Combined medication and dialectical behavior therapy for borderline personality disorder

Medication treatment for BPD has developed in recent years as interest in pharmacotherapy of BPD has increased and as new medications have become available. With these developments has come the need for those clinicians working with BPD patients to learn and practice working together. This chapter reviews the pharmacotherapy options for patients with BPD so that all clinicians on a treatment team may be acquainted with the data supporting medication intervention. Following the section on medication, there is a discussion of DBT, an empirically supported psychotherapy now commonly used for the treatment of BPD. A description of how the treatment team can work together is offered. Because some BPD patients may provide challenges due to a tendency toward splitting, this integrated approach may lead to better treatment outcomes.