Borderline Personality Disorder Treatments

By Kristalyn Salters-Pedneault, PhD, About.com Guide to Borderline Personality

What treatments are available for borderline personality disorder (BPD), and how effective are they? Finding the help that's right for you means being aware of all of the treatment options available.

1. Finding Help for BPD
2. Psychotherapies for BPD
3. Medication and Other Treatments
4. Obstacles to BPD Treatment

Finding Help for BPD

Getting treatment for BPD begins with putting in effort to find the right therapist. BPD experts are limited, so this may take some trial and error.

• Find a BPD Therapist
• Types of BPD Providers
• An Overview of BPD Treatments

Psychotherapies for BPD

There are a number of psychotherapies (or "talk therapies") that have been proven effective for reducing BPD symptoms. These therapies are among the most effective for BPD, and can be used along with medications or intensive treatments.

• Dialectical Behavior Therapy
• Mentalization-Based Therapy
• Schema-Focused Therapy
• Transference-Focused Therapy

Medication and Other Treatments

Psychotherapy isn't the only treatment choice; there are medications and intensive therapies available to reduce BPD symptoms, too.

• Medications for BPD
• Intensive Treatments: Hospitalization
• Family Therapy

• Does Electroconvulsive Therapy Work?
• Couples Therapy
• Self-Help Strategies

Obstacles to BPD Treatment

While there are effective treatments for BPD, treatment does not always go smoothly. Here are some factors that can complicate BPD treatment.

• Suicidality and BPD
• Quitting Treatment: Therapy Destroying Behavior