| Borderline Personality
Disorder & Children
Question:
My step daughter seems to fit the profil for Borderline Personality Disorder. She has low self esteem, extreme mood swings, bad relationships. She also seems to display edipis type behavior toward her father. What sorts of therapies or medications might be good to explore with these types of difficulties. She is currently takeing Prozac, but it only seems to aggitate her.
Response:
Hello D
You did not mention how old your stepdaughter is... it is very difficult to diagnose Borderline Personality Disorder in children, as they are still developing and forming their personality. Sometimes Bi-polar Disorder looks like Borderline Personality Disorder.
However, a competent Child Psychiatrist should be able to identify the disorder.
Prozac can at times have the side-effect of increased agitation and anxiety. Most patients have to try a number of different anti-depressant before settling with the one that suits them. Other SSRI's can be tried in such situations.
A mood stabilizer is also very effective and recommended highly when there are severe mood swings present.
Psychotherapy is also very effective in working with issues of low self-esteem, managing mood swings and poor relationships.
Regards
Azfar Malik MD |
