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Living with Borderline Personality Disorder

lookingforme
Community Member

I had absolutely no idea where to put this post, but considering I already have the depressive disorder, I'd put it here. I have just today been diagnosed with borderline personality disorder on top of the depression, does anyone on here have it and is able to summarise it? I don't quite know how to explain it to people other than by listing symptoms, which I don't really want to do. And you know that old saying, if you can't explain it simply enough, you don't truly understand it. It's a strange label.

Suffice it to say that I haven't been having a good time of it lately, and this diagnosis makes me half relieved and half unknowing, which I don't much care for. I just know it's something I will have to work at to manage, and stress aggravates it, and right now, I am nothing but stressed,

Any help is appreciated.

Joelle

168 Replies 168

james1
Community Champion
Community Champion

Ah that just made me think: i used to think this endless and rapid flipping was what everyone did. Funny that. Now it just feels unfair.

Yea, pretty unfair

james1
Community Champion
Community Champion
Hey joelle just checking in to see how you're feeling this morning?

Petra
Community Member

Hi Joelle and James

I've read your threads. I understand a little better now. Pleased you two have the opportunity to talk this one out, and to each other.

I use

I used to despise medication. I was a sickly child until I had my tonsils out and on and off antibiotics for what felt like an eternity. I got to the point that I didn't want to take them anymore and I hid my medication in the furniture! Not a good hiding place as it turned out! Anyhow after that I would only take a panadol if required. Meds have their place I feel, and in my quest for good mental health, are a given. A tool I believe I need in my MH toolbox. I gave meds a go this time round and I'm pleased I did. My thoughts James if I may, perhaps give meds a go. Even if it helps a little. It's something. If it doesn't work or does the opposite, you'll find out soon enough and you and your professionals can take a different route, if at all. I grew exhausted trying to care for myself (and others) and brainstorming alone as to how to keep myself healthy. Now I'm doing what I can for me and letting people help. I don't have all the answers and want the advice and support of others, such as good, experienced folk as yourselves.

Pet 😊 xx

Hey James, thanks for checking in. I'm feeling...bulldozed actually. Haven't even ben able to push myself to exercise.

How are you doing?

Hey James, how are you doing?

I've noticed that my mood swings are less frequent, but more severe. And the drop is long, rapid and harsh, and still a struggle to get out of. It's like getting up from the floor, and when you're on your way up, someone comes around and pushes you back down. That act is full of momentum and leaves you completely vulnerable to other things dropping you. Hope you're okay.

james1
Community Champion
Community Champion

Hey Pet - thanks for the tip. I'm really starting to consider meds more seriously as you'll see below. Just...overwhelmed at the moment. Your advice to basically let others help is good - hard to swallow, but I think it's getting to that point where I'm realising I can't do this alone.

Hey Joelle - sorry about the lack of response. Back from Uluru today and had no reception/internet there. I was on such a high while there. I think being away from home and everything that's happened here in terms of the break-up, family, psychologist (not that it's a bad thing, just more stress), work, tutoring, blargh, yeah - being away helped.

But as soon as I got to the airport at Uluru, the high feeling just evaporated and, like you said, a long rapid and very harsh drop. And also like you said, I felt like I was picking myself off the floor - I felt like I got some semblance of identity (I really like travelling and being out of the city) - but then life decided to sit on me again. And now I'm just banging my head thinking, "How could I be so silly to think it'd let me get up? This keeps happening!"

Feeling very overwhelmed like a bulldozer has just run over me a few times for good measure. Then picked me up and dropped me back down, just for fun.

On the bright side, I'm a bit clearer on who I am: I like being out under the stars and feeling like there's a massive world out there to explore. I also like having a home to go to and a stable relationship which I can count on, even if I can't count on anything else. Just a shame that neither are in my grasp right now, haha.

Sorry to hear about your own troubles too. How was your psychologist session? What's been pushing you each way and every way?

James

Hey James,

I'll say life is setting me off. Too much stress, not enough peace. I'm all too familiar with the good news having a but at the end of it...And I am completely with you on that one, outdoors, exploring, that's what I want too. See the stars from a mountain or a valley, the openness...

Psych session was good, definitely don't mind going back. She's excited to have me as a patient because everything I want out of therapy now, she specializes in so..now we wait?

Don't worry about not replying, not like I was on this thread either. Just thought of you so thought I'd reach out also. I'm glad Uluru was, overall, a good experience for you.

james1
Community Champion
Community Champion

Hey Joelle,

Peace is a really interesting way to put it. I've been thinking a lot about safety. Not physical safety, but where I feel mentally safe. I guess it's like the triggers you were talking about. There's so much out there at the moment which pushes one of my many buttons. The only place I feel safe is in my imagination, but even that can be bad sometimes. Perhaps safe, to me, actually means peace and...quiet from the thoughts in my head. And that's what stars and the moon give me. Just something to watch in wonder, as you say, in the open.

Really glad to hear your psych session was good and she's also keen to have you. Have you started discussing what your goals and methods will be? When's the next session?

I had my first actual schema therapy session today. We went through imagery rescripting. Have you done that before? I went back into a memory which I didn't expect to hold any emotional value, but boy was I wrong, haha. That was very draining and I'm just taking the rest of the day off - we have a conference at work and I just can't deal with 150 people right now!

James

james1
Community Champion
Community Champion

Hey Joelle, we've barely seen you on the forums at all in the last week.

Just wanted to check how you're going. No need to elaborate if you don't feel comfortable. Just wanted to let you know we're thinking of you and here if you want to chat.

James