Treatment Aspects

Borderline personality sufferers are notoriously untruthful when self reporting their levels of substance abuse and other behavioral problems, and as such the best way to obtain an accurate risk assessment is through the inclusion of all current and past community care and health workers assigned to the patient.

Because the care of the borderline personality patient generally involves a number of professionals working concurrently, the patient benefits most when a single case manger is appointed to make the ultimate decisions on assigned care and therapeutic protocols.

Suicide risks

Borderline personality disorder patients have an almost 10% chance of successfully committing suicide, and this risk is elevated through substance use and during periods of stress. Because the risk of suicide or self harmful behaviors is so high, the drug rehab staff must be aware of the risks and monitor carefully the behaviors of the patient during their stay. In extreme cases, pharmacological restraint may need to be administered in acute suicidal risk periods.

Pharmacological intervention for borderline personality disorder symptoms management

There are a number of pharmaceutical interventions employed depending on the severity of the disorder, and the sub type as presented. Patients with concurrent substance abuse generally present with an impulsive destructive type of borderline personality disorder, and for this subset, the use of SSRI's for impulse control and mood balancing has proven most beneficial. On a case by case basis the use of other anti depressant, anxiolitics and even neuroleptics or anti psychotics may be deemed appropriate.

Proper pharmaceutical intervention can have a very beneficial impact on symptoms expression, and can induce a much more receptive state of mind for drug dependence therapies and other interventions.