Since many people with borderline personality disorder also suffer from depression, some people who receive electroconvulsive therapy have BPD.
Using ECT Effective for Borderline Personality Disorder
Even though electroconvulsive therapy is used to treat severe depression in people who have borderline personality disorder, there is research that suggests that ECT is not as effective in treating depression for people who also have BPD. One study, published in 2004, looked at the effects of ECT in 139 patients, all of whom had major depression and 20 of whom also had borderline personality disorder. The study found that eight days following treatment, those with borderline personality disorder didn’t score as well on a depression symptom measurement scale as those who didn’t have a personality disorder or those who had a different type of personality disorder. The patients in that study who had borderline personality disorder were more likely to be women, to be younger, and to have medication-resistant depression, but the study authors noted that these factors didn’t account for their poorer response to electroconvulsive therapy.
The Bottom Line
The research literature in this area is small and inconsistent, so it does not mean that people who have both depression and borderline personality disorder should not receive ECT. However, it is something to consider when you are weighing the risks and benefits. While ECT does have a long and controversial history, it is recognized as an effective treatment for severe depression by the American Psychiatric Association (APA). The APA has issued guidelines for the use of ECT that ensure that the procedures are carried out with your safety and well-being in mind. Some people do experience unwanted side effects from electroconvulsive therapy (for example, memory loss), so you should talk about the risks and benefits with your provider if you are considering ECT.
