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Amanda L. Smith, LCSW

900 Austin Ave
Waco, TX, 76701
941.704.4328
Borderline Personality Disorder, Self-Injury, and Emotional Dysregulation

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Amanda L. Smith, LCSW

  • About Me
  • Consult with Me
  • Help for Families
  • Books and Articles
  • DBT Self-Help
  • Blog

Should People with Borderline Personality Disorder Drink Alcohol?

January 9, 2021 Amanda Smith
Should people with BPD drink alcohol.jpg

For many adults, drinking alcohol is an important part of celebrations, family gatherings, and enjoying delicious food but is it a good idea for someone with a mental health diagnosis to drink on occasion?

There are many pros and cons to drinking alcohol.

Pros
• Alcohol may enhance the flavor of many foods
• Alcohol often helps people to relax and be more sociable
• Alcohol may help some people regulate their emotions for a short period of time
• Alcohol can provide a temporary distraction from painful emotions or thoughts

Cons
• There is no safe level of alcohol consumption for women who are pregnant or who may be pregnant
• Alcohol may interfere with the effectiveness of medications
• Alcohol combined with some psychiatric medications (such as benzodiazepines) may be potentially lethal
• Symptoms related to emotional dysregulation may become worse with alcohol use
• Alcohol may be correlated with increased urges to self-harm or die by suicide
• Regular or prolonged alcohol use may interfere with important academic, vocational, or relational goals
• Alcohol use may lead to impulsive behaviors
• Binge drinking may lead to physical health problems including memory loss

Of course, drinking may or may not be problematic for you.

Ask yourself:

• Am I at my healthiest when I’m drinking?
• Does alcohol decrease my ability to regulate my emotions?
• Is alcohol helping me to reach my goals?
• Do I hide my drinking from those who love me?
• Do I feel guilt or shame after drinking?
• Are other people worried about my alcohol use?

As a DBT therapist, I encourage my clients who use alcohol regularly to consider a 30-day vacation from using any alcohol or to think about the role of mindful drinking in their lives. Many of my clients find that when they take a break from using alcohol that they are better able to manage many of the symptoms related to borderline personality disorder. Taking an extended break from alcohol may also help increase an individual’s self-worth.

If you are an individual learning skills from DBT to help yourself, you might think about the benefits of using the following skills to help decrease your alcohol use:

• Wise Mind
• ACCEPTS
• IMPROVE
• Self-soothing
• Pros and Cons
• PLEASE
• Coping Ahead
• Opposite Action

What might help you to reach your goals? Remember: Recovery is possible.


If you’re looking for additional information about borderline personality disorder or dialectical behavior therapy, check out these resources and ideas:

DBT Self-Help

BPD Crisis Resources and Help

DBT-inspired Art Journaling Prompts

What Does it Mean to Be Dialectical?

← Mental Health Smoothie for Borderline Personality DisorderThe Role of Validation in Creating Healthier Families →

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Amanda L. Smith, LCSW
900 Austin Avenue Suite 304
Waco, Texas 76701
amanda@hopeforbpd.com

Compassionate and confidential treatment options for emotion dysregulation, self-harming behaviors, suicidal thinking, and borderline personality disorder.


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