Many people stop drinking but they can’t stay stopped. Alcohol is only a symptom of an underlying problem and it could be a personality disorder that has gone undiagnosed for many years. More than 60% of alcoholics suffer with Borderline Personality Disorder also known as Emotion Regulation Disorder. Alcohol is a disease of the emotions coupled with a physical allergy to alcohol. There is a remarkable overlap between substance abuse disorders and Emotion Regulation Disorder (BPD) with the most common substance abuse among people with BPD being alcohol. There is also evidence that people with both BPD and alcoholism have more difficulty in their lives and are less responsive to treatment than people who have only one of the disorders. People with alcoholism and BPD are less likely to stay in substance abuse treatment, have more distress and suicidal thoughts and are more likely to engage in other addictive behaviours like binge eating or shopping, than those with alcoholism that do not have BPD

Why do these dual disorders occur so frequently?

There are several factors that account for the high rate of co-occurrence and make it difficult to diagnose. 99% of alcoholics are not aware that they have a personality disorder. They stop drinking but the majority of alcoholics resume drinking within 2 to 5 years because they have not been diagnosed and treated for the real cause behind their alcoholism. Many of them are referred to as ‘dry drunks'. BPD and alcoholism may share a common genetic pathway as some of the genes that put people at higher risk for BPD may also create a higher risk for alcoholism. Also, there may be common environmental causes for alcoholism for BPD. For example, experiences of maltreatment in childhood such as physical or sexual abuse, or emotional abuse or neglect, have been linked to both BPD and alcoholism. Growing up in a dysfunctional alcoholic environment is one of the greatest contributing factors to dual disorders. The child of an alcoholic has a 50% chance of inheriting both genetic disorders. There are also many other reasons for the link between alcoholism and BPD. Individuals with BPD may use alcohol to decrease the intense emotional experiences that are a hallmark of BPD. Because people with BPD have strong emotions, the use of alcohol to cope with unpleasant emotions may lead to abuse or dependence. The key features of both BPD and alcoholism are emotional instability as people with both BPD and alcoholism experience a lot of dramatic shifts in their emotional states. They may feel OK one moment but feel extremely angry, sad, lonely, afraid, jealous or shameful moments later. Having a lot of emotional shifts does not mean you have BPD. Emotional instability is just one of the symptoms of BPD and to meet the diagnostic criteria for BPD, you would have to also have some of the other symptoms such as impulsivity, overwhelming sensitivity, fear of abandonment or fear of rejection, self-harm including alcoholism and drug abuse, food addiction or suicidality. Plus, the emotional shifts of someone with BPD are very intense and frequent. Everyone has emotional changes every now and then but people with BPD experience mood changes that are very dramatic and very severe, so much so that they significantly impact work, relationships and others areas of their functioning. They also happen consistently and over the course of years. People with alcoholism and BPD have problems with their emotions. They also tend to feel less positive emotions than other people. They report chronic feelings of emptiness or times when they feel nothing inside. They are chronic malcontents. Before I start counselling a new alcoholic patient, I need to assess their ability to absorb and retain what I am going to say to them. When it comes to feeling mentally and emotionally switched on, we have to have the correct brain chemistry – get it wrong and you will never achieve the feeling of wellbeing that you crave. Tyrosine Pure Mood Food is necessary for the manufacture of dopamine and noradrenaline, which are required for concentration, alertness, memory and a happy stable mood. Dopamine is a neurotransmitter responsible for the sense of satisfaction – why do we drink? To feel satisfied. It is also the reward neurotransmitter – why do we drink? It rewards us and makes us feel better about life. To help the alcoholic relax I recommend Magnesium Complete as it will assist in the reduction of stress, nervous tension, anxiety and sleeplessness. I take Magnesium Ultra Potent because it suits me to use the powder format and to help prevent muscle cramps at night. L-Glutamine helps to remove ammonia from the bloodstream to lower levels of toxic ammonia that build up when liver dysfunction is present. A practicing alcoholic has a very inflamed liver and needs to detox and heal, if the body is to recover from alcoholism. L-Glutamine is the most amazing amino acid in the body! It is vital for healthy intestinal function and may help with inflammation of the intestinal tract. It is also vital for muscle growth and healthy muscle function. It also assists muscle recovery after exercise. I always put my patients on an exercise program to help heal their mind, body and spirit. L-Glutamine also supports efficient brain function. Glutamine can be found in our Ultimate Gut Health Powder. Livatone Plus is a powerful formula that can support liver function when there are more chronic liver problems. It is beneficial for a sluggish bile flow and gall bladder problems or if you have lost your gallbladder. It is beneficial in reducing abdominal bloating, burping and flatulence and provides extra antioxidant protection for the liver when required. Allergies are related to poor liver function which reduces the liver’s efficiency in cleansing the blood of toxins (such as antibodies and chemicals like alcohol.) Such toxins over stimulate the immune system causing it to pour out inflammatory chemicals. Read Dr. Cabot’s book The Liver Cleansing Diet. The above statements have not been evaluated by the FDA and are not intended to diagnose, treat or cure any disease.