For many years, researchers involved in studying the science behind psychiatric disorders have tried to find a causal link between depression and Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD). Much research has been done on the symptoms of depression and BPD, and their rates of co-occurrence.
So what is the link between depression and Borderline Personality Disorder?
Co-occurrence of Depression and BPD
Depression is common among people with Borderline Personality Disorder. Rates of depression in people with BPD can be as high as 60 percent, according to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH).
Serious depression, including Bipolar Disorder, is found in about 50 percent of people with Borderline Personality Disorder, according to the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI). This depression can become more intense and steady than depression experienced by people without BPD, according to NAMI. It may also result in sleep and appetite disturbances.
Often, the symptoms of depression develop long after the symptoms of Borderline Personality Disorder, and vice versa. And the symptoms of depression and BPD often present themselves differently in each individual. That means that both psychiatric disorders need to be treated together in order to truly aid the patient.
Treating Depression and BPD
If you are diagnosed with both Borderline Personality Disorder and depression, it will be important for you to get treatment for both. Learning to manage the symptoms of one disorder won’t necessarily help you with the symptoms of the other, so make sure you find psychiatric disorder treatment that will address the symptoms of both your BPD and depression.
An effective treatment center for BPD and depression, whether day treatment, outpatient treatment, or residential treatment, will offer the following therapies to treat both disorders:
- Individual therapy with a therapist trained in the treatment of depression and BPD.
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), which can help you examine your thinking patterns and change your negative thoughts and beliefs.
- Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), which can help you change the habitual withdrawal and passivity of depression, and help you develop self-awareness of your emotions and regain control of them. In DBT treatment, you will participate in individual therapy, DBT skills groups, and phone coaching.
A treatment center for Borderline Personality Disorder and depression may also offer the following therapies for a more comprehensive treatment:
- Art therapy
- Couples and family therapy
- Anger management
- Trauma treatment
Despite their high rate of co-occurrence, it is possible to learn to effectively manage the symptoms of both your depression and Borderline Personality Disorder so that you feel more like yourself again.