HOW SLEEP DISTURBANCES AFFECT THOSE WITH BORDERLINE PERSONALITY DISORDER AND THE IMPLICATIONS FOR TREATMENT

This thesis argues that there is limited research on Borderline Personality Disorder’s comorbidity with sleep disorders, and by pointing out the gaps in knowledge this will encourage researchers and doctors to consider this topic as important in the health care field. Sleep disorders can be anything from reduced total sleep time, fragmented sleep, and changes in sleep architecture, and all of these can cause and be caused by disruption of the circadian clock. There are various ways in which circadian clock disruption can cause diseases, cancer, and mental disorders through genes, sleep, and the environment. Borderline Personality Disorder comorbid with sleep disorders can cause a vicious cycle with one disorder increasing the other’s intensity. These two disorders together can lead to higher rates of depressive, anxious, and suicidal symptoms. The current treatment options for BPD and sleep disturbances are limited and there is no standard way to treat these. With this being the case, we need to discover a way to treat both of these disorders in a patient without causing severe side effects and without ignoring one of the disorders altogether. Through a holistic view of a whole person through treatment plans that are specific to each individual, it is possible to alleviate some of the symptoms of BPD and sleep disorders, grant these people back a sense of control and self-autonomy over their lives, and strive towards the possibility of recovery.