New treatment guidelines outline specific communication strategies that work
Until recently, borderline personality disorder (BPD) was considered to be a chronic ongoing condition with a poor prognosis and no effective treatment. However, the tide of research and clinical opinion has turned, and the prognosis for this disorder is now considered improved for most patients if one of a number of effective evidence-based treatments is implemented.1 On 15 March 2013, the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) issued the Clinical practice guideline for the management of borderline personality disorder, which outlines best practice.2
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- 2. National Health and Medical Research Council. Clinical practice guideline for the management of borderline personality disorder. Melbourne: NHMRC, 2012. http://www.nhmrc.gov.au/_files_nhmrc/publications/attachments/mh25_borderline_personality_guideline.pdf (accessed Apr 2013).
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- 10. Project Air Strategy for Personality Disorders. Treatment guidelines for personality disorders. Wollongong: NSW Health and Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute, 2011. http://ihmri.uow.edu.au/content/groups/public/@web/@ihmri/documents/doc/uow120790.pdf (accessed Apr 2013).
I thank Annemaree Bickerton for assistance with the family and carer section.
I was a member of the guideline development committee for the NHMRC Clinical practice guideline for the management of borderline personality disorder. I am also Director of the Project Air Strategy for Personality Disorders for NSW Health.