The Relationship Between Drug Addiction and Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD)

Published On: April 22, 2024

Approximately 78% of adults with borderline personality disorder (BPD) struggle with addiction or a substance use disorder (SUD) at some point in their lives. Drug addiction and mental health disorders like BPD are common comorbidities that often reinforce each other’s symptoms, resulting in a co-occurring disorder or dual diagnosis.

Dual Diagnosis: Comorbid Substance Use Disorders (SUDs) and Mental Illness

Dual diagnosis, also known as a co-occurring disorder, is when a mental illness and a substance use disorder (SUD) coexist. Understanding the nature of comorbidities in drug addiction and how each disorder can exacerbate one another is crucial for effective treatment and recovery. According to SAMHSA, people with a mental health disorder are likelier to experience a drug or alcohol addiction than those without a mental illness. In the United States, about 21.5 million adults have a co-occurring disorder.

Common comorbidities with substance use disorders (SUDs) include:

Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD)
Panic disorder
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
Major depressive disorder (MDD)
Bipolar disorder
Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
Borderline personality disorder (BPD)
Antisocial personality disorder (ASPD)
Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)
Schizophrenia

Individuals struggling with drug abuse typically experience heightened emotions and mood dysregulation. Substance abuse can disrupt the balance of neurotransmitters, such as norepinephrine, dopamine, and serotonin, in the brain. These brain chemicals play a critical role in cognitive function and mood regulation, and an imbalance can contribute to feelings of anxiety, depression, and psychosis.

Many individuals struggling with a mental health disorder, such as depression or BPD, may turn to substances like alcohol, opioids, or cocaine to cope with their symptoms. Substances exacerbate mental health conditions, just as mental illness can exacerbate drug abuse and addiction.

The Connection Between Drug Addiction and Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD)

Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is a mental health condition characterized by the inability to manage one’s emotions. Many individuals with BPD experience emotional instability, impulsive behaviors, and unstable relationships as a result of their condition. Living with BPD can significantly impact someone’s day-to-day and overall quality of life. The intense emotions individuals experience, whether how they view themselves or others, can make it incredibly difficult to function in everyday life.

Symptoms of borderline personality disorder (BPD) may include:

Intense emotions and mood swings
Impulsive behaviors
Fear of abandonment
Distorted thinking patterns
Turbulent and unstable relationships
Self-harm
Suicidal ideation or behaviors
Low self-esteem
Feelings of emptiness
Stress-related paranoia
Intense anger

Individuals with borderline personality disorder (BPD) often experience these emotions as a result of their distorted patterns of thinking and emotional swings. Some may use drugs as a means to escape these intense emotions and fears, leading to temporary relief. Turning to drugs and alcohol to cope with mental illness only leads to the worsening of one’s condition. Correspondingly, substance abuse can lead to the development of mental health disorders like borderline personality disorder (BPD).

Emotional Dysregulation

People with BPD often have trouble managing and regulating their emotions, which can lead to outbursts, relationship problems, and impulsive decisions. Some may turn to drugs to temporarily escape and numb these intense emotions, thoughts, and feelings. Drug addiction and emotional instability do not cancel each other out but rather worsen the symptoms of both conditions.

Impulsive Behaviors

Impulsivity is one of the core characteristics of borderline personality disorder (BPD), which typically leads to risky behaviors and poor decisions, like drug abuse. While the immediate effects of drugs can be attractive to individuals with BPD or other mental illnesses, the aftereffects are rather unpleasant. As the effects start to wear off, individuals begin to consider the decisions they made while under the influence and feel regretful or empty as a result.

Trauma and Stress

Traumatic life experiences, including abuse or neglect, are prevalent in individuals struggling with BPD or drug addiction. The emotional distress from past trauma, such as physical, emotional, or sexual abuse or neglect, can lead individuals to develop BPD or an SUD. Many individuals adopt the toxic habit of substance use to manage emotional turmoil and pain.

Interpersonal Struggles

People living with borderline personality disorder (BPD) often have unstable relationships with family members, friends, and even coworkers. Their emotional instability can cause them to lash out and push loved ones away, worsening feelings of emptiness and their fear of abandonment. Interpersonal relationship problems may lead them to use drugs or alcohol to cope with stressful interactions or to fill the void in their personal and social lives.

Integrative Treatment

The comorbidity of drug addiction and borderline personality disorder (BPD) can complicate the treatment for both conditions. Symptoms of drug addiction can mask or mirror BPD symptoms, potentially leading to misdiagnosis or underdiagnosis. Treating a co-occurring disorder requires a dual diagnosis treatment program for substance use disorders (SUDs) and BPD. Dual diagnosis takes a holistic, integrative approach to addiction treatment, ensuring each condition is simultaneously treated.

Dialectical Behavior Therapy: Treatment for Drug Addiction and BPD

Dual diagnosis treatment tailors treatment plans to individuals with both a substance use disorder (SUD) and a mental health disorder. One of the most effective treatments for borderline personality disorder (BPD) is dialectical behavior therapy (DBT). DBT, developed initially to treat BPD, is a form of talk therapy that employs cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) practices blended with DBT techniques. These DBT skills are taught to help individuals in drug addiction treatment manage their emotions and relationship struggles more effectively.

DBT skills include mindfulness, distress tolerance, interpersonal effectiveness, and emotion regulation. Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) in drug and alcohol rehab not only helps patients manage BPD symptoms related to emotional dysregulation but also helps manage triggers and cravings, repair broken relationships, and fully recover from drug abuse and addiction.

Dual diagnosis treatment in drug rehab is tailored to patients struggling with a mental health disorder and a drug addiction, also known as a co-occurring disorder. Here at Palm Beach Gardens Recovery, our drug rehab programs in South Florida are carefully designed for you and your situation.

Reach out to speak with one of our addiction professionals and get sober TODAY!