How Alcohol Affects People With BPD

People with borderline personality disorder regulate their emotions poorly in comparison to the average person. Similar to those who suffer from bipolar disorder, people with BPD will experience mood swings. However, rather than rest in one emotional state for days or weeks before swinging back into an opposite emotion, people with BPD may experience this emotional shift in a matter hours. Those who suffer from BPD often take refuge in alcohol. Unfortunately, this substance only exacerbates the the problems inherent to the disorder.

Outbursts

• People with BPD are prone to emotional outbursts and fits of rage. Imbibing alcohol only makes these outburst more likely, because intoxication, particularly heavy intoxication, loosens remaining inhibitions about wild behavior. This behavior has a lasting, negative effect on the durability of friendships and romantic relationships, and is more frequently with frequent alcohol consumption. The resulting deterioration of interpersonal relationships leads directly to much more serious effects.

Social Isolation

• Alcohol causes a vicious cycle for people with borderline personality disorder. Lashing out at others, or provoking their disdain with unusual or depressed behavior, eventually leads to social isolation. According to a study reported on by the University of Rochester, those individuals who live alone are often separated from spouses due to divorce, an emotionally devastating form of social isolation. This withdrawal from the world only makes it more likely that the individual will continue a downward spiral of alcohol use and alienating behavior towards others.

Unemployment

• These behavioral phenomena obviously cause friction in the workplace. Unemployment, or a higher frequency of unemployment in one's lifetime, is a common consequence of BPD. As with the vicious cycle mentioned in regard to social isolation, alcohol use increases the chance of losing one's job. This alternate form of social rejection can lead to even more alcohol use and increased demonstrations of anger or profound sadness.

Self-Injury

• As alcohol use continues the downward slide of a person with BPD, many with the disorder turn to forms of self-injury for additional relief. People with BPD report a sudden and temporary feeling of relief when they cut themselves. Though it may provide emotional relief, self-injury obviously contributes to further isolation and puts the individual at risk of infections and scarring. Just as consumption of alcohol makes it easier for individuals to engage in other risky behaviors, it also enables many to cut themselves when the alcohol itself brings no relief.

Suicide

• The most serious effect of high alcohol consumption on a person with BPD is the tendency towards suicide. Analysis of suicide and suicide attempts suggest that those individuals with BPD who are dependent on alcohol are also most likely to have a serious intent to commit suicide. They have a higher rate of completing suicide than any others who attempted suicide.