BPD stands for borderline personality disorder. Many people are diagnosed with it. You may even be aware of someone who has this condition. Perhaps someone close to you has received a diagnosis of petulant BPD. Individuals with petulant BPD are likely to have substance abuse issues. Since this is such a common problem, it is worth discussing.
What Does Petulant BPD Entail?
Petulant BPD means that the person who has received the diagnosis is afflicted by a particular sub type of the disorder. They will usually fluctuate between times when they feel unloved or neglected and times when they blow up with explosive displays of temper.
They feel they must manipulate others. This is a compunction for them, so they usually can’t control it, even if you point examples of the behavior out to them. They may also become quite possessive. That’s why it is exceedingly difficult if you have one of these individuals as a family member or if you are dating or married to someone who has this condition.
How Does Substance Abuse Enter Into It?
There are a couple of established links between borderline personality disorder and substance abuse. The first one comes about because if the person with this disorder is having a hard time controlling those around them, they may want to ingest drugs to make themselves feel better about this failure. Someone with BPD who feels rejected, whether that rejection is real or imaginary, will often resort to problematic drug or alcohol use.
There is also research indicating that those with borderline personality disorder use drugs or alcohol because when they do so, they can more easily give in to the destructive impulses that are always present in them. Dis inhibition results when they use their substance of choice. When they do, they feel better about lashing out and feel that it is more justified when they do so.
What Can You Do if You Know Someone with borderline personality disorder who is Abusing Substances?
It can be pretty tough on the family members or friends of someone who has BPD and is abusing alcohol or drugs. Doubtless, they care about that person, but this behavior can be difficult to tolerate.
Convincing such a person to get help becomes paramount. You can sometimes do it with an intervention, similar to what you would do with anyone who is abusing alcohol or drugs.
Be ready for the individual to get defensive, though. This can often happen with anyone if you surprise them with an intervention, as they can feel personally attacked. With someone who has a petulant BPD diagnosis, though, the response can be even more volatile or even unhinged.
It is not always wise to deliver an ultimatum to someone who is flagrantly abusing drugs or alcohol, but in these extreme instances, you may have to do it. Otherwise, this person might become a destructive force in your life that you can no longer tolerate. Hopefully, the individual will realize you’re serious about cutting off contact with them unless their behavior changes.
