Borderline personality disorder is a mental health disorder characterized by instability in moods, self-image and relationships with others. Mental health professionals are often reluctant to diagnose teenagers with this disorder, because teens are still going through changes in mental development, but once a teenager is showing signs of a personality disorder, it is important to get proper treatment. When you’re looking for borderline personality treatment centers, Texas offers a wide variety of inpatient and intensive outpatient treatment options.
Recognizing the Signs of Borderline Personality Disorder in Teenagers
The adolescent years can be very volatile for many all teens, so parents may initially dismiss the signs of a personality disorder as teen moodiness. However, if the “moodiness” seems to continue or develop over a long period of time, a teen isn’t likely to grow out of it. Here are some of the most common signs of borderline personality disorder in teenagers:
- Feeling panicked at signs of abandonment
- Highly changeable and intense mood swings
- Overly strong emotional reactions and difficulty controlling anger
- Suicidal behavior or self-harm, such as cutting
- Poor impulse control, such as overspending or substance abuse
- Intense and unstable relationships with loved ones
- Unstable self-image and dissociative symptoms
Finding Treatment for Borderline Personality Disorder in Texas
If a teen is exhibiting signs of a personality disorder, it is important for him or her to be evaluated by a mental health professional. A thorough assessment will help determine if the teen has borderline personality disorder or another type of mental illness. During this process, the teen will undergo a detailed interview and a complete physical to rule out possible medical causes for behavior changes. The treatment approach will depend on the severity of symptoms. Borderline personality disorder is treated mainly with psychotherapy, such as cognitive behavioral therapy, dialectical behavior therapy or schema-focused therapy. The psychotherapist may also combine techniques from different therapies. A teen with severe symptoms such as suicidal behavior or self-harm may need to be treated in an inpatient setting. Your doctor or therapist can help you choose the best borderline personality disorder treatment center in Texas based on the specific needs of the patient. The prognosis for improvement depends on how severe the symptoms are and whether the patient is willing to accept help, but with treatment improvement in symptoms is definitely possible. Resource National Institute of Mental Health: Borderline Personality Disorder https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/borderline-personality-disorder/index.shtml