The Link Between Borderline Personality and Violence

Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsViolence in People With BPDStrong Emotions and BPDRisk of Becoming ViolentSafety PlansA Word From Verywell

Table of ContentsView All

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Table of Contents

Violence in People With BPD

Strong Emotions and BPD

Risk of Becoming Violent

Safety Plans

A Word From Verywell

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Borderline personality disorder (BPD)is a complex mental illness that affects both men and women. Along with strong emotions, people with BPD can also experience intense anger, known asborderline rage. If you have a family member or loved one who has BPD, it’s important to understand how violence relates to BPD and how it can be handled.Violence in People With BPDThere is research demonstrating that both men and women who have committed violent acts have elevated rates of borderline personality disorder compared to the general population. In fact, BPD is one of the most frequent diagnoses made in prison inmates, especially related to domestic violence. It is usually in the form ofreactive aggressionthat occurs when they feel provoked, rejected, or threatened.One research study revealed the followingstatistics about BPDand violence:73% acted out aggressively or violently within the past year58% were occasionally involved in physical altercations25% have used a weapon against someone at some point in their livesImpulsive behavior, which includes physical aggression, is one of thediagnostic criteria for BPD, even though someone can meet the criteria for the disorder without demonstrating this symptom.A large 2016 study in the U.K. found that BPD alone did not suggest a tendency for violence, but did show that those with BPD are more likely to have “comorbidities,” associated conditions such as anxiety, antisocial personality disorder, and substance abuse which do raise the risk of violence.Strong Emotions and BPDThere are several reasons why people with BPD are more likely to be violent in their relationships. First, people with BPD are often victims of violence themselves, such as throughchild abuse. While it’s not true for all people, many people with BPD may have learned to use aggression to deal with strong emotions because adults modeled that behavior for them when they were young.What the Bobo Doll Experiment Reveals About Kids and AggressionIn addition, people with BPD often experience an unstable sense of self and difficulty trusting others in interpersonal relationships. They may experience very strong emotions if they believe they are being rejected or abandoned; this is known asrejection sensitivityor abandonment sensitivity. These intense feelings of rejection can sometimes lead to aggressive behaviors.Finally, people with BPD often have difficulties with impulsive behaviors. When they are experiencing strong emotions that are typical of the disorder, they may do things without thinking about the consequences. If they engage in violence, it is usually not planned. It is animpulsive actdone in the heat of the moment.What Is Impulsivity?Risk of Becoming ViolentThe information above only provides general information about the link between borderline personality disorder and violence; it is not possible to predict whether one particular individual with BPD will be violent. If your loved one has not shown any violent tendencies or aggression, it is quite possible that they won’t be violent. Many individuals with BPD never commit any aggressive acts during their lives.How BPD Affects Romantic RelationshipsIf you arefeeling threatened, even if no violence has occurred in your relationship, you should take that seriously. If you already feel unsafe, it is possible the situation could escalate to the point of violence.You should consider getting yourself to a safe place away from that loved one, whether that means getting a hotel or staying with friends. It’s important that you are safe before trying to help your friend or family member get help.Once you are secure, your best bet is for both of you to seekprofessional helpthrough therapy with a therapist specializing in BPD. This may help you figure out whether the relationship can be improved and may prevent violence from happening in the future.Therapy can also help you decide whether this is a relationship worth saving. The therapist can also recommend a course of treatment to help your loved one get on the path to recovery.Dialectical Behavior Therapy for BPDSafety PlansHaving a diagnosis of BPD not only may increase the risk of violence against others but also against oneself.Self-harmis a common issue for many individuals living with BPD.If you are having suicidal thoughts, contact theNational Suicide Prevention Lifelineat988for support and assistance from a trained counselor. If you or a loved one are in immediate danger, call 911.For more mental health resources, see ourNational Helpline Database.Some therapists recommend that people fill out asafety plan for borderline personality disorder. This safety plan can be helpful not only in preparing for possible violent or suicidal thoughts but can help youidentify triggersin your daily life.Emotion Regulation in Borderline Personality DisorderA Word From VerywellEmotional instability and interpersonal conflict are hallmarks of BPD, and there is an increased risk for impulsivity, self-harm, and reactive violence toward others when triggered. If you are a loved one has BPD, there is hope for healing. If you have BPD and decide to engage in therapy, you will find yourself overcoming past trauma, learning emotional regulation skills, and creating stability in your relationships.Borderline Personality Disorder Treatment

Borderline personality disorder (BPD)is a complex mental illness that affects both men and women. Along with strong emotions, people with BPD can also experience intense anger, known asborderline rage. If you have a family member or loved one who has BPD, it’s important to understand how violence relates to BPD and how it can be handled.

There is research demonstrating that both men and women who have committed violent acts have elevated rates of borderline personality disorder compared to the general population. In fact, BPD is one of the most frequent diagnoses made in prison inmates, especially related to domestic violence. It is usually in the form ofreactive aggressionthat occurs when they feel provoked, rejected, or threatened.

One research study revealed the followingstatistics about BPDand violence:

Impulsive behavior, which includes physical aggression, is one of thediagnostic criteria for BPD, even though someone can meet the criteria for the disorder without demonstrating this symptom.

A large 2016 study in the U.K. found that BPD alone did not suggest a tendency for violence, but did show that those with BPD are more likely to have “comorbidities,” associated conditions such as anxiety, antisocial personality disorder, and substance abuse which do raise the risk of violence.

There are several reasons why people with BPD are more likely to be violent in their relationships. First, people with BPD are often victims of violence themselves, such as throughchild abuse. While it’s not true for all people, many people with BPD may have learned to use aggression to deal with strong emotions because adults modeled that behavior for them when they were young.

What the Bobo Doll Experiment Reveals About Kids and Aggression

In addition, people with BPD often experience an unstable sense of self and difficulty trusting others in interpersonal relationships. They may experience very strong emotions if they believe they are being rejected or abandoned; this is known asrejection sensitivityor abandonment sensitivity. These intense feelings of rejection can sometimes lead to aggressive behaviors.

Finally, people with BPD often have difficulties with impulsive behaviors. When they are experiencing strong emotions that are typical of the disorder, they may do things without thinking about the consequences. If they engage in violence, it is usually not planned. It is animpulsive actdone in the heat of the moment.

What Is Impulsivity?

The information above only provides general information about the link between borderline personality disorder and violence; it is not possible to predict whether one particular individual with BPD will be violent. If your loved one has not shown any violent tendencies or aggression, it is quite possible that they won’t be violent. Many individuals with BPD never commit any aggressive acts during their lives.

How BPD Affects Romantic Relationships

If you arefeeling threatened, even if no violence has occurred in your relationship, you should take that seriously. If you already feel unsafe, it is possible the situation could escalate to the point of violence.

You should consider getting yourself to a safe place away from that loved one, whether that means getting a hotel or staying with friends. It’s important that you are safe before trying to help your friend or family member get help.

Once you are secure, your best bet is for both of you to seekprofessional helpthrough therapy with a therapist specializing in BPD. This may help you figure out whether the relationship can be improved and may prevent violence from happening in the future.

Therapy can also help you decide whether this is a relationship worth saving. The therapist can also recommend a course of treatment to help your loved one get on the path to recovery.

Dialectical Behavior Therapy for BPD

Having a diagnosis of BPD not only may increase the risk of violence against others but also against oneself.Self-harmis a common issue for many individuals living with BPD.

If you are having suicidal thoughts, contact theNational Suicide Prevention Lifelineat988for support and assistance from a trained counselor. If you or a loved one are in immediate danger, call 911.For more mental health resources, see ourNational Helpline Database.

If you are having suicidal thoughts, contact theNational Suicide Prevention Lifelineat988for support and assistance from a trained counselor. If you or a loved one are in immediate danger, call 911.

For more mental health resources, see ourNational Helpline Database.

Some therapists recommend that people fill out asafety plan for borderline personality disorder. This safety plan can be helpful not only in preparing for possible violent or suicidal thoughts but can help youidentify triggersin your daily life.

Emotion Regulation in Borderline Personality Disorder

Emotional instability and interpersonal conflict are hallmarks of BPD, and there is an increased risk for impulsivity, self-harm, and reactive violence toward others when triggered. If you are a loved one has BPD, there is hope for healing. If you have BPD and decide to engage in therapy, you will find yourself overcoming past trauma, learning emotional regulation skills, and creating stability in your relationships.

Borderline Personality Disorder Treatment

6 SourcesVerywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Berenson KR, Downey G, Rafaeli E, Coifman KG, Paquin NL.The rejection-rage contingency in borderline personality disorder.J Abnorm Psychol.2011;120(3):681-690. doi:10.1037/a0023335Mancke F, Herpertz SC, Bertsch K.Aggression in borderline personality disorder: A multidimensional model.Personality Disorders: Theory, Research, and Treatment. 2015;6(3):278-291. doi:10.1037/per0000098González RA, Igoumenou A, Kallis C, Coid JW.Borderline personality disorder and violence in the UK population: Categorical and dimensional trait assessment.BMC Psychiatry.2016;16:180. doi:10.1186/s12888-016-0885-7Cattane N, Rossi R, Lanfredi M, Cattaneo A.Borderline personality disorder and childhood trauma: Exploring the affected biological systems and mechanisms.BMC Psychiatry.2017;17(1):221. doi:10.1186/s12888-017-1383-2Sato M, Fonagy P, Luyten P.Rejection sensitivity and borderline personality disorder features: The mediating roles of attachment anxiety, need to belong, and self-criticism.J Pers Disord. 2019:1-16. doi:10.1521/pedi_2019_33_397Goodman M, Tomas IA, Temes CM, Fitzmaurice GM, Aguirre BA, Zanarini MC.Suicide attempts and self-injurious behaviours in adolescent and adult patients with borderline personality disorder.Personal Ment Health. 2017;11(3):157-163. doi:10.1002/pmh.1375Additional ReadingLowenstein J, Purvis C, Rose K.A systematic review on the relationship between antisocial, borderline and narcissistic personality disorder diagnostic traits and risk of violence to others in a clinical and forensic sample.Bord Personal Disord Emot Dysregul. 2016;3(1):14. doi:10.1186/s40479-016-0046-0

6 Sources

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Berenson KR, Downey G, Rafaeli E, Coifman KG, Paquin NL.The rejection-rage contingency in borderline personality disorder.J Abnorm Psychol.2011;120(3):681-690. doi:10.1037/a0023335Mancke F, Herpertz SC, Bertsch K.Aggression in borderline personality disorder: A multidimensional model.Personality Disorders: Theory, Research, and Treatment. 2015;6(3):278-291. doi:10.1037/per0000098González RA, Igoumenou A, Kallis C, Coid JW.Borderline personality disorder and violence in the UK population: Categorical and dimensional trait assessment.BMC Psychiatry.2016;16:180. doi:10.1186/s12888-016-0885-7Cattane N, Rossi R, Lanfredi M, Cattaneo A.Borderline personality disorder and childhood trauma: Exploring the affected biological systems and mechanisms.BMC Psychiatry.2017;17(1):221. doi:10.1186/s12888-017-1383-2Sato M, Fonagy P, Luyten P.Rejection sensitivity and borderline personality disorder features: The mediating roles of attachment anxiety, need to belong, and self-criticism.J Pers Disord. 2019:1-16. doi:10.1521/pedi_2019_33_397Goodman M, Tomas IA, Temes CM, Fitzmaurice GM, Aguirre BA, Zanarini MC.Suicide attempts and self-injurious behaviours in adolescent and adult patients with borderline personality disorder.Personal Ment Health. 2017;11(3):157-163. doi:10.1002/pmh.1375Additional ReadingLowenstein J, Purvis C, Rose K.A systematic review on the relationship between antisocial, borderline and narcissistic personality disorder diagnostic traits and risk of violence to others in a clinical and forensic sample.Bord Personal Disord Emot Dysregul. 2016;3(1):14. doi:10.1186/s40479-016-0046-0

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

Berenson KR, Downey G, Rafaeli E, Coifman KG, Paquin NL.The rejection-rage contingency in borderline personality disorder.J Abnorm Psychol.2011;120(3):681-690. doi:10.1037/a0023335Mancke F, Herpertz SC, Bertsch K.Aggression in borderline personality disorder: A multidimensional model.Personality Disorders: Theory, Research, and Treatment. 2015;6(3):278-291. doi:10.1037/per0000098González RA, Igoumenou A, Kallis C, Coid JW.Borderline personality disorder and violence in the UK population: Categorical and dimensional trait assessment.BMC Psychiatry.2016;16:180. doi:10.1186/s12888-016-0885-7Cattane N, Rossi R, Lanfredi M, Cattaneo A.Borderline personality disorder and childhood trauma: Exploring the affected biological systems and mechanisms.BMC Psychiatry.2017;17(1):221. doi:10.1186/s12888-017-1383-2Sato M, Fonagy P, Luyten P.Rejection sensitivity and borderline personality disorder features: The mediating roles of attachment anxiety, need to belong, and self-criticism.J Pers Disord. 2019:1-16. doi:10.1521/pedi_2019_33_397Goodman M, Tomas IA, Temes CM, Fitzmaurice GM, Aguirre BA, Zanarini MC.Suicide attempts and self-injurious behaviours in adolescent and adult patients with borderline personality disorder.Personal Ment Health. 2017;11(3):157-163. doi:10.1002/pmh.1375

Berenson KR, Downey G, Rafaeli E, Coifman KG, Paquin NL.The rejection-rage contingency in borderline personality disorder.J Abnorm Psychol.2011;120(3):681-690. doi:10.1037/a0023335

Mancke F, Herpertz SC, Bertsch K.Aggression in borderline personality disorder: A multidimensional model.Personality Disorders: Theory, Research, and Treatment. 2015;6(3):278-291. doi:10.1037/per0000098

González RA, Igoumenou A, Kallis C, Coid JW.Borderline personality disorder and violence in the UK population: Categorical and dimensional trait assessment.BMC Psychiatry.2016;16:180. doi:10.1186/s12888-016-0885-7

Cattane N, Rossi R, Lanfredi M, Cattaneo A.Borderline personality disorder and childhood trauma: Exploring the affected biological systems and mechanisms.BMC Psychiatry.2017;17(1):221. doi:10.1186/s12888-017-1383-2

Sato M, Fonagy P, Luyten P.Rejection sensitivity and borderline personality disorder features: The mediating roles of attachment anxiety, need to belong, and self-criticism.J Pers Disord. 2019:1-16. doi:10.1521/pedi_2019_33_397

Goodman M, Tomas IA, Temes CM, Fitzmaurice GM, Aguirre BA, Zanarini MC.Suicide attempts and self-injurious behaviours in adolescent and adult patients with borderline personality disorder.Personal Ment Health. 2017;11(3):157-163. doi:10.1002/pmh.1375

Lowenstein J, Purvis C, Rose K.A systematic review on the relationship between antisocial, borderline and narcissistic personality disorder diagnostic traits and risk of violence to others in a clinical and forensic sample.Bord Personal Disord Emot Dysregul. 2016;3(1):14. doi:10.1186/s40479-016-0046-0

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