Borderline Personality Disorder

[Creed of Heresy]

First: Don't care who you are. You start shit in this thread, you make an enemy out of me. I'm not in the mood to be dealing with internet pissing contests, I'm not inviting a discussion as to whether or not mental disorders are illnesses or diseases or what the fuck ever else these threads devolve into here, and I am not inviting eugenics horse-shit into this.

Second: This is a thread made partially out of curiosity, and asks a few simple questions. I included the poll to give me some idea of numbers. Namely, do you have BPD? Suspect it? Have others telling you you have it possibly? Known anyone else who has it? If you have it, how do you deal with it, at all, and if you don't have it but know someone who does, what's it like dealing with them, how old are they, how often do you see them?

Third: Partially out of curiosity, mostly because of 'personal interest.'

And a personality test I took this week at the head-doc's.

And the results it came up with.

So much for just having bipolarity...

[*Deidre*]

I don't have it, as far as I know, but I dated a few guys who I'd classify as having it. Just from researching it myself, the 'symptoms' seem to match them, pretty well. Personality disorders are very real and affect a wide range of people. I think they don't get enough visibility, and therefore, they are not treated as real conditions often enough. Narcissistic personality disorder, histrionic disorder, BPD, etc..affect a lot of people in society. Once you understand the disorder, you tend to see patterns in others you may meet that have similar characteristics. In answer to your question in #2, the guys I dated who I suspected had BPD, one was in his late 20's, the other late 30's. Personality disorders usually start in childhood, preteen years, and are hard to treat. Which is why you can meet someone with a personality disorder who's the tender age of 17, and another who is 60. But, at the risk of spiraling off into a tangent, that you have requested we NOT do....

Anyway, so, Creed, you were 'tested' for this? You don't have it, I take. It's hard to pin point these as diagnoses. Do you/your doc/others in your life feel you might have this, and thus that prompted the testing? Just curious on that.

[My imaginary friend is GOD]

I've posted about my grandmother on this forum before. It seems likely she has BPD, narcissistic personality disorder, bipolar disorder, or something like that. She's been diagnosed with everything under the sun because she switches therapists all the time when they don't behave the way she wants them to. It's hard to pin things down with her because of her alcohol and prescription drug abuse and the depression that she's been in for 24 years. It's just not clear what is the result of a personality disorder and what is the result of an addiction or the depression. Apparently there was once a time when she was a magnetic, inspiring person that everyone wanted to be around - but even then she had a tendency towards substance abuse, impulsiveness, taking off unexpectedly (while she had a child, no less), etc. I wish I had known her when she wasn't determined to accomplish her own complete destruction.

[Jackalope]

I do not have it, as far as I know. However, throughout my course of treatment for what I do have - inpatient and group therapy are good for this - I have run into just about every psychiatric, mood, and personality disorder that you could think of, including several people with BPD.

I haven't known anyone on a personal level, as far as I know, though when I was younger, I knew a few people who were possible candidates. Ultimately, I dealt with it by cutting all ties to them. I didn't have the skills needed to deal with that sort of personality.

These days, I don't know how I would deal with it. I generally avoid most people these days.

And Creed. as far as any new diagnosis - bipolar disorder is often co-morbid with other disorders. You are who you are - the diagnosis doesn't change that. It may alter the course of treatment but at the end of the day it is what it is, our lives go on, and we deal the best we can.

[Violet]

[Creed of Heresy]

[Angrboda]

I've been friends with a person who had BPD. Her constantly being in crisis drove us apart. I show some of the signs of BPD, but I'm not full blown. But I can be quite dramatic, as I'm sure you've seen. Sad part about BPD is it's one of the harder things to treat. If I had any advice, it's get yourself in a group or individual therapy circumstance you like, and stay there. DBT is the most common treatment for BPD (if I have the letters right; dialectical behavior therapy).

I wish you luck. It's a hard road.

[Whateverist]

These days, I don't know how I would deal with it. I generally avoid most people these days.

Yeah people suck. Get a dog.

And Creed. as far as any new diagnosis - bipolar disorder is often co-morbid with other disorders. You are who you are - the diagnosis doesn't change that. It may alter the course of treatment but at the end of the day it is what it is, our lives go on, and we deal the best we can.

Words to live by.

So I hope you're coping with the challenge, Creed. You seem like a fine guy to me, all diagnoses aside.

[Violet]

[Wyrd of Gawd]