Mental Health Treatment over Time

Abstract

At baseline, borderline patients reported using high rates of outpatient treatment and more restrictive forms of treatment, such as inpatient psychiatric treatment. Over time, these rates have declined, particularly for more restrictive and costly forms of treatment. However, high rates of borderline patients remain in outpatient psychotherapy and continue taking standing medications in all major classes of psychotropic medications. Perhaps most concerning is that a substantial percentage of borderline patients have been treated with aggressive polypharmacy (three or more standing medications) despite the health consequences, such as obesity, and despite there being no empirical evidence for this common practice. Evidence-based psychosocial treatments are reviewed, and suggestions are made for treatment as usual.