Conditions: Borderline Personality Disorder
Keywords: Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitor Escitalopram Borderline Personality Disorder Major Depressive Disorder Self-harm
Allocation: RANDOMIZED | Intervention model: PARALLEL
Enrollment: 70
Healthy volunteers: no

Brief summary:
The goal of this study is to examine the effectiveness the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) escitalopram (also known by the trade name "Lexapro") in reducing desire to self-harm and actual self-harming among young adults with borderline personality disorder who are also currently depressed. Subjects will receive either escitalopram or placebo for eight weeks. During this time subjects will be make weekly visits to see the psychiatrist and record their thoughts and feelings several times each day using an electronic diary.

Detailed description:

Arms:
arm 1: 10-20 mg of escitalopram for eight weeks (10mg for the first 2 weeks, 20mg thereafter) arm 2: Inert placebo (sugar pill) taken daily for eight weeks

Interventions: intervention 1: Escitalopram
Intervention descriptions: intervention 1: 10-20 mg of escitalopram daily for eight weeks (10mg for the first 2 weeks, 20mg thereafter)

Protocol document: