Peer Reviewed
Psychological medicine

Borderline personality disorder: the difficult patient

Janine L Stevenson
Abstract
GPs are often the first point of contact for patients with borderline personality disorder, and this encounter can be critical in engaging these patients with health services that can provide support and treatment.
Key Points

    General practitioners play an important role in the early recognition of patients with borderline personality disorder and then continue in a supportive role in the ongoing management of these patients. Early recognition allows effective resolution of symptoms before the development of complications, such as serious self-harm, suicide, drug abuse and relationship breakdown.

    Picture credit: © Janine Stevenson, 2014.

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