Bipolar Disorder Support Group
Bipolar disorder is not just a single disorder, but a category of mood disorders marked by periods of abnormally high energy and euphoria, often accompanied by bouts of clinical depression. This is the place to talk about your experience with bipolar disorder, learn from others' experiences, and find support.
Recently I began seeing a Psychiatrist. My Primary reffered me. I was asking that my depression medications be increassed. She really wanted me to see a Psychiatrist and allow him to raise my dose accordingly. After seeing him a few times, he came to a conclusion that I have Borderline Personality Disorder and OCD Tendancies.
I still am a little confussed what that all means for me. Besides the fact that my depression/anxiety meds were increassed, I am now on a medication to help with my mood swings. I also have a appointment 4 months from now to see a Therapist and some sort of Therapy Treatment. I forgot what the name of it was. It's a group therapy, I know that.
I just want to feel comfortanle in my own body. I have all these doctors saying everythings that's wrong with me, then putting me on this pill and that pill. They vaugly explain how they determined my diagnosis. The clock is ticking and we only have 30 minutes to an hour to cram in a life time of problems and add more chemicals to the mix. I just don't understand what BPD really means for me.
I am my ups and downs. I'll be extremely happy/hyper. Then mad, tempermental, frustrated over little things. Then reserved and down. I'll want to be around people, wheather it's family or friends.. then other times I just want to be left alone. Away from anyone. I've played out potential conversations in my head (does that make sense?). I've had moments of dissociation. My Grandma says that I'll get this blank emotionless face and stare blankly, in the middle of a conversation. For several minutes. After loosing my dad, I went into a moment of shock, of course. Then didn't speak for two days or sleep. Our tenats that lived on the property found me sitting in the field, staring at the sky. I told them I could see my dad. I had to spend a few days in the hospital after that. I was dehydrated and a bit delirious. I am scared that I will have more of these moments happen in my life.
Until I can see a actual Therapist, I have to turn to the Internet for understanding and advice...which brings me here. Anyone out there? Anyone who is suffering from BPD and can help me understand what it means for myself, my relationships with Friends, Family, Lovers. How it will affect me in other social environments. How it will effect my ability to cope or funtion in general.
I would greatly appreciate and form of advice, or to hear your story.
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My day...today...misplaced my debit card...didn't realize it until I got to the register after shopping to a full cart. Used a different debit card and pulled apart everything looking for missing debit card before I left parking lot. Got home, dropped keys. So now I have a missing debit card, missing keys. A full cartload to unload and put away. I got everything put away.Dumped purse for a...
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I don't really know how to label this but I having a rough week and I can't say it's one thing.... I have a lot on my plate which is nothing new and I try to cope in many positive ways and do but I still have my moments.My kids more so my daughters talk to me about everything which I know it's cause of comfort and we are close.... however I really struggle with the venting about their dad which...
Borderline Personality Disorder looks a bit like bipolar but it is believed to have a totally different cause and a totally different treatment ( a specific form of therapy, DBT) although it seem that in the US meds are also being prescribed.
So if your question is about purely having Borderline Personality Disorder then we can't answer (unless we have Bipolar and Borderline) - you need to ask on the Personality Disorder board which is at
https://www.dailystrength.org/group/personality-disorders
I am a child sex trafficking survivor. I started therapy for suicidal ideation in 1972, before many of today's dx'es were established. I don't believe it is even possible to know how many dx'es are on my psych charts. I will wager that at least some of those dx'es have since been discredited. I've pretty much accepted that confusion over what any of them mean qualifies for The Big N. Yay me!!! I have a Normal spot!!!
Personally, I address symptoms more than dx'es. E.g. Those vicious mood swings. I suffer them, too. Sure makes it hard to stick to a plan, even for a day, sometimes even for a minute. The symptom shows up in many a diagnosis, both psych and medical. I listen to suggestions on how to manage them wherever I find them, be it a PTSD support group, a BP therapy session. or an impromptu prayer meeting. I am considerably more selective on which suggestions I actually try, but it doesn't hurt to listen.
Mental health is a complex set of issues with more questions than proofs, but a gratifying, full life is possible in the face of all the unanswered questions of ^it^. Be patient with the process. Hope you find steadying companionship here while you sort what ^it^ is for your own, unique case. Welcome aboard.
Although symptoms can be the same if the underlying cause is different then different treatments are required. Personality disorders arise from childhood experience and Borderline involves trying to unlearn a set of behaviours - that's why it is treated with specific form of therapy - bipolar is genetic and therefore biochemical in nature and is treated with medication.
I will begin DBT Treatment soon as I can get in with a Therapist. I don't know what to expect when it comes to the process of that treatment.
When I talk to the therapist, I know we have a lot to unload when it comes to my history and Negative experiences. Some I would understand could be causes to my diagnosis.
The Psychiatrist that I saw was very Vague when it came to explaining why he was putting me on the medications and how he came up with his diagnosis. I will be seeing a new Psychiatrist, because the other was only temporary at that office. 4
I am trying to determine who in my family could have BPD and how it was genetically passed down to me. I could actually see how my mother would have it as well. She had Breast Cancer, Chemo and Radiation Therapy. Since then she has had mood swings off the chart. So Maybe?
I just would like to hear from someone how it affects them in their daily life. So episodes of dissociation. How to cope with the mood swings and such.
Again, Thank you for directing me to the right post. I will try there. :)
Have you read the Diagnosis Criteria for Borderline Personality Disorder? Here it is:
Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is a serious mental illness characterized by pervasive instability in moods, interpersonal relationships, self-image, and behavior. This instability often disrupts family and work life, long-term planning, and an individual's sense of identity. It can manifest as mood instability, difficulty with interpersonal relationships, and high rates of self-injury and suicidal behavior.
I get my info from the DSMV and Med Journals, so it may not match exactly what you find online. Your symptoms fit in this category pretty easily, they also could fit in a BiPolar Diagnosis, but you would have to be classified as extremely Rapid Cycling and so the BPD fits better from a Clinician's standpoint. You don't mention suicidal tendencies or self harm behaviors, so that's good.
So, here's the problem, you could also just be dealing with UniPolar Depression, PTSD Trauma (Death of a Loved One) and the OCD. Diagnosing many Mental Illnesses is not an exact science. Diagnosing Mood Disorder like Depression, BiPolar and BPD rely on patient's accounting of their symptoms, a Psychiatrists evaluation and multiple standard tests. You've seen a Psychiatrist once for like 30 minutes....should you trust that Diagnosis....well I wouldn't. Do you have to take Psych Meds you're not comfortable with after a 30 min. visit and a rushed Diagnosis, Nope you sure as hell do not.
You need to do, what you feel comfortable doing, because these meds are not aspirin and anti-biotics, they're strong psychotic meds that can cause serious side effects and long term issues. You need to be clear in your diagnosis and comfortable and trusting in the Pdoc (psychiatrist) that prescribes them. I would honestly wait until you saw the Pdoc you're meant to see. I would write down a list of questions, based on things the 1st Pdoc told you, so that you know what you want to ask when you see the new Pdoc. I would carefully talk to the Pdoc about this Diagnosis and express your concern in it being made so rapidly. Any Pdoc worth his Diploma will not have a problem with a patient doing their due diligence, it's your body and your brain and you sure as hell have a right to know whats being done to it.
The order of who knows what. You have that a little backwards. The Psychiatrist is the Medical Dr. and Psychiatry Dr. combined, the Therapist is just a Talk Therapy/Behavior Therapy specialist, their "Dr." comes from a Ph.d. I have a Ph.D in Clinical Psychology so technically I'm a Dr. but I've never used that Title in my Professional Career, many Therapists don't. If you have Questions about your Psychiatric Condition or Medications you'd generally ask your Pdoc those, not your Therapist.
DBT is Dialectical Behavior Therapy is not just Group Therapy. DBT is a therapy designed to help people suffering from mood disorders and who need to change patterns of behavior that are not helpful, such as self-harm, suicidal ideation as well as substance abuse. This approach works towards helping people increase their emotional and cognitive regulation by learning about the triggers that lead to reactive states and helping learn which coping skills to apply in the sequence of events, thoughts, feelings, and behaviors to help avoid undesired reactions. DBT assumes that people are doing their best but lack the skills needed to succeed, or are influenced by positive reinforcement or negative reinforcement that interferes with their ability to function appropriately.
It is a class taught by a Certified Therapist, generally 9 months long and you have to repeat it twice. It is a Therapy that is meant to teach you how to change your entire way of thinking when it comes to emotional behaviors and problem solving skills. This is not easy to do. You've been doing things a certain way, that way is not working, so DBT teaches you coping skills and tools to learn positive, nondestructive ways to deal with things, before it all turns into a mindfield. It takes time, commitment and dedication. Classes are usually 2-3 times a week for 9 months, and as I said you have to repeat it twice, before you're considered to have successfully completed the course.
I know I've thrown a lot of information out here at you. Bottom line is you don't have to do anything that you're not comfortable with and you need to be okay with your Diagnosis and comfortable with your Psychiatrist and Therapist both. If you have any questions that I can answer, I'll be glad to help if I can.
Take care,
Kat
@Acuriosfish my friend, apparently I don't know what I'm talking about, please educate me...
I can't see anything wrong in the reply although I am not in US and don't know how things work there - the medical stuff is universal.
I'm not sure it is particularly relevant anyway given that the member isn't bipolar and is now going to post on the personality disorder board.