Comorbidity of Eating Disorders and Borderline Personality Disorder: A Literature Review
Abstract
Research on eating disorders (ED) and borderline personality disorder (BPD) has covered a lot of ground, but a comprehensive review of their comorbidity is still lacking. This study seeks to discuss the comorbidity of the two disorders through the results of previous research, covering a number of factors such as causes, clinical features, and diagnostic approaches, and to explore effective treatment modalities. Studies have shown that BPD exhibits high rates of co-morbidity with several eating disorder subtypes. This has been linked to neurotransmitters and genetic factors, as well as gender and childhood trauma. Patients with ED and BPD comorbidity have a higher possibility of suicide and more non-suicidal self-injurious behaviors. The results suggest that dialectical behaviorism therapy is more commonly used in the clinical treatment of patients with the comorbidity of ED and BPD. Future research could devote more attention to the pathological aspects of ED and BPD, as well as the role of pharmacotherapy.
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