Physical Health and Medical Treatment

Remitted borderline patients were found to have better physical health, make better health-related lifestyle choices, and use fewer costly forms of treatment, such as ER visits, than non-remitted borderline patients. This same pattern was found 10 years later for recovered vs. non-recovered borderline patients. At both time points, obesity was the most common serious health problem, and smoking and lack of exercise were the most common poor lifestyle choices. Obesity was found to be related to poor psychosocial functioning in most realms. Recovered borderline patients had better sleep quality and were not as troubled by dysfunctional attitudes about sleep as non-recovered borderline patients. Borderline patients also reported higher levels of physical pain than Axis II comparison subjects. However, a substantial minority were able to use opioid medications responsibly over time.