Entering Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) treatment can be a positive, life-changing decision. Successful recovery from BPD can mean healthier relationships and increased emotional stability.
Few people with Borderline Personality Disorder recover without the benefit of professional treatment. In BPD treatment, patients acquire a whole new set of life skills that can help manage their borderline personality symptoms and reduce the amount of conflict and stress in their lives.
Before entering Borderline Personality Disorder treatment, it is a good idea to carefully consider your options. You will want to assess your situation and decide on the approach to BPD treatment that best suits your needs and lifestyle.
Here are five things to consider in your decision-making process:
1. How severe are my Borderline Personality Disorder symptoms?
Taking an honest look at how borderline personality symptoms are manifesting in your life will help you determine what your immediate needs are when it comes to Borderline Personality Disorder treatment. If you are feeling suicidal or engaging in self-harmful behaviors, you should seek BPD treatment as soon as possible, and preferably in a residential BPD treatment environment. Untreated BPD can result in life-threatening behaviors, and should be addressed accordingly.
2. Will my current health insurance plan cover my BPD treatment?
Dealing with insurance companies can be daunting and often frustrating, but knowing exactly what your coverage is for mental health treatment is the best place to start when you’re exploring your options for BPD treatment. What mental health providers can you choose from? How many sessions are covered? Will your insurance company supplement costs of residential BPD treatment? Knowing the answers will empower you to make the best decision based on your available coverage.
3. What is the best therapeutic approach?
Most Borderline Personality Disorder treatments involve a combination of some form of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and medication to treat related borderline personality symptoms. Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) is currently considered the most effective road to recovery for people with BPD, but other options such as Schema-based therapy and Transference-focused therapy have also shown to be successful approaches to BPD treatment.
4. How do I choose a BPD therapist who is right for me?
When you enter Borderline Personality Disorder treatment, you will be doing some very difficult and intensive work on building new life skills, changing old thinking patterns, and discovering what your triggers are. You will want to do this with someone who has training and experience treating patients with BPD. You are hiring someone to help you on this journey, so bring questions to your first meeting, express any concerns you have, and don’t choose someone you don’t feel completely comfortable with.
5. What level of BPD treatment do I need?
Borderline Personality Disorder treatment is a process that takes time and energy. How much time and energy do you realistically need to spend on your recovery based on how your borderline personality symptoms are affecting your life? Residential treatment, day treatment, and outpatient treatment are all options for BPD treatment that offer choices for those who must work concurrently while in treatment, as well as those who can dedicate more time to BPD treatment. When making a decision about the time you can commit to BPD treatment, keep in mind that the more you can immerse yourself in the process, the faster you can begin to acquire the skills you will need to recover from BPD and move forward in a positive direction.
