Dealing with personality disorders

The drug fluvoxamine has been found by researchers to be more effective than placebos in treating rapid mood shifts in women with borderline personality disorder. This study , which included 38 non-schizophrenic, non-bipolar women with borderline personality disorder between the ages of 19 and 51 was conducted by researchers from various universities in Netherlands. They were evaluated for differences in rapid mood shift, impulsivity and aggression when given fluvoxamine or a placebo.

Participants were first randomly and unknowingly given fluvoxamine or a placebo for six weeks. This was followed by another six weeks in which all of the participants were given fluvoxamine. Again, it was unknown to the participants if they had been given the drug or the placebo. Researchers then gave the participants fluvoxamine for 12 weeks and told the participants they were receiving the drug.

Researchers reported that fluvoxamine generated a healthy and long lasting decrease in rapid mood shifts, but the placebo did not. It was also found that the drug did not have any impact on impulsivity and aggression. This authors say, may be due to gender-specific differences in impulsivity and aggression. Prior to this study, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, called SSRIs were prescribed for treatment of borderline personality disorder symptoms.