Diagnosis confusion

[Jeeb]

Hey everyone, happy new year!
Hope this is the right forum to post this on. I just had some concerns regarding my mental-health prognosis for anyone willing to read.

So late 2019 I reached out to a clinical psychologist following a particularly nasty episode of depression et al. After a couple of sessions I asked him if he thought I had a serious condition and he highlighted BPD as a possible diagnosis. Specially he labelled me as “a high-functioning Borderline with avoidant traits”. I was unsure and, after doing some research, booked a session with a local psychiatrist. She interrogated me for about 40min, after which I asked her if she agreed with the psychologists initial diagnosis. She said she did and gave me an info packet on BPD before shuffling me out the door without another word. She did not request that I book a follow-up appt and I wasn’t in a state to press the issue. Anyway, a year and a half later and I more-or-less feel that the glove fits, but there’s still doubt. Maybe it’s a little silly but no-one exactly gave me a card so I’m still unsure about how seriously I should take myself and my symptoms. The “high functioning” bit means I can somewhat get by most of the time and it would be easy to just repress, tell myself it was all a bad dream and sink back into the old numb/dissociated sense of identity I had before starting this mental health journey. What if I’m exaggerating? What if I’m really making all this up for some sick sense of self-validation? Am I just "making mountains out of mole-hills" and "thinking myself into it" like folks have always told me? blah blah the old wheel turns round. I’ve brought this up with the psych but he just tells me to “focus on recovery, not diagnosis” and refuses to provide any substantial clarification.
Anyway that’s the story, and I guess I’d like to know whether I’m missing something here? Have I been effectively diagnosed with BPD? Is it okay to say I have it should I want/need to disclose in the future? Should I take the plunge and pursue DBT?
I’m not exactly planning to go broadcasting it in the village square, and I'm not looking to find excuses for myself, but BPD is a serious diagnosis and it'd just be nice to have a little more certainty about it so I can be confident going forward and put those self-doubting thoughts to rest.
Any advice would be appreciated, thanks

[Guest_1643]

Happy New Year Jeeb!

In my humble opinion - no, you haven't been diagnosed with BPD

I think u would be diagnosed when u see someone really competent who explains it to you in a way that you agree with. I would do a lot of research and see a specialist in BPD/trauma and go for another opinion. They do get it wrong. When it feels like a fit, ull know. They aren't deities and they muck it up sometimes and you don't haveto take it on board. The psych sounds a bit off in not following up or making ure you were okay with everything - in addition - I'd be wary of anyone who diagnoses someone after one sessions. 2-3 is a bit more thorough from my experience, and they need to listen big time to get there. I'd go for aother assessment with someone who was an expert.

[Guest_1643]

Context:
I've had similar strange diagnoses and weird therapists before... this year I saw an expert in PTSD/addiction and spoke to him for 2 sessions in depth for an assessment

It was very different.
It was thorough.

The treatments for BPD/trauma seem to be changing pretty quickly these days, particularly in the last five years. Did the pysch you see seem up-to-date in the latest education on this condition?

I think for something as sensitive as a diagnosis, it's okay to keep looking for the right expert to assist, explain and clarify. I would encourage you to try see someone further.

[mocha delight]

I agree with sleepy21 I’ve had 6 sessions with my psychologist and not been diagnosed with anything yet although she did mention that I had depression (she agreed with my gp about that), general anxiety and social anxiety. Also I think it was my last session when she went through a quiz with me and results came back as I had clinical depression but until I get an official diagnosis I’m only going to take that info on lightly but who knows what else I might be diagnosed with.

[geoff]

Hello Jeep, a good comment and thank you for posting it.

I agree with Sleepy21, 'wary of anyone who diagnoses someone after one session', at times this maybe possible but you need to remember that we do have different moods not only each time we visit the psych but trying to recall previous occasions significant on why we feel this way, so the first visit could be totally different to the next session.

The psych needs to understand exactly before they decide on the appropriate medication.

As an example, as I was using alcohol as a way to numb my thoughts, they said it was impossible to diagnose me unless I stopped drinking, the problem as I thought it to be, was they didn't know the reason why I needed the alcohol and weren't prepared to ask me.

I only say this not as a qualified doctor but someone who has experienced it myself.

Eventually when I had a psychologist one diagnosis lead onto another one, so what they take for granted we have, may change on the next few sessions and establish a clarification.

Take care.

Geoff.

[Guest909]

I’m not exactly planning to go broadcasting it in the village square, and I'm not looking to find excuses for myself, but BPD is a serious diagnosis and it'd just be nice to have a little more certainty about it so I can be confident going forward and put those self-doubting thoughts to rest.

The obvious solution is to get a second, "independent" diagnosis. If the psychiatrist's diagnosis was truly independent of the first diagnosis, you have your answer; end of story; it's BPD.

If you mentioned the first diagnosis to the psychiatrist then the second diagnosis was not independent and most likely biased by the first diagnosis.

I would get a second, independent diagnosis. I would mention your concerns (namely, you think you may have BPD), but not mention any previous diagnosis.

You need a second, independent, unbiased, diagnosis to allay any doubts that you may have. That being said, I'm not suggesting that you go doctor shopping until you get a diagnosis that you like.

Paul

[Jeeb]

Hey Guys, sorry its been so long, and thank you for all your detailed replies and suggestions.

I've stopped seeing that original psych after changing locales. He definitely knew his stuff, however his therapeutic style and philosophy wasn't really a good fit for me. Started work with a different CBT focused psych on a fairly casual basis who has been helping me out with some simple thought exercises, anxiety management ect. She confirmed that I have some notable borderline traits but also that I exhibit keen insight which is atypical for someone with a fully developed personality disorder. I told her that I have only gained most of that insight in the last 2 years as a byproduct of receiving the aforementioned prognosis and using it as an in-route for engaging in my own painstaking research and self-investigation, which, chicken-and-egg riddles notwithstanding, I guess means I'm on the right track?

Overall I'm pretty certain I'd meet at least 6 of the 9 criteria for diagnosis and it does very much feel like it encapsulates my historic difficulties, can't really ask for more than that. I've resolved to just keep working on myself with the tools I have for now and see where the future leads me. Would certainly like to seek out a trauma specialist for an independent review as per your suggestions, though unfortunately its not really feasible under my current circumstances (I'm living/working in a remote area and my finances are tight).

Hope everyone is doing well! 🙂 Thank you again for the kind replies