Borderline Personality Disorder
Medically reviewed by Drugs.com. Last updated on Apr 2, 2024.
Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is a pattern of thoughts and behaviors that causes most areas of your life to be unstable. Your thoughts and behaviors seem normal to you, but not to others. You often make choices that are impulsive and risky without thinking about the outcome. Your moods, thoughts, and opinions change from one extreme to the other. Treatment can help you learn to control your symptoms and may help you recover from BPD.
DISCHARGE INSTRUCTIONS:
Call your local emergency number (911 in the US), or have someone else 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:
- You have questions or concerns about your condition or care.
Medicines:
You may need any of the following to treat symptoms that 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.
- Take your medicine as directed. Contact your healthcare provider if you think your medicine is not helping or if you have side effects. Tell your provider if you are allergic to any medicine. Keep a list of the medicines, vitamins, and herbs you take. Include the amounts, and when and why you take them. Bring the list or the pill bottles to follow-up visits. Carry your medicine list with you in case of an emergency.
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)
Treatment options
The following list of medications are related to or used in the treatment of this condition.
Therapy:
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.
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 healthcare 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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