Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is a serious mental health condition that affects the way you think, feel, and relate to others. If you have BPD, you’ll likely experience intense and unstable emotions, have difficulty maintaining healthy relationships, and sometimes behave impulsively.
It can be challenging to live with BPD, but the right treatment can help you manage your symptoms.
Everyone’s experience will be a bit different, but the symptoms of borderline personality disorder include:
Family history and certain life experiences can be risk factors for borderline personality disorder.
Genetics: If you have a close family member with BPD you may be at higher risk for developing it.
Abuse: Emotional, physical, and/or sexual abuse can be triggers for BPD.
Difficult family life: Issues including abandonment in childhood, an unstable family situation, and abuse in childhood can be risk factors for BPD.
Our coordinated care includes therapy and psychiatry to help you manage mental health symptoms, navigate life challenges, and build resilience.
Therapy is the primary treatment for borderline personality disorder, and with long-term commitment it can dramatically reduce symptoms. Our therapists use evidence-based approaches like Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) to help you build coping skills, regulate emotions, and improve relationships.
Some medications can be helpful for treating the symptoms of BPD, such as mood swings and depression. But medication doesn’t work for everyone and can sometimes cause unpleasant side effects. A Brave psychiatrist can help you figure out if medication is right for you.
At Brave Health, you don’t have to go through life’s challenges alone. We offer over 40 therapist-led groups, including specialized options for LGBTQ+ individuals, men, women, teens, and parents. We’ll help you find the group that’s right for you.
People with borderline personality disorder often get very angry and end their relationships abruptly, so it can be difficult to support someone with BPD. Close family members, such as parents and siblings, often do a lot of this caregiving work because of their strong bonds.
If you are supporting a loved one with BPD, remember that their reactions aren’t a reflection of you — their condition is causing their mood swings and intense emotions.
Talk therapy can make a big difference for people with BPD, so encouraging your loved one to seek treatment is important. You can help them navigate the Brave Health website and make their first appointment with a therapist.
Supporting someone with BPD can be very taxing. Make sure you take care of yourself by taking time for yourself, eating and sleeping well, and spending time with other friends and family members. It can also help to set boundaries with your loved one and be clear about what they can expect from you. You may want to consider therapy if you’re finding it difficult to cope with your loved one’s illness.
Brave Health believes that everyone should have access to high-quality mental health care.
Our providers are in-network with a wide variety of insurance plans, including Medicaid, Medicare, and Commercial insurance. Many Medicaid plans waive a co-payment for services. Contact your insurance plan to find out the total cost of care.
We also accept private patients who do not have insurance. See our fee schedule.
Brave Health’s team of clinicians includes licensed physicians, nurse practitioners, therapists, and counselors. Each of our team members has received specialized training in mental health care.
At Brave Health, therapists typically meet with patients for 50-minute video sessions on our secure telehealth platform. The frequency of sessions can vary based on the individual's needs and goals.
You will need a computer, smartphone, or tablet with a camera and microphone, as well as a reliable internet connection.
You will receive a text reminder 24 hours before your appointment, and another text and email reminder 15 minutes prior to the appointment with a link to the telehealth session. At that time, prepare to move to a private space and click the link to join a private waiting room where the clinician will arrive.
During the first 60-minute video appointment, the mental health clinician will ask questions, evaluate needs, and present treatment options.
