Trigger warning: this article discusses borderline personality disorder as a mental disorder, in addition to self-harm. This article is solely for educational purposes. If you or someone you know feel like you are struggling with borderline personality disorder, please seek professional help for an evaluation.
Borderline personality disorder is considered one of the most complex disorders known to psychologists today. From constant misdiagnoses to therapists turning down patients, BPD is highly stigmatized as well as misunderstood in society and the mental health community alike. Misdiagnosis is so common with BPD patients because the symptoms are so complex. Sometimes when conducting an evaluation, the individual may not be able to fully express their feelings, triggers, and interfering behaviors. On the other hand, a lot of therapists tend to stay away from diagnosing their patients with BPD because many therapists share the general stigma that surrounds patients with BPD – that they are very hard to treat.
It is important to understand that to be properly diagnosed with BPD, the individual must qualify for at least five of the nine symptoms that it comes with. Prior to this, the symptoms themselves also must be understood – one of which being impulsive and self-destructive behaviors.
What is Impulsivity?
According to Very Well Mind, “impulsivity, or an impulsive behavior, is broadly defined as actions without foresight that are poorly conceived, prematurely expressed, unnecessarily risky, and inappropriate to the situation. Impulsivity is associated with undesirable, rather than desirable, outcomes. Though not exclusive to people with borderline personality disorder (BPD), if you have BPD, you may find yourself struggling to manage impulsive behaviors.”
Why BPD Patients Turn to Impulsive and Self-Destructive Behaviors
If you have BPD, you may engage in harmful, sensation-seeking behaviors, especially when you are upset. You may impulsively spend money you cannot afford, binge eat, drive recklessly, shoplift, engage in risky sex, or overdo it with drugs or alcohol. These risky behaviors may help you feel better in the moment, but they hurt you and those around you over the long-term.
According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5), impulsive behaviors are a hallmark of BPD.
People who are impulsive are commonly described as –
- Hot-headed
- Rash
- Unpredictable
- Unstable
It is, in fact, the instability that best characterizes BPD as a disorder. People with BPD typically struggle with the feelings of inadequacy that manifest with unstable emotions, unstable behaviors, and unstable relationships. They may be quick to lash out at anything considered a slight issue and will often fail to recognize how those emotions are unreasonable or excessive.
In psychological terms, impulsive behaviors are inherently inappropriate either in terms of scale or potential risk. A person with BPD is less likely to consider potential consequences and will often turn to self-harming behaviors like binge eating or excessive drinking as a means to cope. However, impulsive behaviors are not, in and of themselves, diagnostic of BPD. It is only when the behavior is pervasive, detrimental, and interferes with a the ability to function normally that a BPD diagnosis may be considered.