Borderline Personality Disorder Adolescent Treatment Centers

Borderline Personality Disorder Adolescent Treatment Centers

Sometime during early adolescence your child started exhibiting unusual, and disturbing, behaviors.  Extreme moodiness, problems with schoolmates, and angry outbursts may have initially been attributed to the usual turmoil surrounding the onset of puberty and hormonal fluctuations.  But as time went on, it was becoming evident that your young teen was engaging in risky behaviors that put her in harm’s way.  Ultimately, it was the discovery that she was engaging in self-harm, cutting in her case, that set alarm bells ringing.

Borderline personality disorder is a form of mental illness that is sometimes confused with bipolar disorder, or some other mood disorder.  The major differentiating element is the extremely low level of self-worth that fuels the distorted thought patterns and erratic behaviors. Because it is a difficult mental health condition to treat, it requires the expertise of a borderline personality disorder adolescent treatment center for the best chances of treatment success.

About Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD)

According to the National Alliance on Mental Health (NAMI), BPD affects approximately 1.6% of the adult population, and in most cases the first symptoms were present in the early teen years.  Doctors are extremely cautious when diagnosing BPD in teens, knowing that this phase of life can cause many of the symptoms in completely normal, healthy young people.  But when the symptoms escalate and become disruptive to the teen’s life, even dangerous, it is critical that parents seek psychiatric intervention at a borderline personality disorder adolescent treatment center—the earlier the better.

BPD is characterized by erratic and dramatic emotional displays accompanied by inflexible black-or-white type thinking.  The irrational behaviors lead to significant problems with relationships or interpersonal relating in general.  Tied to the extreme behaviors is very low self-esteem, uncontrollable anger, low frustration thresholds, fear of rejection or abandonment, self-harming behaviors as well as suicide ideation.

Another trait of BPD, as well as other personality disorders like histrionic disorder or narcissistic personality disorder, is a lack of remorse about the fallout and damage caused by their erratic behaviors.  On the contrary, they often place the blame on the victim, or the recipient of their rage, instead of accepting blame.  However, on some level they become filled with deep self-loathing and shame.

Substance abuse is commonly a co-occurring condition with teen BPD, as they often lean on alcohol or drugs to help minimize the intensity of the emotions they experience.  Teens with BPD also struggle with impulse control, and will engage in risky behaviors, such as promiscuous sex, reckless driving, or excessive shopping.

What to Expect at a Borderline Personality Disorder Adolescent Treatment Center

It is important to seek out a specialized treatment program designed specifically for “Cluster B” personality disorders as defined by the DSM-5.  Only sustained, targeted psychotherapy, often in combination with medications such as mood stabilizers and antidepressants, will be effective in successfully managing BPD.  The primary goals of cognitive behavioral therapy will to identify triggers, and teach emotion regulation and distress tolerance as life management tools.

Therapy will address the irrational thought patterns and the subsequent dysfunctional and destructive behaviors that follow.  The two primary types of psychotherapy for treating BPD are cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and dialectical behavior therapy (DBT).  The treatment plan will include a combination of individual therapy sessions and group sessions.  In addition, the therapist will work with the teen to teach them how to develop healthy relationships and effective communication skills.

Seeking a Borderline Personality Disorder Adolescent Center

The Treatment Specialist will connect you with a treatment center who will provide guidance and compassion. When you call you will receive an initial confidential assessment and a free insurance check. For more information for borderline personality treatment programs in California, contact a Treatment Specialist today at (866) 644-7911.