Borderline Personality Disorder and Dual Diagnosis

An individual with a dual diagnosis suffers from co-occurring mental illness and alcohol or drug addiction. Dual diagnosis patients are notoriously difficult to treat, and are at a high-risk for suicide and other self-harming behaviors. Also, due to the similarity of symptoms among their various conditions, many substance issues experienced by the dual diagnosis patient may go unnoticed, leaving them more likely to quickly sink into the cycle of addiction.

These dangers are all compounded when the mental illness in question is Borderline Personality Disorder – a condition that causes the individual to be dangerously impulsive and unable to enter into fulfilling personal relationships.

What is Borderline Personality Disorder?

Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) is a mental illness in which the individual suffers from a very unstable sense of self-image, leading to a variety of social and psychological problems, including:

The inability to maintain healthy relationships or friendships
Highly impulsive behavior
Low self-esteem
Depression
Rage
Extreme "black and white" viewpoints about the world.

To others, the individual with BPD is going to be hard to warm up to socially. They may be extremely standoffish and will almost seem to push people away by design. These are all core issues related to the problems the BPD is experiencing with their self-image. The symptoms above represent the way these self-image issues tend to manifest themselves.

Addiction and BPD

When drugs and alcohol become a part of the lives of the individual with BPD, the results can be destructive, both for that person and his or her family. Alcohol and drug addiction can fuel the rage and depression the BPD patient is experiencing. Plus, individuals with BPD tend to be isolated because of their lack of strong relationships. This kind of isolation can turn substance abuse into addiction quickly as the individual lacks any "checks and balances" in their life.

Help for the Dual Diagnosis Patient with Borderline Personality Disorder

Individuals who are suffering from a borderline personality disorder and an addiction to drugs or alcohol need specialized care. Traditional drug rehab centers, while well-meaning, are unlikely to have the type of psychological professionals on staff that can effectively treat the individual with BPD. Conversely, general psychiatric care may not employ addiction counselors or therapists who know how to help an individual break the cycle of dependence on drugs or alcohol.

Therefore, the responsibility of treating the dual diagnosis patients falls on the shoulders of integrated care facilities that understand the special needs of these individuals. Integrated care from a team of medical and psychiatric professionals is so important because the symptoms of drug and alcohol addiction are often similar to those found in BPD. Knowing the difference between the root causes of mental illness and addiction – and understanding how each impacts the other is the key to treatment success.

Michael's House is one of the few drug rehab facilities in California that provides comprehensive treatment for individuals who have been diagnosed as dual diagnosis patients. Using cutting edge treatment methods and a variety of holistic programs, Michael's House is able to achieve life-changing breakthroughs for the patients with co-occurring BPD and addiction issues. Contact Michael's House today at for more information.