Are people with BPD dangerous? No. Most people with borderline personality disorder (BPD) are not violent or threatening.

BPD is a condition marked by intense emotions, rapid mood shifts, and a strong fear of abandonment. However, these traits don’t make someone inherently dangerous to others. In fact, research shows that people with BPD are far more likely to struggle with self-directed harm than outward aggression. ¹

While some individuals may express anger impulsively, these moments usually stem from emotional overwhelm, not a desire to cause harm.

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Key Highlights

• People with BPD are not inherently dangerous. Most individuals with BPD are far more likely to experience self-directed harm than to show violence toward others, and research doesn’t support the idea that BPD increases general violent behavior.

• Emotional intensity and impulsivity (not intent) explain most concerning behaviors. Strong emotions, fear of abandonment, and past trauma can lead to reactive anger in some cases, but these responses vary widely and don’t reflect the majority of people with BPD.

• Support and treatment greatly reduce risk and improve stability. Evidence-based therapies like DBT help people manage emotions, lower impulsive behaviors, and achieve long-term remission, making healthy relationships and daily functioning very possible.

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Table of Contents

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BPD and Violence

Research on BPD and violent behavior is mixed and the connection depends heavily on individual factors. Some studies report elevated rates of aggression among people diagnosed with BPD. For example, one analysis found that traits such as impulsivity, intense anger, and identity disturbance correlated with both self- and other-directed violence. ²

Still, other major reviews conclude that BPD alone does not reliably predict violent behavior in the general population. ³ In fact, when researchers control for factors like co-occurring disorders (e.g., antisocial personality disorder), substance use, or a history of childhood trauma, BPD alone does not appear to increase the risk of serious violence.

What Increases Risk and What Doesn’t

Based on recent findings:

• Risk factors – Within people with BPD, those who show high impulsivity, intense anger or poor emotion regulation are more likely to engage in aggression or violence, especially in close relationships or intimate-partner contexts. ⁴

• Comorbidity matters – When BPD co-occurs with other disorders such as substance use issues, or a history of childhood maltreatment, the risk of violent acts rises significantly. ⁵

• Not all violence is common – For many with BPD, impulsivity shows up as non-violent risky behaviors (substance abuse, unsafe sex, self-harm) rather than aggression toward others.

What This Means For the General Public

• There is no strong evidence that BPD, by itself, creates a broadly increased threat to public safety compared with the general population.

• Instances of violence among people with BPD tend to happen in the context of other risk factors, like comorbid disorders, substance use, or close-relationship stress.

• Many people with BPD never engage in violent behavior; for them, symptoms manifest in self-directed harm, emotional distress, or non-violent impulsivity.

BPD and Strong Emotions

When you date someone with BPD, you might wonder: does their emotional intensity make them dangerous in relationships? It’s true that many people with BPD experience overwhelming feelings and these can sometimes cause aggression.

Why Strong Emotions Often Accompany BPD

• Research links BPD to past childhood maltreatment, especially emotional abuse or neglect. ⁶

• That early trauma often leads to difficulties in emotion regulation: people with BPD may struggle to control mood swings, anger, or fear under stress. ⁷

• People with BPD may also have trouble trusting others or maintaining a stable sense of self. This can intensify fears of abandonment or rejection when relationships feel unstable.

How This Can Affect Relationships

Because of that emotional reactivity:

• Some people with BPD may respond with anger or aggression when they feel threatened, abandoned, or misunderstood, especially if their coping skills are weak. ⁸

• But not everyone with BPD behaves the same way. Some may internalize their pain (e.g., self-harm), while others may channel it into risky (but non-violent) behaviors.

Important Nuance: Emotion Dysregulation ≠ Automatic Danger

• Emotion dysregulation and a history of trauma increase stress, but they do not guarantee violent or dangerous behavior. Many people with BPD never become violent.

• When aggressive behavior appears, it often relates to a web of factors (trauma history, emotional distress, possibly co-occurring disorders), not to BPD alone.

Are People with BPD at Risk of Becoming Violent?

Because evidence remains mixed, it’s hard to say precisely when (or whether) a person with BPD will become violent. If someone with BPD has never shown aggressive behavior, they likely won’t suddenly “turn violent.” Many people with BPD never show outward hostility or physical aggression.

That said, if you feel threatened (or the person’s behavior feels unsafe), you should take it seriously. It’s wise to trust your instincts. If you ever feel unsafe, first remove yourself to a safe place. Then, encourage seeking professional support for your loved one; ideally, a therapist experienced with BPD.

When Does Risk Increase?

• Studies show that BPD combined with traits like high impulsivity, intense anger, or a history of violent behavior raises the odds of aggression. ⁹

• Comorbid conditions (such as substance use disorder) or past trauma appear often in cases where people with BPD engage in violence.

• When aggression occurs among people with BPD, it often happens in intimate or familiar settings, not random or public violence.

Important caveat: BPD alone is not a reliable predictor of becoming dangerous. Most people with BPD never act violently.

Self-Harm Safety

For many people with BPD, the greater risk isn’t violence toward others; it’s self-directed harm. Self-injury and suicidal thoughts are common coping responses to overwhelming emotions, not signs of attention-seeking or manipulation. ¹⁰

Many individuals with BPD benefit from a safety plan created with a therapist. This usually includes identifying emotional triggers, choosing healthy coping tools, and reducing access to items that could be used for self-harm. A supportive home environment can also make a significant difference.

If you or someone you love has suicidal thoughts, treat them seriously. In an emergency, call 911 or go to the nearest ER. For non-urgent help, you can contact the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline for 24/7 support.

Final Word

So, are people with BPD dangerous? Not generally, having BPD alone does not make someone a danger to others.

When a person with BPD gets the right support, treatment, and stable relationships, many see major improvements. Research shows that 50–70% of people with BPD achieve remission over the long term, meaning they no longer meet the diagnostic criteria. ¹¹

With understanding, patience, and consistency (both from the individual and their support network), many people with BPD lead meaningful, relatively stable lives.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

References

¹ Berenson KR, Downey G, Rafaeli E, Coifman KG, Paquin NL. The rejection-rage contingency in borderline personality disorder. J Abnorm Psychol. 2011 Aug;120(3):681-90. doi: 10.1037/a0023335. PMID: 21500875; PMCID: PMC4990070.

² Harford TC, Chen CM, Kerridge BT, Grant BF. Borderline Personality Disorder and Violence Toward Self and Others: A National Study. J Pers Disord. 2019 Oct;33(5):653-670. doi: 10.1521/pedi_2018_32_361. Epub 2018 Oct 11. PMID: 30307827; PMCID: PMC10225867.

³ Allen A, Links PS. Aggression in borderline personality disorder: evidence for increased risk and clinical predictors. Curr Psychiatry Rep. 2012 Feb;14(1):62-9. doi: 10.1007/s11920-011-0244-9. PMID: 22033830.

⁴ 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 Jun 3;16:180. doi: 10.1186/s12888-016-0885-7. PMID: 27255770; PMCID: PMC4891918.

⁵ Robitaille MP, Checknita D, Vitaro F, Tremblay RE, Paris J, Hodgins S. A prospective, longitudinal, study of men with borderline personality disorder with and without comorbid antisocial personality disorder. Borderline Personal Disord Emot Dysregul. 2017 Dec 7;4:25. doi: 10.1186/s40479-017-0076-2. PMID: 29225887; PMCID: PMC5719590.

⁶ Bertele N, Talmon A, Gross JJ, Schmahl C, Schmitz M, Niedtfeld I. Childhood Maltreatment and Borderline Personality Disorder: The Mediating Role of Difficulties with Emotion Regulation. J Pers Disord. 2022 Jun;36(3):264-276. doi: 10.1521/pedi.2022.36.3.264. PMID: 35647775.

⁷ Carvalho Fernando S, Beblo T, Schlosser N, Terfehr K, Otte C, Löwe B, Wolf OT, Spitzer C, Driessen M, Wingenfeld K. The impact of self-reported childhood trauma on emotion regulation in borderline personality disorder and major depression. J Trauma Dissociation. 2014;15(4):384-401. doi: 10.1080/15299732.2013.863262. PMID: 24283697.

⁸ Neukel C, Bullenkamp R, Moessner M, Spiess K, Schmahl C, Bertsch K, Herpertz SC. Anger instability and aggression in Borderline Personality Disorder – an ecological momentary assessment study. Borderline Personal Disord Emot Dysregul. 2022 Oct 17;9(1):29. doi: 10.1186/s40479-022-00199-5. PMID: 36244971; PMCID: PMC9575226.

⁹ Newhill CE, Eack SM, Mulvey EP. Violent behavior in borderline personality. J Pers Disord. 2009 Dec;23(6):541-54. doi: 10.1521/pedi.2009.23.6.541. PMID: 20001173.

¹⁰ Colle L, Hilviu D, Rossi R, Garbarini F, Fossataro C. Self-Harming and Sense of Agency in Patients With Borderline Personality Disorder. Front Psychiatry. 2020 May 29;11:449. doi: 10.3389/fpsyt.2020.00449. PMID: 32547429; PMCID: PMC7273851.

¹¹ Álvarez-Tomás I, Ruiz J, Guilera G, Bados A. Long-term clinical and functional course of borderline personality disorder: A meta-analysis of prospective studies. Eur Psychiatry. 2019 Feb;56:75-83. doi: 10.1016/j.eurpsy.2018.10.010. Epub 2018 Dec 24. PMID: 30599336.