How a Rehab Center Treats People with Borderline Personality Disorder

Borderline Personality Disorder, or BPD, is one of several personality disorders, including paranoid personality disorder and antisocial personality disorder. BPD is a complex and serious mental illness. Those who are diagnosed with it are unable to manage their emotions appropriately and this seriously impacts relationships. They find it difficult to regulate their emotions and thoughts; they display reckless and impulsive behavior; and, they have unstable relationships.

It sounds pretty serious, right?

When BPD is combined with another condition, such as a substance use disorder, things become even more dangerous.

For help finding a rehab center that will lead you to recovery from mental illness and substance abuse, call 800-481-6320Who Answers?.

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration estimates 1.6 to 5.9 percent of the populations have BPD. That is not a high number in general, but 10 percent of all psychiatric outpatients have BPD and up to 20 percent of all inpatients have it.

People with BPD have a difficult time regulating their thoughts and emotions.

Further, the rates of BPD among those with a substance abuse disorder is very high: 50.7 percent of individuals who participated in a large survey and had received a BPD diagnosis at some point in their life had also been diagnosed for a substance use disorder in the previous year.

If you are a person who has both a substance use disorder and borderline personality disorder, know that you are one of many. For this reason, rehab centers provide many services that should be especially helpful for you. The discussion that follows will go-over these services in greater detail.

If you have multiple disorders, including a substance use one, you definitely need to visit a professional rehab center. Otherwise, your borderline personality disorder could prevent your addiction rehab from being a success.

For help finding a facility that can serve all of your needs, contact our 24-hour helpline at 800-481-6320Who Answers? to speak with an expert. We can answer questions, discuss funding options, and recommend appropriate programs.

Dual Diagnosis

Dual diagnosis is a term used for people who have more than one diagnosis, as you do. Often the disorders are referred to as comorbid, which just means they occur concurrently.

For you to receive the best possible treatment, the rehab center will conduct a thorough assessment before designing your treatment plan. Prepare to discuss your physical health, your mental health, and your social situation. Expect a physical and inquiries into your medical history. When the rehab center has fully evaluated you, they will design your treatment plan.

It is imperative that you address both disorders, as a change in one will affect the other. As such, you either need a single person treating both disorders, or a pair of people with a stream of constant communication.

If you have not been offered dual diagnosis treatment before, it will probably provide you with some measure of relief because you know that progress is being made in a positive direction.

Why Integrated Treatment Approaches Work Best for Dual Diagnosis Sufferers

Medication

You may be prescribed medication, but you should be aware, as the National Institute of Mental Health reminds readers, that there are no medications approved for BPD by the Food and Drug Administration. This means that you do not have a proven cure to fall back on.

You may, however, be given medication in addition to therapy, as a way of addressing aspects of your BPD. For example, you may benefit from a lessening of your depression, anxiety, or aggression. You may receive more than one medication, but don’t be concerned if you receive one or none at all. Every treatment plan is different.

You may also be given medication for your addiction treatment. If you have an opiate or alcohol addiction, then there are approved medications to help you with withdrawals, cravings, and continued abstinence. Your treatment manager will make sure that any medications given are appropriate to both disorders and that they do not interact negatively with one another.

Therapy: Dialectical Behavioral Therapy

People with BPD often have a hard time bonding with a therapist and therapists often become aggravated with patients who are diagnosed with BPD. Therefore, it is important that you receive care from a professional and that they use an approach proven to work with this diagnosis.

One proven method is dialectical behavioral therapy, or DBT. The therapy focuses on remaining mindful of emotion and responses. It teaches patients skills they can use to reduce self-destructive behavior, control intense emotions, and improve relationships. It balances accepting behaviors and beliefs and challenging them.

To take advantage of a treatment plan that fully addresses your needs, call us at 800-481-6320Who Answers?. It’s time you got the holistic care that you need and deserve.