Borderline Personality Disorder Essay
Borderline Personality Disorder and Substance Use Disorders
Psychology of Addictions
Alyx Brake
Introduction
Do you know anyone with drug and/or alcohol abuse disorder? Anyone with borderline personality disorder? Have you ever known anyone with both borderline personality disorder and drug and/or alcohol abuse disorder? When a person has a personality disorder they are more likely to become someone with a substance and/ or alcohol abuse disorder. A co-occurring disorder is a condition when a person has both a psychiatric diagnosis and a substance use disorder diagnosis. Thirty percent of alcohol abusers have at least one mental illness, and 29 percent of the mentally ill abused either alcohol or drugs (Fields, 2017). One …show more content…
of the most frequent personality disorder that co-occurs with substance and alcohol abuse is borderline personality disorder.
Substance use disorder - Definition and Symptoms Drug dependency is when an individual feels like he/ or she has to have the drugs to function for the day. This is an everyday occurrence. They wake up and the drug of choice is what’s on their mind. An individual can be dependent on prescription or illicit drug (Drug Dependence, 2016). Symptoms of substance use disorder include extreme urges to use so you can block things out, needing more of the drug to get the same affect as the first time you used, taking larger amounts of the drug over time, always needing to maintain a supply of the drug, spending money on the drug although you can’t afford it, not meeting obligations and work responsibilities, cutting back on social events, and continuing to use although its causing problems and you are aware of it (Drug Addiction, 2017). Other symptoms include doing things you usually wouldn’t do to get the drugs, doing risky things activities while under the influence of the drugs, spending a great deal of time getting, using, and recovering from the drug, failing in your attempts to quit using the drug, and when trying to quit taking the drug you experience withdrawal symptoms (Drug Addiction, 2017).
Substance use Disorder- Causes and Treatments The causes of substance use include peer pressure, genetics, emotional distress, and environmental surrounding (Drug dependency, 2016). Some say that having a mental disorder as well can be a cause for substance use as well. Treatments for substance use may vary from person to person, because not everyone is the same nor are they addicted to the same drug. A common treatment option is rehabilitation. The rehabilitation center will work with the patient to help recover them physically, psychologically, socially, and spiritually (Drug Dependence, 2016). When the individual goes through treatment, they might suffer from withdrawal symptoms. Withdrawal symptoms of substance use might include sensitivity to pain, irritability, emotional instability, depression and anxiety, restlessness and insomnia, lack of or increased appetite, sweating and hot flashes, body aches, weakness, and headaches (Drug Withdrawal symptoms, 2017). Inpatient treatment can last between 30 and 90 days, one of the benefits of inpatient treatment is there commitment to after care relapse prevention programs.
Alcohol Dependency- Definition and Symptoms Along with substance use disorder, there is alcohol use disorder. Alcohol use disorder, more commonly known as, “alcoholism.” Alcoholism is defined as a strong, often uncontrollable, desire to drink alcohol. There are many stages of alcohol use disorder, not everyone drinks all day everyday like people think they do. They may feel the need to share a bottle of wine with someone every night or most nights of the week or drink a couple glasses by themselves. Sometimes people have a hard time relaxing or enjoying themselves without alcohol, in this case it has been said that, the person had become psychologically dependent on alcohol (Alcohol Dependence and Withdrawal, 2017). After a person becomes psychologically dependent, they eventually become physically dependent. Some people with psychological or physical dependence suffer from withdrawal symptoms if their blood alcohol level gets too low (Alcohol dependence and Withdrawal, 2017). Along with substance use disorder when a person tries to quit their addiction there are withdrawal symptoms. These withdrawal symptoms include tremors, anxiety, nausea, vomiting, headache, increased heart rate, sweating, irritability, confusion, insomnia, nightmares, and high blood pressure (Badii, 2016).
Alcohol Dependency- Causes and Treatments The causes of alcohol use disorder are thought to be genetic, caused by stressful situations, or possible psychological disorders. Possible treatments for alcohol use disorder are behavioral treatments, medications, and mutual- support groups (Treatment for Alcohol Problems, 2017). Behavioral treatments aim at changing drinking behavior by counseling. Medication can be used alone or be mixed with counseling, there are only three approved medications right now in the United States. Lastly is the mutual- support groups, which involve alcoholics anonymous (AA), and twelve- step programs (Treatment for Alcohol Problems, 2017). Most of the time mutual- support groups are combined with behavioral treatment or medications to create and extra layer of support (Treatment for Alcohol Problems, 2017).
Borderline Personality Disorder- Definition and Symptoms Borderline personality disorder, is a psychological disorder. A person with borderline personality disorder experiences inappropriate and/ or extreme emotional reaction, highly impulsive behaviors, and has a history of unstable relationships (What Are the Signs & Symptoms, 2017). The effects of borderline personality disorder include having a hard time completing school, maintaining a job, and having a healthy, long- lasting relationship because of the mood swings, impulsive behaviors, and extreme emotional reactions. About eighty percent of people suffering from borderline personality disorder have attempted suicide or have displayed suicidal behaviors (what are signs and Symptoms, 2017). Symptoms of this disorder is a person having an unstable or dysfunctional self-image or a distorted sense of self, feelings of isolation, boredom, emptiness, difficulty feeling empathy for others, history of unstable relationships that can change extremely from intense love to intense hate, persistent fear of abandonment or rejection, extreme emotional reactions to real and even perceived abandonment, intense, highly unexpected moods that can last for unknown amounts of time, feelings of anxiety, worry, depression, impulsivity, risky, self-destructive, dangerous behaviors, reckless driving, drug or alcohol, having unsafe sex, hostility, unstable career plans, goals or aspirations (What are signs and symptoms, 2017).
Borderline Personality Disorder- Causes and Treatments Causes of borderline personality disorder are genetics, inadequate bonding, and parenting in the early years (Fields, 2017). Treatments for borderline personality disorder very from person to person. The most common is talk therapy. Talk therapy for this disorder is long-term. There is not known or set amount of time that will be needed. Due to the complexity of this disorder and every person being different the amount of time it talked to help a person with borderline personality disorder is unknown (What are signs and Symptoms, 2017).
Connections Between Borderline Personality Disorder and Drug and Alcohol Dependency There are connections between borderline personality disorder and substance abuse.
Borderline personality disorder comes with pain, emotional instability, and impulsive behavior which makes it more likely for that person to be at risk for drug and alcohol use. With the use they are more likely to continue and become dependent on that drug, or alcohol. Both are characterized by impulsive, self-destructive behaviors (Borderline Personality Disorder and Addiction, 2017). They also may be characterized by mood swings ranging from severe depression to manic periods of intense energy. As well as characterized by manipulative, deceitful actions. They both can be characterized by a lack of concern for one’s own health and safety and an insistence on pursuing dangerous behavior in spite of the risks (Borderline Personality Disorder and Addiction, 2017). A person with borderline personality disorder is known to display suicidal behaviors or attempt to commit suicide, a person with a dependency is also know for the same types of behavior when under the influence or when going through withdrawal. Lastly both are often characterized by a pattern of instability in relationships, jobs and finances (Borderline Personality Disorder and
Addiction,2017).
Parts of the Brain Effected by Borderline Personality Disorder and Substance and Alcohol Abuse Disorder When looking at the parts of the brain borderline personality affect, it’s hard to tell what part it actually is because a signal is lost. With the fMRI (Functional MRI) and other testing, they believe that it’s the ventromedial prefrontal cortex. In a fMRI neuropsychological approach, they did a “go/ no go” test (Brain Abnormalities, 2007). They confirmed that discrete parts of the ventromedial prefrontal cortex, the subgenual anterior cingulate cortex, and the medial orbitofrontal cortex areas sometimes less active in patients (Brain Abnormalities, 2007). Drugs work in the brain in that, the chemicals from the drugs essentially by tapping into the communication system and interfere with the way neurons work. Some drugs amplify the message causing a disruption in the communication channels (NIDA, 2014). Some drugs fill your brain with dopamine. Dopamine is a chemical that makes us feel pleasure, which is what makes people want to continue taking these drugs. By over flooding the reward system with dopamine, the body has euphoric effects (NIDA, 2014). These effects are what enhance drug use, and eventually it turns into drug abuse.
Comparing and Contrasting- Biological cause of Borderline Personality Disorder and Drug/ Alcohol Dependency For many years it was to be believed that the cause of borderline personality disorder was poor and uninformed parenting. As they keep looking and researching, they think now that it is more environmental and biological matters that are the causes of borderline personality disorder. Sixty percent of the risks are conveyed by genetic abnormalities (Borderline personality disorder demystified, 2017). These abnormalities affect the functioning of brain pathways. The genes that increase the risk of someone passing it on is that if a parent has the disorder itself or bipolar disorder, depression, substance use disorder, ADHD, PTSD (Borderline personality disorder demystified, 2017). Genetics can be counted for half of a person’s drug or alcohol dependency. Unlike in borderline personality disorder, there is no proof that genes are the direct cause of someone’s dependency (Substance abuse and genetics, 2017). The impact of genes may be more or less in a person. Although genes are not the primary cause of someone’s drug or alcohol dependency, they play a very large role in. People with the predisposition or susceptibility of substance abuse may or may not become an abuser, and someone without the predisposition or susceptibility can become an abuser as well (Substance abuse and genetics, 2017). Having borderline personality disorder increases the risk of becoming drug or alcohol dependent, because of the genes that cause the disorder.
Conclusion
Borderline personality disorder is a very common mental disorder, that is often paired with a drug or alcohol dependency problem as well. When a person feels abandoned or rejected they tend to turn to drugs, or alcohol. As talked about in the paper a person with borderline personality disorder is more likely to develop a drug or alcohol dependency because of the genes in their body.
References
Alcohol dependence and withdrawal. (n.d.). Retrieved November 09, 2017, from https://www.drinkaware.co.uk/alcohol-facts/health-effects-of-alcohol/mental-health/alcohol-dependence/
Badii, C., & Boskey, E. (2016, June 30). Alcohol Withdrawal Syndrome. Retrieved November 26, 2017, from https://www.healthline.com/health/alcoholism/withdrawal#5
Brain Abnormalities Underlying Key Element of Borderline Personality Disorder Identified. (2007, December 27). Retrieved November 12, 2017, from https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071221094757.htm
Borderline Personality Disorder and Addiction. (n.d.). Retrieved November 10, 2017, from http://www.dualdiagnosis.org/borderline-personality-disorder-and-addiction/
Borderline personality disorder demystified. (n.d.). Retrieved November 12, 2017, from http://www.bpddemystified.com/what-is-bpd/causes/
Drug addiction (substance use disorder). (2017, October 26). Retrieved November 26, 2017, from https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/drug-addiction/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20365113
Drug Dependence. (2016, January 29). Retrieved November 09, 2017, from https://drugabuse.com/library/drug-dependence/
Drug Withdrawal Symptoms | Drug Detox and Addiction Treatment | Futures of Palm Beach. (n.d.). Retrieved November 26, 2017, from https://www.futuresofpalmbeach.com/addiction-treatment/drug-alcohol-detox/coping-with-withdrawal-symptoms/
Fields, R. (2017). Drugs in perspective: causes, assessment, family, prevention, intervention, and treatment (9th ed.). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill Education.
NIDA. (2014, July 1). Drugs, Brains, and Behavior: The Science of Addiction. Retrieved from https://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/drugs-brains-behavior-science-addiction on 2017, November 12
Substance abuse and genetics. (2008). Retrieved November 12, 2017, from http://alcoholrehab.com/drug-addiction/substance-abuse-and-genetics/
Treatment for Alcohol Problems: Finding and Getting Help. (n.d.). Retrieved November 26, 2017, from https://pubs.niaaa.nih.gov/publications/treatment/treatment.htm
What Are the Signs & Symptoms of Borderline Personality Disorder? (n.d.). Retrieved November 10, 2017, from https://www.psycom.net/depression.central.borderline.html
Psychology of Addictions
Alyx Brake
Introduction
Do you know anyone with drug and/or alcohol abuse disorder? Anyone with borderline personality disorder? Have you ever known anyone with both borderline personality disorder and drug and/or alcohol abuse disorder? When a person has a personality disorder they are more likely to become someone with a substance and/ or alcohol abuse disorder. A co-occurring disorder is a condition when a person has both a psychiatric diagnosis and a substance use disorder diagnosis. Thirty percent of alcohol abusers have at least one mental illness, and 29 percent of the mentally ill abused either alcohol or drugs (Fields, 2017). One …show more content…
of the most frequent personality disorder that co-occurs with substance and alcohol abuse is borderline personality disorder.
Substance use disorder - Definition and Symptoms Drug dependency is when an individual feels like he/ or she has to have the drugs to function for the day. This is an everyday occurrence. They wake up and the drug of choice is what’s on their mind. An individual can be dependent on prescription or illicit drug (Drug Dependence, 2016). Symptoms of substance use disorder include extreme urges to use so you can block things out, needing more of the drug to get the same affect as the first time you used, taking larger amounts of the drug over time, always needing to maintain a supply of the drug, spending money on the drug although you can’t afford it, not meeting obligations and work responsibilities, cutting back on social events, and continuing to use although its causing problems and you are aware of it (Drug Addiction, 2017). Other symptoms include doing things you usually wouldn’t do to get the drugs, doing risky things activities while under the influence of the drugs, spending a great deal of time getting, using, and recovering from the drug, failing in your attempts to quit using the drug, and when trying to quit taking the drug you experience withdrawal symptoms (Drug Addiction, 2017).
Substance use Disorder- Causes and Treatments The causes of substance use include peer pressure, genetics, emotional distress, and environmental surrounding (Drug dependency, 2016). Some say that having a mental disorder as well can be a cause for substance use as well. Treatments for substance use may vary from person to person, because not everyone is the same nor are they addicted to the same drug. A common treatment option is rehabilitation. The rehabilitation center will work with the patient to help recover them physically, psychologically, socially, and spiritually (Drug Dependence, 2016). When the individual goes through treatment, they might suffer from withdrawal symptoms. Withdrawal symptoms of substance use might include sensitivity to pain, irritability, emotional instability, depression and anxiety, restlessness and insomnia, lack of or increased appetite, sweating and hot flashes, body aches, weakness, and headaches (Drug Withdrawal symptoms, 2017). Inpatient treatment can last between 30 and 90 days, one of the benefits of inpatient treatment is there commitment to after care relapse prevention programs.
Alcohol Dependency- Definition and Symptoms Along with substance use disorder, there is alcohol use disorder. Alcohol use disorder, more commonly known as, “alcoholism.” Alcoholism is defined as a strong, often uncontrollable, desire to drink alcohol. There are many stages of alcohol use disorder, not everyone drinks all day everyday like people think they do. They may feel the need to share a bottle of wine with someone every night or most nights of the week or drink a couple glasses by themselves. Sometimes people have a hard time relaxing or enjoying themselves without alcohol, in this case it has been said that, the person had become psychologically dependent on alcohol (Alcohol Dependence and Withdrawal, 2017). After a person becomes psychologically dependent, they eventually become physically dependent. Some people with psychological or physical dependence suffer from withdrawal symptoms if their blood alcohol level gets too low (Alcohol dependence and Withdrawal, 2017). Along with substance use disorder when a person tries to quit their addiction there are withdrawal symptoms. These withdrawal symptoms include tremors, anxiety, nausea, vomiting, headache, increased heart rate, sweating, irritability, confusion, insomnia, nightmares, and high blood pressure (Badii, 2016).
Alcohol Dependency- Causes and Treatments The causes of alcohol use disorder are thought to be genetic, caused by stressful situations, or possible psychological disorders. Possible treatments for alcohol use disorder are behavioral treatments, medications, and mutual- support groups (Treatment for Alcohol Problems, 2017). Behavioral treatments aim at changing drinking behavior by counseling. Medication can be used alone or be mixed with counseling, there are only three approved medications right now in the United States. Lastly is the mutual- support groups, which involve alcoholics anonymous (AA), and twelve- step programs (Treatment for Alcohol Problems, 2017). Most of the time mutual- support groups are combined with behavioral treatment or medications to create and extra layer of support (Treatment for Alcohol Problems, 2017).
Borderline Personality Disorder- Definition and Symptoms Borderline personality disorder, is a psychological disorder. A person with borderline personality disorder experiences inappropriate and/ or extreme emotional reaction, highly impulsive behaviors, and has a history of unstable relationships (What Are the Signs & Symptoms, 2017). The effects of borderline personality disorder include having a hard time completing school, maintaining a job, and having a healthy, long- lasting relationship because of the mood swings, impulsive behaviors, and extreme emotional reactions. About eighty percent of people suffering from borderline personality disorder have attempted suicide or have displayed suicidal behaviors (what are signs and Symptoms, 2017). Symptoms of this disorder is a person having an unstable or dysfunctional self-image or a distorted sense of self, feelings of isolation, boredom, emptiness, difficulty feeling empathy for others, history of unstable relationships that can change extremely from intense love to intense hate, persistent fear of abandonment or rejection, extreme emotional reactions to real and even perceived abandonment, intense, highly unexpected moods that can last for unknown amounts of time, feelings of anxiety, worry, depression, impulsivity, risky, self-destructive, dangerous behaviors, reckless driving, drug or alcohol, having unsafe sex, hostility, unstable career plans, goals or aspirations (What are signs and symptoms, 2017).
Borderline Personality Disorder- Causes and Treatments Causes of borderline personality disorder are genetics, inadequate bonding, and parenting in the early years (Fields, 2017). Treatments for borderline personality disorder very from person to person. The most common is talk therapy. Talk therapy for this disorder is long-term. There is not known or set amount of time that will be needed. Due to the complexity of this disorder and every person being different the amount of time it talked to help a person with borderline personality disorder is unknown (What are signs and Symptoms, 2017).
Connections Between Borderline Personality Disorder and Drug and Alcohol Dependency There are connections between borderline personality disorder and substance abuse.
Borderline personality disorder comes with pain, emotional instability, and impulsive behavior which makes it more likely for that person to be at risk for drug and alcohol use. With the use they are more likely to continue and become dependent on that drug, or alcohol. Both are characterized by impulsive, self-destructive behaviors (Borderline Personality Disorder and Addiction, 2017). They also may be characterized by mood swings ranging from severe depression to manic periods of intense energy. As well as characterized by manipulative, deceitful actions. They both can be characterized by a lack of concern for one’s own health and safety and an insistence on pursuing dangerous behavior in spite of the risks (Borderline Personality Disorder and Addiction, 2017). A person with borderline personality disorder is known to display suicidal behaviors or attempt to commit suicide, a person with a dependency is also know for the same types of behavior when under the influence or when going through withdrawal. Lastly both are often characterized by a pattern of instability in relationships, jobs and finances (Borderline Personality Disorder and
Addiction,2017).
Parts of the Brain Effected by Borderline Personality Disorder and Substance and Alcohol Abuse Disorder When looking at the parts of the brain borderline personality affect, it’s hard to tell what part it actually is because a signal is lost. With the fMRI (Functional MRI) and other testing, they believe that it’s the ventromedial prefrontal cortex. In a fMRI neuropsychological approach, they did a “go/ no go” test (Brain Abnormalities, 2007). They confirmed that discrete parts of the ventromedial prefrontal cortex, the subgenual anterior cingulate cortex, and the medial orbitofrontal cortex areas sometimes less active in patients (Brain Abnormalities, 2007). Drugs work in the brain in that, the chemicals from the drugs essentially by tapping into the communication system and interfere with the way neurons work. Some drugs amplify the message causing a disruption in the communication channels (NIDA, 2014). Some drugs fill your brain with dopamine. Dopamine is a chemical that makes us feel pleasure, which is what makes people want to continue taking these drugs. By over flooding the reward system with dopamine, the body has euphoric effects (NIDA, 2014). These effects are what enhance drug use, and eventually it turns into drug abuse.
Comparing and Contrasting- Biological cause of Borderline Personality Disorder and Drug/ Alcohol Dependency For many years it was to be believed that the cause of borderline personality disorder was poor and uninformed parenting. As they keep looking and researching, they think now that it is more environmental and biological matters that are the causes of borderline personality disorder. Sixty percent of the risks are conveyed by genetic abnormalities (Borderline personality disorder demystified, 2017). These abnormalities affect the functioning of brain pathways. The genes that increase the risk of someone passing it on is that if a parent has the disorder itself or bipolar disorder, depression, substance use disorder, ADHD, PTSD (Borderline personality disorder demystified, 2017). Genetics can be counted for half of a person’s drug or alcohol dependency. Unlike in borderline personality disorder, there is no proof that genes are the direct cause of someone’s dependency (Substance abuse and genetics, 2017). The impact of genes may be more or less in a person. Although genes are not the primary cause of someone’s drug or alcohol dependency, they play a very large role in. People with the predisposition or susceptibility of substance abuse may or may not become an abuser, and someone without the predisposition or susceptibility can become an abuser as well (Substance abuse and genetics, 2017). Having borderline personality disorder increases the risk of becoming drug or alcohol dependent, because of the genes that cause the disorder.
Conclusion
Borderline personality disorder is a very common mental disorder, that is often paired with a drug or alcohol dependency problem as well. When a person feels abandoned or rejected they tend to turn to drugs, or alcohol. As talked about in the paper a person with borderline personality disorder is more likely to develop a drug or alcohol dependency because of the genes in their body.
References
Alcohol dependence and withdrawal. (n.d.). Retrieved November 09, 2017, from https://www.drinkaware.co.uk/alcohol-facts/health-effects-of-alcohol/mental-health/alcohol-dependence/
Badii, C., & Boskey, E. (2016, June 30). Alcohol Withdrawal Syndrome. Retrieved November 26, 2017, from https://www.healthline.com/health/alcoholism/withdrawal#5
Brain Abnormalities Underlying Key Element of Borderline Personality Disorder Identified. (2007, December 27). Retrieved November 12, 2017, from https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071221094757.htm
Borderline Personality Disorder and Addiction. (n.d.). Retrieved November 10, 2017, from http://www.dualdiagnosis.org/borderline-personality-disorder-and-addiction/
Borderline personality disorder demystified. (n.d.). Retrieved November 12, 2017, from http://www.bpddemystified.com/what-is-bpd/causes/
Drug addiction (substance use disorder). (2017, October 26). Retrieved November 26, 2017, from https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/drug-addiction/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20365113
Drug Dependence. (2016, January 29). Retrieved November 09, 2017, from https://drugabuse.com/library/drug-dependence/
Drug Withdrawal Symptoms | Drug Detox and Addiction Treatment | Futures of Palm Beach. (n.d.). Retrieved November 26, 2017, from https://www.futuresofpalmbeach.com/addiction-treatment/drug-alcohol-detox/coping-with-withdrawal-symptoms/
Fields, R. (2017). Drugs in perspective: causes, assessment, family, prevention, intervention, and treatment (9th ed.). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill Education.
NIDA. (2014, July 1). Drugs, Brains, and Behavior: The Science of Addiction. Retrieved from https://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/drugs-brains-behavior-science-addiction on 2017, November 12
Substance abuse and genetics. (2008). Retrieved November 12, 2017, from http://alcoholrehab.com/drug-addiction/substance-abuse-and-genetics/
Treatment for Alcohol Problems: Finding and Getting Help. (n.d.). Retrieved November 26, 2017, from https://pubs.niaaa.nih.gov/publications/treatment/treatment.htm
What Are the Signs & Symptoms of Borderline Personality Disorder? (n.d.). Retrieved November 10, 2017, from https://www.psycom.net/depression.central.borderline.html