In terms of getting SS you are more prone to get it if you have bipolar than BPD.....Some states do not give SS in BPD cases..BPDdoesn't qualify for it....

There is a book that is very updated its called "The BPD survival guide" where it points out the MYTHS about "manipulation" and BPD...Your mother is uninformed and not all people with BPD are liers or manipulators.

If she was verbally abusive, invalidating and emotionally abuser she cause you BPD which is an affliction of the limbic system (the site of your emotional life in your brain).

The main difference between BP and BPD...Its the lapse of time between mood swings...Bipolar people can be on an "up" phase for weeks and then on a 'down' or depressed phase for weeks again....

People with BPD have unstable moods all day lasting sometimes mins.

That is one of the differences.

But for SS purposes you have better chances of getting it if you are BP....depends on the state.California does recognize BPD as a qualification for SS....But i know some staes still don't.

Google difference between BPD and BP...there is a lot of info better explained than i did.

But your mother is misinformed.
And what a surprise abusers always DENY.

Denial is their middle name.

the way that I understand the difference is that BPD hsa mood swings that are moment to moment and the mood swings don't last as long as those who have bipolar....like people with bipolar can be manic happy and that can last for a few days.....and then they have episodes of severe depression.....in MY expereince and from what i've read, heard, etc. people with BPD have mood swings that are moment ot moment.....for example-personal expereince here-i woke up happy one day and then 45 minutes later i wound up depressed and wanted to self injure....and other symptoms of BPD also explain the differences of bipolar nad BPD...hope this helped

From what I've been told, there's a lot of cross-over and multiple diagnoses. Bipolar and Borderline are very similar and I believe it has part to do with length of mood swings. Don't worry so much about the diagnosis but try to find the meds that work for you.

I have both.......With bipolar, the mood is just a switch, normally from a slow type of thinking to a quick type. Now of course, I have bipolar II, so yes, I have mixed swings, but these are normally caused by physical factors like stressors.

With the borderline, the mood or response comes immediately and is from a stimulus response to a trigger situation

With the bipolar, the moods swings are slower and responses can be more of a physical nature...........

I guess???????????????????????????/

Thank you all for your responses. It does help to have a little clarity on the subject.

Unomas, you nailed it...thank you for posting.

I think of Bipolar Disorder as a Mood Disorder. For me, long periods of Depression followed by brief bouts of mania. Mania, for me, is a time when my thoughts are running fast, I'm talking fast, I'm physically moving fast, I'm obsessed, I'm laughing, I'm feeling creative, invincible, like I can do ANYTHING I PUT MY MIND TO, I get these "GREAT" ideas (which later don't seem so great, unfortunately), more impulsive, more risky behavior, working on a lot of projects at the same time, extremely positive mood.

I think of Borderline Personality Disorder as a Personality Disorder. For me, I have an extremely difficult time regulating my emotions. I often take things so "personally" and my feelings of abandonment (whether or not they are based on reality or perceived reality) are triggered. This sometimes leads to extreme anger or sadness or confusion. I am learning to slow down, distract and relax, breathe deeply, and stick to the facts, the facts, the facts. :)

Hope this helps. :)

doctors also have to be careful, cause they are very different disorders but the two can be confused when being diagnosed. in canada, its more common for the correct diagnosis to be bipolar. im not to sure about the deny thing on the lower, comments as i've been diagnosed with both. and was granted help.but the laws might be different in canada.