A recent study shows that medications can effectively treat the core symptoms of Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) but not the disorder’s overall severity.
The study, published in the British Journal of Psychiatry, found that medications such as mood stabilizers and second-generation antipsychotics can alleviate specific symptoms of BPD. The study also found that omega-3 fatty acids significantly reduce the symptoms of suicidality and depression.
Antidepressants, on the other hand, were not found to be especially useful for treating symptoms of depression in patients with borderline personality disorder.
The results indicate that drug therapy used for borderline personality treatment should target specific symptoms of BPD instead of attempting to reduce the overall severity of the disorder.
Talk Therapy Remains Effective for BPD Treatment
No effective medications were found to treat the BPD symptoms of identity disturbance, dissociation, avoidance of abandonment or feelings of emptiness. The study’s authors determined that those symptoms are better left to be treated through psychotherapy.
Psychotherapy is often used to treat BPD along with drug therapy. The majority of the people who participated in the study did not receive therapy along with their medication. Because of that, the study’s authors concluded that more studies on the interaction between the two for BPD treatment are needed.
