Borderline ADHD

What does it mean to have borderline ADHD?

Women with ADHD, BPD, or both have issues with self-regulation; their feelings, conduct, relationships, and sense of self are all chronically unstable. Impulsivity and emotional instability are a problem for them, especially when it comes to handling rage.

BPD and ADHD are two distinct mental illnesses with their own set of symptoms. The link between ADHD and BPD, on the other hand, is a little more complicated. Some of their symptoms are similar, making diagnosis and treatment more difficult. To further grasp their link, it's vital to first understand the symptoms of each ailment independently.

While both BPD and ADHD suffer from impulsivity, trouble regulating emotions, and difficulties with interpersonal interactions and relationships, BPD suffers from these symptoms to a greater extent. People with borderline personality disorder, for example, are more inclined to hurt themselves.

There are also distinctions in how persons with BPD and those with ADHD deal with these symptoms and how they respond to them. They are not, for example, impulsive in the same ways. When people with BPD are anxious, they have a hard time responding appropriately. When they are not focused, however, people with ADHD have a harder time thinking before behaving.

Treatment

Psychotherapy, sometimes known as talk therapy, is the most common treatment for borderline personality disorder. With comorbid BPD and ADHD, this can be difficult because people with ADHD typically find it difficult to stay focused during talk therapy. To treat both, a combination of medicine and psychotherapy is frequently employed.

Medications

When BPD and ADHD coexist, treatment usually consists of a combination of medication and psychotherapy. Methylphenidate (MPH) and other stimulant medicines are frequently used as first-line treatments for ADHD. MPH was found to be beneficial in treating comorbid (co-occurring) ADHD and BPD in one research. 6 However, evidence on pharmaceutical therapies for comorbid ADHD and BPD is sparse.

Psychotherapy

There are various psychotherapies available for BPD talk therapy. DBT (dialectical behavioral therapy), TFP (transference-focused psychotherapy), and MBT (mentalization-based treatment) are a few examples (MBT). Both diseases are treated with cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), psychoeducation, and DBT. Coaching is an option for focusing on behaviors associated to ADHD in addition to drugs and talk therapy. Children with ADHD and their families may benefit from family therapy and parenting skills training.