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Transference-Focused Psychotherapy (TFP) Principles in the Pharmacotherapy of Personality Disorders

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Fundamentals of Transference-Focused Psychotherapy

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Abstract

The pharmacotherapy of severe personality disorder pathology is a challenging subject. Patients with certain personality disorder diagnoses, particularly borderline personality disorder, take medications at high rates, despite limited dating supporting efficacy. Prescribers will often struggle when patients exhibit primitive defenses (idealization/devaluation, splitting, omnipotent control, projection), which can lead to serious problems including polypharmacy, prescription medication misuse or dependence, and the clinician’s departure from customary prescribing practices. Transference-focused psychotherapy (TFP) principles can offer prescribers a set of tools in managing “difficult” patients. TFP principles in this context will include openness to making a diagnosis of personality disorder pathology, sharing the diagnosis with patients, establishing a treatment contract, and family education about personality disorder pathology and medications.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University Center for Psychoanalytic Training and Research, New York, NY, USA

    Richard G. Hersh & Eve Caligor

  2. Department of Psychiatry, Weill Cornell Medical Center, Columbia University Center for Psychoanalytic Training and Research, New York, NY, USA

    Frank E. Yeomans

Authors
  1. Richard G. Hersh
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  2. Eve Caligor
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  3. Frank E. Yeomans
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Hersh, R.G., Caligor, E., Yeomans, F.E. (2016). Transference-Focused Psychotherapy (TFP) Principles in the Pharmacotherapy of Personality Disorders. In: Fundamentals of Transference-Focused Psychotherapy. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-44091-0_6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-44091-0_6

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-44089-7

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-44091-0

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