In fact, many antidepressants can cause mood swings as a side effect, which can amplify the flurry of emotions that you are already feeling due to BPD, highlighting the necessity of proper diagnosis and receiving the appropriate antidepressant medication.
Research suggests that benzodiazepines may worsen the symptoms of impulsivity and suicidality in people with BPD, so their use is discouraged. 8. Some medications, such as benzodiazepines, may be habit-forming.
Because antidepressants have not demonstrated significant high-level evidence of therapeutic benefit, these medications currently lack strong recommendations in treating BPD. Serotonin regulates amygdala hyperreactivity in BPD, thought to be a central neurobiological correlate of affective instability.
Antidepressants can help people with borderline personality disorder experience relief from symptoms such as emotional reactivity, depression, and anxiety. Taking an antidepressant may come with certain side effects, allergic reaction, or unusual bleeding.
Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs) are the most commonly prescribed antidepressants for individuals with BPD who are experiencing symptoms of depression.
Medication Summary
In the treatment of borderline personality disorder (BPD), selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are greatly preferred to the other classes of antidepressants.
There are various studies in mood stabilizer use, like lithium, carbamazepine, oxcarbazepine, sodium valproate and lamotrigine, in the treatment of borderline personality disorder. Moreover, there are also studies, which have revealed efficacies of risperidone, olanzapine and quetiapine as atypical antipsychotics.
Borderline personality disorder is mainly treated using psychotherapy, but medication may be added. Your doctor also may recommend hospitalization if your safety is at risk. Treatment can help you learn skills to manage and cope with your condition.
The Social Security Administration placed borderline personality disorder as one of the mental health disorders on its disabilities list. However, you'll have to meet specific criteria for an official disability finding. For example, you must prove that you have the symptoms of the condition.
Key points. Depression, specifically major depressive disorder, is comorbid in 41 to 83 percent of those with BPD. Those with BPD often are misdiagnosed with depression, while BPD goes undetected until much later. BPD is often confused as an affective disorder (depressive or bipolar), but proof is in the treatment.
Family issues as a source of resistance
Another important source of resistance in treating patients with BPD is their notion that change may entail betraying their family in particular ways as well as giving up habits they may feel work well for them in avoiding feelings.
Environmental factors
being exposed to long-term fear or distress as a child. being neglected by 1 or both parents. growing up with another family member who had a serious mental health condition, such as bipolar disorder or a drink or drug misuse problem.
It can be distressing for the person with borderline personality disorder and the people around them, and it is often misunderstood. It is the most common personality disorder in Australia, affecting about 1 to 4 in every 100 people at some time in their lives.
In particular, there is evidence that BPD is commonly misdiagnosed as Bipolar Disorder, Type 2. One study showed that 40% of people who met criteria for BPD but not for bipolar disorder were nevertheless misdiagnosed with Bipolar Type 2.
Symptoms of BPD can also interfere with concentration, which can lead to poor work performance. For example, frequent dissociation can inhibit your ability to finish your tasks in a timely fashion.
Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is a serious, long-lasting and complex mental health problem. People with BPD have difficulty regulating or handling their emotions or controlling their impulses.
Many people with BPD feel emotions deeply and find working in a caring role fulfilling. If you are an empathetic person, consider jobs such as teaching, childcare, nursing and animal care.
Brand names: Zoloft
Sertraline has an average rating of 6.6 out of 10 from a total of 36 ratings for the off-label treatment of Borderline Personality Disorder. 58% of reviewers reported a positive experience, while 28% reported a negative experience.
People with borderline personality disorder may experience intense mood swings and feel uncertainty about how they see themselves. Their feelings for others can change quickly, and swing from extreme closeness to extreme dislike. These changing feelings can lead to unstable relationships and emotional pain.
Antipsychotics are widely used in BPD, as they are believed to be effective in improving impulsivity, aggression, anxiety and psychotic symptoms [Nose et al. 2006; American Psychiatric Association, 2001].
Indeed, several reports have demonstrated the efficacy of selective serotonin re-uptake drugs in treating the depressive and impulsive symptoms of patients with BPD.
Separations, disagreements, and rejections—real or perceived—are the most common triggers for symptoms. A person with BPD is highly sensitive to abandonment and being alone, which brings about intense feelings of anger, fear, suicidal thoughts and self-harm, and very impulsive decisions.
What might trigger a splitting episode? A split is typically triggered by an event that causes a person with BPD to take extreme emotional viewpoints. These events may be relatively ordinary, such as having to travel on a business trip or getting in an argument with someone.