One suffering from borderline personality disorder (BPD), may struggle to manage impulsive behaviors.From hasty decisions to getting into fights, these actions can harm him and loved ones. Impulsivity can be a very troubling aspect of BPD. They can lead to problems with relationships, physical health, and finances as well as  legal issues. Learning more about impulsive behavior and treatments that target it can help reduce the impact of impulsivity in one’s life.

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Impulsive Behavior and Borderline
Personality Disorder
(Personality Disorder -1C)
Ref- About.com

2. Impulsive Behavior and Borderline Personality
Disorder
 One suffering from borderline personality
disorder (BPD), may struggle to manage
impulsive behaviors.
 From hasty decisions to getting into fights, these
actions can harm him and loved ones.
 Impulsivity can be a very troubling aspect of
BPD.
 They can lead to problems with
 relationships,
 physical health, and
 finances as well as
 legal issues.
 Learning more about impulsive behavior and
treatments that target it can help reduce the

3. What is Impulsivity?
 According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Illnesses, 5th
edition, impulsive behaviors are a hallmark of BPD.
 Impulsivity is a tendency to act without thinking about the
consequences of your actions.
 These actions usually occur in reaction to some event that has caused you to
have an emotional response.
 E.g. imagine while waiting in line at the bank and someone cuts in front of
you.
 People with a reasoned mindset may roll their eyes, but they realize it is a
small problem or inconvenience and it's not worth it to escalate the situation.
 However, for those with BPD, their responses can be quite different.
 He may act aggressively towards the person , yelling at him, threatening him
or even taking physical action.
 He never takes into account potential consequences, such as getting hurt,
getting detained by security or even being arrested by police.
 Impulsivity is also linked to poor self control and severe urges.
 This can lead to self harm when coping with an intense emotion or binge
eating for comfort.
 Occasional impulsive behavior is not necessarily indicative of a diagnosis of
BPD.
 Everyone acts impulsively from time to time.

4. Some Example of Impulsive Behaviour
Some examples of impulsive behaviors
include:
Going on spending sprees
Driving recklessly
Promiscuous sex
Binge eating
Yelling, shouting, or screaming at others
Threatening to harm others
Destroying property
Shoplifting
Getting in physical fights with people

5. Can Impulsivity be treated?
 While impulsive behaviors can be serious and pervasive, this symptom can
be successfully managed with therapy.
 Many treatments for BPD have components that target impulsivity.
 For example, Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) focuses on building skills
that will help you to reduce your impulsive behaviors.
 By using healthy coping mechanisms to handle intense emotions, a person
with BPD is better equipped to handle different situations.
 Mindfulness, a skill taught in DBT that encourages you to stay in the moment,
can help you to stay more aware of your actions so that you can take time to
consider consequences.
 Practicing this technique can help you to take a moment to reflect on your
options, empowering you to make more rational decisions about how to
respond to events around you.
 Medications may also help with impulsivity but are usually most effective
when used in conjunction with psychotherapy with a therapist specializing in
BPD.
 If you are struggling with impulsivity, learn more about treatments for
BPD that may help you get impulsive behavior under control.

6. Can Impulsivity be treated?
Sources:
American Psychiatric Association. Diagnostic
and statistical manual of mental
disorders, 5th ed, text
revision. Washington, DC, Author, 2013.
Linehan, MM. "Cognitive-Behavioral Treatment of
Borderline Personality Disorder." New York: Guilford,
1993.
Moeller, FG, Barratt, ES, Dougherty, DM, Schmidt,
JM, Swann, AC. "Psychiatric Aspects of Impulsivity."
American Journal of Psychiatry 158:1783-1793,