Borderline Personality Disorder in College

Being a college student can be both fun and challenging; however, for a college student with Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD), the goal of obtaining a college degree can seem downright impossible. For a student with BPD, successfully getting from point A (the beginning of the semester) to point B (completion of the semester), can be very challenging. A reason for this is that she or he may suddenly lose interest in the school, major, and/or classes or become overwhelmed by the possibility of failure.

Another scenario is the student may initially idealize professors and classmates, only for their feelings to suddenly change. Moreover, they are very sensitive to perceived rejection, however their thoughts and feelings may not match the reality of the situation. Consequently, they may become overwhelmed by anxiety and fear that students and teachers do not like them. As a result, they often impulsively drop their classes or drop out of school all together, without thinking of the consequences.

Additionally, their sense of self is often dependent on others, making it difficult to focus on a clear self-directed goal. A student with BPD may therefore often change college majors, schools, and as mentioned above, impulsively withdraw from classes. Accordingly, they often have transcripts from many different schools that are filled with a myriad of Withdrawals (W) and Fails (F).

Students with BPD often engage in impulsive self-damaging behavior, such as promiscuity, drug use, self-harm, etc. These behaviors can lead to shame and social avoidance, which is the antithesis of the college experience. Despite all of this, there is hope.  Many people who are diagnosed with BPD successfully graduate from college and go on to lead satisfying careers.

Here at OPI we offer a supportive treatment team which is essential in the treatment of BPD. Our team consists of psychiatrists who can prescribe mood stabilizing medication when appropriate, therapists who teach the Dialectical Behavior Therapy skills necessary for regulating emotions, life coaches who help with everyday challenges, career counselors who offer professional guidance, and educational counselors who provide support and guidance through every step of their academic journey. In addition, attending our support groups and finding various ways to reduce anxiety such as through yoga and meditation have proven efficacious in our participants managing the disorder. We also offer therapeutic groups, along with clubs and outings to reintegrate our participants into the community.

At OPI, we offer compassionate, clinically sophisticated intensive residential help for young adult men and women who suffer from borderline personality disorder or BPD traits, including genetic testing to determine the best course for medications, if needed. Rather than a sterile, hospital-like environment, we offer beautiful accommodations in luxury apartments just outside of Los Angeles.  At OPI Intensive, we treat the individual, not the diagnosis.  Our clinical team is made up of a diverse community of passionate, highly skilled individuals working together with you to help you find your joy and express it.   For more information on our OPI Intensive residential programs and our measures to help young adults with Borderline Personality Disorder, call us at 866-661-3982 or click HERE to submit an online form. We’ll be in touch promptly.