Question:
I have been seeing a psychiatrist now for about 2 months (weekly) for PTSD, bulimia, self-injury, *major* individuation problems etc, etc. While I have many of the characteristics/symptoms of BPD my pdoc has not come out and directly said that he thinks that I may be a BP. In fact he said my mother is borderline (this is where my individuation probs surface- abuse, etc). Quite a shock actually, because when I was reading about BPD I was really only considering myself. (Although it seems crytal clear now.) I asked him if he thought I was a BP and his rsponse was that there is one big difference between my mother and I, that being that she turns her emotion distress out onto others while I turn mine inward; I punish myself not those around me. THat was the intro now the question: does this punishment of self and not others mean that I’m not a BP? Any feedback would be great. Brie
Response:
No Brie, it doesn’t. I’m not saying you have BPD (because i don’t know you well enough and i’m not a shrink) but i AM BPD and one of the symptoms is exactly that, the self loathing and punishing yourself by cutting, ODing, etc. that and the fear that you are bad and are going to be "found out" and then everyone will leave you. Sometimes shrinks don’t want patients to be stuck with a diagnosis of BPD for several reasons 1) there is a stigma attached to that label that often makes mental health professionals not want to deal with you or treat you differently. BPD’s are generally very difficult to treat. 2) part of having BPD is a lack of a stable self image or sense of self, and many of us take that label and turn IT into our identity….and get worse instead of better because we start doing things that we read about or hear about people with BPD doing…i don’t know if that made much sense but basically it becomes comfortable to BE someone with BPD rather than using that label as a tool to help overcome it. 3) there are very few benefits in being given that diagnosis. There are no meds specifically for BPD, the standard treatments for BPD are very similar to those of mood and anxiety disorders and PTSD…so you gain nothing by knowing you have BPD…except that you know…which meant everything to me. aww hell i’m barely coherent tonight, I hope that at least helped a little. I’m gonna go get plastered @>–`–,— – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -Brie wrote: > I have been seeing a psychiatrist now for about 2 months (weekly) for > PTSD, bulimia, self-injury, *major* individuation problems etc, etc. > While I have many of the characteristics/symptoms of BPD my pdoc has not > come out and directly said that he thinks that I may be a BP. In fact > he said my mother is borderline (this is where my individuation probs > surface- abuse, etc). Quite a shock actually, because when I was reading > about BPD I was really only considering myself. (Although it seems > crytal clear now.) > I asked him if he thought I was a BP and his rsponse was that there is > one big difference between my mother and I, that being that she turns > her emotion distress out onto others while I turn mine inward; I punish > myself not those around me. > THat was the intro now the question: does this punishment of self and > not others mean that I’m not a BP? > Any feedback would be great. > Brie
Response:
Brie wrote: > I have been seeing a psychiatrist now for about 2 months (weekly) for > PTSD, bulimia, self-injury, *major* individuation problems etc, etc. > While I have many of the characteristics/symptoms of BPD my pdoc has not > come out and directly said that he thinks that I may be a BP. In fact > he said my mother is borderline (this is where my individuation probs > surface- abuse, etc). Quite a shock actually, because when I was reading > about BPD I was really only considering myself. (Although it seems > crytal clear now.)
You might be a little leery of the symptom list. I can’t imagine anybody (not institutionalized) who would fit ALL the symptoms. As best this branch of science seems ot have made it as far as a strong ”You MAY be…”. It’s also a little odd to have a doc diagnose a third party and relate the diagnosis to a patient, but I’m sure there’s more to it than that. > I asked him if he thought I was a BP and his rsponse was that there is > one big difference between my mother and I, that being that she turns > her emotion distress out onto others while I turn mine inward; I punish > myself not those around me.
Yep. My life has been similar in that regard. ”Splitting” can be unipolar, after all; I have had countless disproportionate or excessive positive feelings about people, but nothing much in the ”I hate you, you’re the worst person in the world” end of it. > THat was the intro now the question: does this punishment of self and > not others mean that I’m not a BP?
Not necessarily 8). Like I said, some people have one section of the symptom list and others, others. If you are naturally of a forgiving nature–or sufficiently alienated in general– this well might override the tendency to ”punish” other people. > Any feedback would be great. > Brie
a. — Experience shows that man’s bent is always toward trouble… Jean-Paul Sartre
Response:
Pia Thadani wrote: > No Brie, it doesn’t. I’m not saying you have BPD (because i don’t know > you well enough and i’m not a shrink) but i AM BPD and one of the > symptoms is exactly that, the self loathing and punishing yourself by > cutting, ODing, etc. that and the fear that you are bad and are going to > be "found out" and then everyone will leave you.
Works for me. Let’s not forget that low self-esteem is also associated with chronic depression. (My T got a huge laugh out of me when he suggested that I suffer from ”low-everybody-esteem” 8)). > Sometimes shrinks don’t want patients to be stuck with a diagnosis of > BPD for several reasons > 1) there is a stigma attached to that label that often makes mental > health professionals not want to deal with you or treat you > differently. BPD’s are generally very difficult to treat.
Many believe, impossible. Esp. those practitioners who still believe that a BP is a sociopath in the making, who just hasn’t realized their full potential. > 2) part of having BPD is a lack of a stable self image or sense of self, > and many of us take that label and turn IT into our identity….and get > worse instead of better because we start doing things that we read about > or hear about people with BPD doing…i don’t know if that made much > sense but basically it becomes comfortable to BE someone with BPD rather > than using that label as a tool to help overcome it.
That’s interesting. Something to think about. > 3) there are very few benefits in being given that diagnosis. There are > no meds specifically for BPD, the standard treatments for BPD are very > similar to those of mood and anxiety disorders and PTSD…so you gain > nothing by knowing you have BPD…except that you know…which meant > everything to me.
Yes. > aww hell i’m barely coherent tonight, I hope that at least helped a > little. I’m gonna go get plastered
More BPD Golden Oldies 8). – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> @>–`–,— > Brie wrote: > > I have been seeing a psychiatrist now for about 2 months (weekly) for > > PTSD, bulimia, self-injury, *major* individuation problems etc, etc. > > While I have many of the characteristics/symptoms of BPD my pdoc has not > > come out and directly said that he thinks that I may be a BP. In fact > > he said my mother is borderline (this is where my individuation probs > > surface- abuse, etc). Quite a shock actually, because when I was reading > > about BPD I was really only considering myself. (Although it seems > > crytal clear now.) > > I asked him if he thought I was a BP and his rsponse was that there is > > one big difference between my mother and I, that being that she turns > > her emotion distress out onto others while I turn mine inward; I punish > > myself not those around me. > > THat was the intro now the question: does this punishment of self and > > not others mean that I’m not a BP? > > Any feedback would be great. > > Brie
– Don’t think! Every time you think, you weaken the nation. –Moe Howard
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