Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsDefining a TriggerRelationship TriggersCognitive TriggersManaging Triggers

Table of ContentsView All

View All

Table of Contents

Defining a Trigger

Relationship Triggers

Cognitive Triggers

Managing Triggers

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Most people withborderline personality disorder(BPD) have triggers—particular events or situations that exacerbate or intensify their symptoms. BPD triggers can vary from person to person, but there are some types of triggers that are very common in BPD.

You may have heard the term “trigger” but are not sure what it means. Usually, a trigger refers to some event that brings on a major exacerbation of BPD symptoms. The event can be external (something that happens outside of yourself) orinternal(something that happens in your mind, like a thought or memory).

Triggers are events that make you feel as though your BPD symptoms are “off the charts.” Immediately following a trigger, one or more of your BPD symptoms may intensify significantly.

The most common BPD triggers are related to interpersonal distress, especially relationships. People with BPD often experience intense fear,anger,impulsive behavior,self-harm, and evensuicidalitywhen events in a relationship make them feel rejected, criticized, or abandoned (what’s known as abandonment orrejection sensitivity).

For example, you may feel triggered when you leave a message for a friend and do not receive a call back. Perhaps after placing the call, you wait a few hours but then begin to have thoughts such as, “She’s not calling back, she must be mad at me.”

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.

How to Manage BPD Triggers

Fortunately, there are things that you can to do help you manage your BPD triggers. Some steps you should take include:

A Word From Verywell

Understanding the things that can worsen your BPD symptoms is an important part of managing your condition.Consider talking to a mental health professional if you need additional help learning how to identify and cope with your triggers.

2 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.Staebler K, Helbing E, Rosenbach C, Renneberg B.Rejection sensitivity and borderline personality disorder.Clin Psychol Psychother.2011;18(4):275-283. doi:10.1002/cpp.705Bungert M, Liebke L, Thome J, Haeussler K, Bohus M, Lis S.Rejection sensitivity and symptom severity in patients with borderline personality disorder: Effects of childhood maltreatment and self-esteem.Borderline Personal Disord Emot Dysregul.2015;2:4. doi:10.1186/s40479-015-0025-x

2 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.Staebler K, Helbing E, Rosenbach C, Renneberg B.Rejection sensitivity and borderline personality disorder.Clin Psychol Psychother.2011;18(4):275-283. doi:10.1002/cpp.705Bungert M, Liebke L, Thome J, Haeussler K, Bohus M, Lis S.Rejection sensitivity and symptom severity in patients with borderline personality disorder: Effects of childhood maltreatment and self-esteem.Borderline Personal Disord Emot Dysregul.2015;2:4. doi:10.1186/s40479-015-0025-x

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.

Staebler K, Helbing E, Rosenbach C, Renneberg B.Rejection sensitivity and borderline personality disorder.Clin Psychol Psychother.2011;18(4):275-283. doi:10.1002/cpp.705Bungert M, Liebke L, Thome J, Haeussler K, Bohus M, Lis S.Rejection sensitivity and symptom severity in patients with borderline personality disorder: Effects of childhood maltreatment and self-esteem.Borderline Personal Disord Emot Dysregul.2015;2:4. doi:10.1186/s40479-015-0025-x

Staebler K, Helbing E, Rosenbach C, Renneberg B.Rejection sensitivity and borderline personality disorder.Clin Psychol Psychother.2011;18(4):275-283. doi:10.1002/cpp.705

Bungert M, Liebke L, Thome J, Haeussler K, Bohus M, Lis S.Rejection sensitivity and symptom severity in patients with borderline personality disorder: Effects of childhood maltreatment and self-esteem.Borderline Personal Disord Emot Dysregul.2015;2:4. doi:10.1186/s40479-015-0025-x

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