New Treatments & Clinical Trials for Borderline Personality Disorder

Borderline personality disorder affects about 1.4% of adults in the U.S. and involves intense emotional swings, unstable relationships, and impulsive behavior. Dialectical behavior therapy is the main evidence-based treatment, though many people also take medications for co-occurring depression or anxiety. Research is now exploring whether specific drugs can address the core emotional instability of BPD itself.

What's actually going on in research

Trials are testing medications that may stabilize emotions in BPD, including drugs that affect opioid receptors, oxytocin pathways, and dopamine signaling. Researchers are also studying brain stimulation techniques, digital therapy tools, and whether certain psychedelics combined with therapy could help. Some work focuses on adolescents, since early intervention might prevent long-term patterns from taking hold.

What to know before you search

Eligibility often depends on BPD diagnosis confirmation, symptom severity, history of self-harm or suicidal behavior, current medications, and whether co-occurring conditions like depression or substance use are present.

What types of trials are currently open

• Medication trials — Testing drugs that may reduce emotional instability, impulsivity, or self-harm behavior. These often involve daily pills and regular mood tracking.
• Psychotherapy trials — Comparing different forms of therapy or testing digital tools that deliver DBT or other evidence-based approaches remotely.
• Brain stimulation studies — Testing transcranial magnetic stimulation or similar techniques to see if they reduce emotional reactivity or impulsive behavior.
• Early intervention trials — Studying whether treating adolescents or young adults at risk for BPD can prevent the full disorder from developing.
• Observational studies — Following people with BPD over time to understand what predicts recovery, what treatments work best for whom, and how the disorder changes with age.