Does a diagnosis last a lifetime? *triggering*
 

Hi everyone, I have been lurking around the forums for a while but decided to take the plunge and join.

I was really struggling in my life around 6 years ago after a few things happened in my life. I was self harming, od'ing and ended up in hospital for two weeks. Whilst I was in hospital I was diagnosed with borderline personality disorder, depression and post traumatic stress.

After 2 years of really struggling with my life I thought things were going great I had a job, a good group of friends and was enjoying life.

I moved across the country and things started getting really bad again. For the last 3 years I have been suffering with really bad anxiety and depression. I went to the doctors about 5 months ago after putting it off for years and am now on citalopram which seems to be taking the edge off the anxiety but I still can't go out.

That's a little bit about me. Getting back to my question.

I was diagnosed with BPD and PTS do those still stand? Can they go away or do you have them for life? The reason I ask is that I don't feel that I have BPD so I was wondering if it has gone now if that makes sense?

I hope your all okay.
Lou x

I think people can view that qst very differently... for me though personally and after everything I have read I think that I will always suffer from depression, anxiety, BPD and my ED to some degree. BUT I also really believe that with the right help/support that I can lessen the degree to how these affect my day to day life.

does that make sense?

I think it is different for everyone though and it really comes back down to you and what you want in your life and then if you make it happen or not.
The brain is very powerful and can overcome many many things!

hope your going ok.
lozza

Have heard the idea that BPD is meant to 'ease' after/around 40-ish...not sure how accurate that is.
Will try to find the links.

Hi Lozza, yes that makes sense. I also believe that I'm going to suffer from depression and anxiety to some extent for the rest of my life.

Thinking about the BPD diagnosis I was given maybe it wasn't right from the start maybe they were wrong when it was first diagnosed. Even when I try to remember what happened when I was in hospital I don't really remember much. So it's hard to know how they can to the conclusion that I had it.

Hi Romperfry, do you mean age 40? I'm 24 :) I would still be interested to see the link.

Lou x

i had one of the personality disorders i was diagnosed with removed as i no longer fit the criteria. However, i have also been told i am chronically ill and will never recover completely though i can perhaps get a little better with years and the right medication.

If the psychiatrist find you no longer fit the criteria for a personality disorder, it should be posible to remove it as a current diagnosis. But for that to happen, you will need to see a professional and go through all the diagnostic testing etc.

Dunno. I had depression that then changed to bipolar that then changed to to psychosis with affective problems (like schizoaffective) but they all crop up. 'Psychosis and mood problems'. Dont care too much for the exact label although Id be interested.

BPD can be very very hard to diagnosed and if I was to be honest 2 health professionals on my team are forever arguing over it. My pdoc believes I do have BPD (hence the diagnoses) but my counsellor just believes I have attatchment issues and I only fit some criteria of BPD.

how that made some sense at least?

over all though I try not let the labels bother me too much. cuz after all they are not us at all, they dont define the person we will be or are.

BPD, with the right treatment, can ease significantly over time. My old therapist said that at a conference he went to where some people were showing their research, there is often great improvement over 5-7 years, to the extent of possibly not even meeting the criteria anymore.

I was diagnosed with BPD 4 years ago and although it is still very much an issue, I have definetly learnt ways to control and manage it.

As others have said, if you have been able to deal with some issues (or maybe just outgrown some) then a pyschiatrist should be able to remove the label if you no longer fit the criteria