Borderline Personality Disorder, abbreviated as BPD, is a personality disorder characterized by pervasive and persistently unstable emotions, self-image and interpersonal relationships. Due to the stated instability of emotions in victims of the disorder, the victims usually have an overly impulsive character.
This makes the individual unable to have healthy interpersonal relationships and thus the person undergoes a lot of problems at home and even at work. The worst thing about BPD is, perhaps, the fact that its victim does not easily realize that he/she has a personality disorder and thus he/she may not seek help.
Due to increased awareness and concerns about BPD, its treatment has greatly improved over the years. Among its many treatments is psychotherapy in which either the victim or a group of vulnerable people are taken through therapy.
This kind of therapy works best if the patient is given time by an empathetic and non-judgmental therapist to talk about the difficulties he/she is currently experiencing and also the difficulties he/she has experienced in the past.
The therapy should also be properly planned so as to ensure it is consistent and bound to bear fruit. Barely two decades ago a therapy procedure known as, Dialectical Behavior Therapy, was invented for specifically treating BPD.
Recent research on the effectiveness of the procedure is very promising (Grohol 1). The studies show that its effectiveness is even higher than individual psychotherapy. There are also pharmacological solutions to the BPD problem. The prescriptions are given depending on the severity of the symptoms shown by the victim.
Among the prescriptions are mood stabilizers and antidepressants which help get rid of moodiness in patients of BPD. An example of an anti-depressant that can be used is lithium carbonate.
In cases where the thinking of the patient is distorted, the doctor may prescribe antipsychotic drugs which greatly help the patient. The therapist must also ensure that he/she treats problems related to drug abuse for the patient to benefit from the therapy sessions. It may also be necessary to hospitalize the patient for some time if he/she shows self-destructive characteristics like suicide.
The hospitalization will come in handy as a relief from the external stress that the patient may be experiencing. After treatment, the patient should be able to tolerate anxiety, control impulses, have an increased sense of self-worth and be able to make stable relationships (Paris 1).
Prevention of BPD is, arguably, more difficult than its treatment. Research shows that people who develop BPD have an innate disposition of having more intense reactions to small stressful conditions than other people. From this statement, it is clear that BPD is genetic. This is despite the fact that a person may develop the Personality Disorder if he/she is unable to maturely and wisely handle stressful experiences that occurred in the past and present challenges.
However, to prevent the occurrence of BPD in such people, they should be raised without abusive experiences in their childhood and mentored to develop a calm attitude towards dealing with stressful conditions (Corelli 1). They should also learn to be active in coming up with pragmatic solutions to personal and societal problems. This will enable then to shun a passive character in times of crisis which has been proven to lead to a more impulsive character.
Children who develop this disorder at early stages of their lives should be facilitated to be engaged in more social activities that can help them develop good interpersonal skills. By passing through a variety of social experiences and getting appropriate advice and guidance in times of distress, such children can shun BPD and grow up to be normal adults.
BPD is prevalent for people who are in the early adulthood stage. Its victims usually have a history of unstable relationship patterns which is mostly as a result of early disappointments in social interactions and self-image. The unstable pattern of interactions and emotions reveals itself in different settings and it does not only exhibit itself at home or at work.
One of the reasons why BPD is not diagnosed in minors is due to the developmental changes that occur at this age. However, people under the age of 18 years may still be diagnosed with the disorder in the case of a pervasive disturbance and holistic criteria (Gunderson 1).
As evidenced in the discussion above, BPD is one of the most complicated personality disorders. It occurs in individuals who may even deny having any personality disorder and affects their lives adversely.
BPD patients are characterized with job losses, school drop outs, inability to keep friends for long and inability to have a healthy personal life. It is therefore of essence that individuals with this problem be approached by concerned parties and be given the appropriate treatment.
Better still, if a person is identified as being in the process of developing BPD, he/she should be advised accordingly and facilitated to avoid developing the disorder. All in all, BPD is a serious disorder that shatters the life of its victim by making him/her unable to function in a society.
Works Cited
Corelli, Richard. “Borderline Personality Disorder”. 2010. Web.
Grohol, John. “Borderline Personality Disorder”. 2010. Web.
Gunderson, John. Borderline Personality Disorder: a clinical guide. New York. Barnes & Noble, 2008. Print.
Paris, Joel. “Borderline Personality Disorder: What is it? What causes it? How can we treat it?” 2003. Web.