4.+What+is+the+Connection

** What is the Connection? **

__ **Prevalence of Alcohol Dependence in People with Borderline Personality Disorder ** __ According to Grant et al (2008), the prevalence of alcohol dependence among those with Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) is 41.6 % (52.2% men, 32.7% women) and the prevalence of BPD among those with alcohol dependence is 16.1% (13.9% men, 20.3% women).

Close to half of people with BPD have either alcohol use disorder (AUD) or drug use disorder (DUD). It has also been shown that a failure to enter remission from borderline personality disorder increases the likelihood of a substance use disorder (SUD) (Zanarini et al, 2004). The common explanation for why there is such a high comorbidity between substance use disorder and BPD is the level of impulsivity (Merikangas et al, 1998). It has been suggested that it is caused by a genetic predisposition and it has even been suggested that it should be seen as its own disorder: impulse spectrum disorders (Zanarini M. C., 1993) However, there is little evidence, at this point, to support the genetic link (Jang et al, 2000). Another hypothesis is the shared environmental factors that play into both BPD and SUD. People with BPD are affected more by psychosocial stressors than the average population (Walter et al, 2008) and those with substance use disorder are triggered by their environment. Although the cause of the link between BPD and SUD is still uncertain, there is no doubt that there is a prominent one.

Alcoholics With a Borderline Personality And Suicidal Behavior

References:
 * Alcoholics with Borderline Personality are at higher risk for suicidal attempts.
 * Compared to general population 6-10times greater than suicide attempts reported among alcoholics with BPD.
 * The risk factors for the BPD are the depression, marital states, aggression and impulsive traits.
 * Alcohol dependence individual are significantly more often unemployed and have a poor perspective in life. This might lead to higher consumption of alchol, hopelessness, depreesion and social isolation.
 * Together with their difficult socio economic situation even a small issue is enough to perspective suicidal behavior.
 * Alcohol dependence individual with BPD are likely to be at high risk for completed suicide, in addiction to their higher risk for attempted suicide.

Canwest Publishing Inc (2009). //Alcohol Use.// Retrieved November 18, 2009 from []

 Daily health news. (2009). Retrieved November 19th, 2009 from  [|www.emaxhealth.com]

Soloff PH, Lis JA, Kelly T, Cornelius J, Ulrich R. Self-mutilation and suicidal behavior in borderline personality disorder. Journal of Personality Disorders, 1994; 8(4): 257-67.