BPD? i'm fearful..but I need help

[Katie Smith]

Hi
I really need some support and encouragement to see my GP. I believe that I have borderline personality disorder but I am scared my doctor may see me as a drug-seeker. I have a lot of bpd characteristics. I have hot/cold relationships with my friends and family. Some days I think they are the best friends ever and I am making loads of plans with them; other days I feel that they are plotting together to bring me down and I ignore their messages. I am also *very* impulsive and I often make mistakes I regret later, which is also down to my explosive anger at times. Some times I am collecting a large inventory of similar items, (at the moment my thing is textbooks); spending money I don't have. As I mentioned, I have a lot of rage and I want to hit out and destroy things when I have an outburst. I have very spiky moods with lots of ups and downs... when I'm depressed I sometimes cut myself or scratch myself. I have my anti-social days where I hate everyone and I'm likely to snap at the slightest thing.

I also have been diagnosed with autism (asd), adhd and I have a history of depression. I need support and help to quell this fear of reaching out for help. I need help before I push my friends so far away that they never come back.

[Unbreakable.]

Can you explain why your doctor would think you're a drug seeker?

[finding.my.wings]

What would having a diagnoses of BPD do to help you?
its just a diagnostic label that in my experience shapes and influences the way in which health professionals treat you.

Form my understanding its common for people with adha to have issues controlling their anger (my younger brother has it).

I dont feel like i can comment on the austism as i have no experience of anyone clsoe to me having it.

I think its possible to speak to your doctor and ask for support around the issues/possible bpd symptoms without having to have a diagnosis. You can attend therapy and social groups to boost up your interpersonal skills. Therapy could help with the depression/sh and anger/rages.

Honeslty being borderline, having that label it isnt the greatest thing.

[Unbreakable.]

I also want to add that apparently ADHD and BPD can look very similar in symptoms. My therapist gave me both questionaires before diagnosing me to rule out adhd before deciding I was definitely having borderline.

[Epicene]

Some of the behavioural and social difficulties you're describing could also be due to autism, so you would really need a specialist to assess you.

Technically NICE guidelines fo not recommend medication for borderline PD, so its unlikely your gp would be concerned about anything related to that. I think they would be more interested in why you are concerned and which symptoms are troubling you the most.

[Katie Smith]

I want to find out if I have bpd but don't want the label so I can recieve psychotherapy. Is this achievable?

[Serendipity.]

I think it's really going to depend what is available in your area and what the criteria are for accessing it. I think going to your GP would be a good idea, you can just outline the things you're struggling with at the moment. They should be able to refer you for further support and assessment, which will help to determine what kind of help would be best for you at the moment.

You deserve support with all of this regardless of what diagnosis it comes from. I really hope you manage to reach out for help.

[random.swirls]

I think the best thing that I could advise is go along to your GP with what you are struggling with so the problems with your relationships and being impulsive and ask for help with those things. As the others have said there is the potential for overlap with your other diagnosis but your Dr will know you and know your history and should have some idea if these issues are linked or seoarate and indicative of bpd for example.

[again]

I think it's best to explain your symptoms to your doctor and ask for a referral to see a mental health professional. I've found that doctor's prefer to come to their own conclusions. When you see a mental health professional that would be a better time to mention it. Keep in mind that it may take a while to be diagnosed. Having support is the most important.

[Bellatrix]

Have you managed to make a doctors appointment to discuss things love?

[DestroyMe]

your GP won't see you as a drug seeker unless you literally walk into they're office and ask to be put on a medication that you haven't previously been on without discussing it first. [I absolutely get this fear though as I went through the same thing when in therapy]

is there a possibility that you could explain your symptoms that you're having issues with to your GP and ask for clarification on what's likely to be caused by the ADHD and the ASD and what's separate?
without outright bringing up the possibility of a BPD diagnoses?

a lot of times therapists refuse to diagnose BPD due to stigma so I'm just going to echo what everyone else said about you really don't want to have this on your chart.

though you really need to sit down with your GP and discuss with them the problems you're having and how they are hindering your life and see what your GP says. a lot of times Borderline symptoms and ASD symptoms are one in the same.

[property]

I would speak to your doctor about your concerns over your mood and feelings, but try not to look up BPD diagnosis and things, it is very easy to think you fit the criteria when you know what the criteria is.

Having worked with people with autism and having BPD myself, there are quite a few similarities, but I'm also aware that because of your (diagnosed) autism, that BPD symptoms may display differently.

Autism means that you are not neuro-typical, and the criteria for borderline that is found on the internet is neuro-typical.

Try to worry too much :)

[Steel Maiden]

I had a psychiatrist who barely knew me say that I seem EUPD just because he witnessed me having a meltdown. My community psychiatrist said I'm not EUPD at all and that it's my autism. They do have similarities.