Some people with Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) are likely to deal with their changing and intense BPD symptoms through drug and alcohol abuse, one of the more common compulsive behaviors found in people with BPD.

Because Borderline Personality Disorder and substance abuse often co-occur, people who have issues with both have been found to be less receptive to treatment because they feel they’re sufficiently self-medicating themselves. But drugs and alcohol are only a short-term solution and in many cases make things worse.

Not only does substance abuse have its own set of problems, but as you build up a tolerance to substances, you may feel the need to use more to feel an effect. This creates a vicious cycle of substance abuse and addiction that gets increasingly difficult to stop.