A study conducted by Rhode Island Hospital has shown that the common Mood Disorder Questionnaire (MDQ) test used for screening for bipolar disorder often results in a person who appears to be suffering from BPD (Borderline Personality Disorder) being diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder. Yet despite this confusion, these two conditions are very different. For one, there are no approved medications for BPD at present whereas there are medications approved for treating bipolar disorder. Additionally, psychotherapy programs such as DBT (Dialectical Behavior Therapy) which have been developed for use with BPD patients and shown to be effective are not commonly used with bipolar patients. Consequently, there is a significant risk that people wrongly diagnosed with bipolar disorder who are actually suffering from BPD may be prescribed ineffective medications that may have adverse side effects and will not receive psychotherapy that could help them manage their BPD.
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Harmony DBT in St. Louis, Missouri, offers nine free audio tracks for people to learn about Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT). DBT is a mainstay in psychotherapy treatment for people with certain personality and mood disorders. It was developed by Marsha M. Linehan for use in treating Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) patients.
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(Click here for more coverage of Borderline Personality Disorder.)
In a previous posting BPD prevalence may be 6%, 3 times higher than previously thought, we pointed out a study that estimates 5.9% of the US population suffers from Borderline Personality Disorder. That study was based upon the Wave 2 National Epidemiologic Survey conducted in 2004 to 2005 using interviews of approximately 35,000 Americans. The study results were published in 2008.
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(Click here for more coverage of Borderline Personality Disorder.)
DSM-IV (the “Diagnostics and Statistics Manual, 4th edition” — a reference book for those working in mental health care) estimates the prevalence of BPD is 2%, meaning that 2 out of every 100 people suffer from the disorder. However, DSM-IV was published in 1994, a long time ago. Since then, considerable research has shown the 2% rate may be a significant underestimate.
A telephone study in Iowa in the 1990s indicated that possibly 7% of the population suffers from BPD.
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