273-TALK)
- For the Suicide Hotline, call 1-800-784-2433 (1-800-SUICIDE)
Manage BPD:
- Create a daily routine. Eat meals at the same time each day. Go to sleep at the same time each night. Tell your healthcare provider if you have trouble sleeping.
- Reduce stress. Exercise regularly, or do other activities you enjoy. Make time to relax each day. Spend time with people and in places where you feel safe and at ease.
- Set realistic goals. Your provider can help you develop short-term and long-term goals. Break large tasks into small ones so you do not feel overwhelmed.
Follow up with your doctor or therapist as directed:
Write down your questions so you remember to ask them during your visits.
For support and more information:
- National Alliance on Mental Illness
3803 N. Fairfax Dr., Suite 100
Arlington , VA 22203
Phone: 1- 703 - 524-7600
Phone: 1- 800 - 950-6264
Web Address: http://www.nami.org
- 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline
PO Box 2345
Rockville , MD 20847-2345
Phone: 1- 800 - 988
Web Address: http://www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org OR https://988lifeline.org/chat/
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The above information is an educational aid only. It is not intended as medical advice for individual conditions or treatments. Talk to your doctor, nurse or pharmacist before following any medical regimen to see if it is safe and effective for you.
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