Best BPD Borderline Personality Disorder Psychiatrist Near Me

HOW DOES A PSYCHIATRIST DIAGNOSE BORDERLINE PERSONALITY DISORDER (BPD)?

Borderline personality disorder (BPD) causes extreme emotional reactions to seemingly small triggers, especially interpersonal stressors. These reactions strongly affect relationships, moods, and daily functioning. The core symptoms of BPD are fear of abandonment and chronic thoughts of dying. Symptoms of BPD include:

  • Fear of abandonment, with frantic, desperate efforts to avoid being alone

  • Recurrent thoughts of suicide, threats of suicide, or self-injurious behavior (e.g., cutting, burning, skin-picking, head-banging)

  • A pattern of intense interpersonal relationships, seeing people as all-good or all-bad, with switching from good to bad

  • An unstable personal self-image, with feelings of emptiness and not existing

  • Dangerous and careless behavior, including alcohol and drug use, impulsive sex, reckless driving, stealing, and spending sprees

  • Severe mood swings, including uncontrollable rage and anger

  • Dissociation from reality or extreme paranoia

CAN A PSYCHIATRIST TEST FOR BPD?

Dr. Smith diagnoses borderline personality disorder using many factors, including screening tests. Take a BPD test to measure your symptoms. (Responses are anonymous.)

Does Dr. Smith PRESCRIBE MEDICATION FOR BPD?

An expert on borderline personality disorder said that the more medications a person with BPD takes, the less likely they are to get better. In part, this is because therapy is actually the best treatment for BPD. The smallest amount of medications possible should be used to help a person with BPD feel well enough to meaningfully engage in therapy.

Are there any medications for BPD?

There are no specific medications for borderline personality disorder, but sometimes medications are used to treat individual symptoms. For instance, the mood stabilizer Lamictal is commonly used for mood swings and anger in BPD. Otherwise, treatment should aim for other mental health issues that often accompany BPD, such as depression, anxiety, ADHD, and PTSD. As a BPD specialist, Dr. Smith understands when and how to treat the diverse symptoms that result from BPD and related mental health conditions.

DOes Dr. Smith do THERAPY FOR BPD?

Dr. Smith offers psychodynamic therapy, which has strong evidence as an effective long-term treatment for borderline personality disorder.

HOW DO I talk to Dr. Smith about this?

Contact Dr. Smith about evaluation and treatment of BPD.