borderline personality disorder

[tryingsohard]

hi ive been diagnosed with bpd, and thats just it,i was sent to a shrink given a diagnosis and not really had any explanation as to what i can do about it, dr s are pretty hopeless and are still saying once we get the drinking under control we ll sort the rest of you out, ive been dry for 4 mths(barring 1 day) and i feel that the bpd is a lot to do with the problems i have controlling the impulsivness i have, does any one here suffer from/heard about bpd and does any 1 have any suggestions, i looked on line a little bit but found it quite hard as there were a lot of things written by partners or ex s of bpd sufferers and none of it was very positive so i stopped looking as it was quite depressing, any info would be much appreciated, wishing every one a hopefull positive day, xxx

[Lavande]

borderline personality disorder

Hi tryingsohard,

I'm sorry you didn't receive the help you were looking for, a Diagnosis is one thing but getting appropriate help is another.

Amazon.com has several books available on BPD. Consider buying yourself a book on the subject & see what resonates with you. I strongly believe we all have the power to heal ourselves with some well guided direction

Wishing you the best!

Lav

[tryingsohard]

borderline personality disorder

thank you, walking on egg shells is one that keeps popping up, do you know of this one, ill have to get it, and nag at the dr. cbt has been suggested by my councillor but it s a matter of getting it organised, none of the services seem to communicate with one another and my brain is still a little fried i think so the whole memory/organisational skills are not great but i think i will have to get on the case and nag nag nag because i do feel it is at the center of all my relapses/destructive behaviours and do not want to EVER go back to how i was, god reading my old posts on here while i was drinking has hit home what a sorry mess ive been and would like to appologise to any members who may remember my ramblings,thank you again, x

[lucky 2.0]

borderline personality disorder

What I know about bpd is that it affects women more than men and people with bpd have a hard time being alone with themselves and often self medicate or self harm. And things are 100% good or 100% bad, no middle ground. And they can shift from love to hate in a second. The very, very good news is that as people with bpd age, the symptoms get less and less. There is hope. Alcohol has most definitely got to removed and you should be greatly commended for the progress you have made towards better health without it. Congratulations! Don't get too hung up on a diagnosis. I bet everyone of us in the world would have a diagnosis of one sort or another and you are not alone in yours. And don't ignore the huge importance of diet and exercise!

My sincere best to you.

[lucky 2.0]

borderline personality disorder

And remember, there is a spectrum for every disorder. You may be on the very lowest end.

[tryingsohard]

borderline personality disorder

thanks lucky, it certainly does explain a lot of my crazy behaviour, i keep starting to educate myself about it but i do get scared by the label and stop reading,but im going to read up. another question i have is about prozac. the dr prescribed it again(last time i was drinking on it as well and made me crazy) but im wondering if this can increase impulsiveness, ive been struggling with the cravings since i started taking it and not sure if this is heightened by the prozac or because it s my body and brain telling me it s been 4 mths your better(i know ill never be cured), i think i should maybe find another dr as he usually dismisses my questions lol and told me to increase the dose which i was not keen on doing, i had a really hard job weaning myself of venlafaxine/effexor i think it s called in the us, it s a horrid horrid anti deppresant and if any one is offered it id strongly suggest not taking it, the side effects are awfull, x

[wine no more]

borderline personality disorder

I know bpd can also be similar to bi polar. I would see another psych - these illnesses are so often linked to alcoholism because we self medicate. I was diagnosed with bi-polar 2 in Feb. and put on a mood stabilizer. I had been put on antidepressant whih made it soooo much worse and the drinking out of control with uncontrollable cravings. The combo of the ad and the mood stabilizer had been a godsend and I have ZERO cravings about alcohol. I know that they often use the same type of meds for bpd.

Please seek another opinion. It has changed my life - seriously. I think I was more chemically/psych. screwed up and became dependent on alcohol. But I could never have stopped drinking without getting it ALL under control. Blessings and best of luck to you.

[Kimberley]

borderline personality disorder

Hi Trying,

I have been diagnosed with BPD. I was diagnosed nearly 10 years ago. I couldn't even start to look for an answer as I was still actively drinking alcoholically.

I am coming up to 6 months sober (hope I make it!!) and have finally seen a specialist again. She says I still have BPD but on a much lower scale than before. The difference? Six months of AA and Dialectical Behavioural Therapy (DBT). AA actually fits in quite nicely with DBT as thay are both concerned with acceptance etc.

I have been sober before without AA or DBT and I was white-knuckling it - and my BPD was still awful. Not this time around. I am much calmer, better implulse control, and AWARENESS of when I'm acting out is sooo much better.

There is usually a long waiting list for DBT but you can get started with the DBT classes on Yahoo groups - google it, they give you weekly homework.

Anything else you want to know, just PM me - I'm more than happy to help if I can. BPD sucks hey!

K x

[tryingsohard]

borderline personality disorder

thanks so much,just hearing from some one who has been diagnosed has been so helpfull, i have an appointment next week at the drs and am going to nag some more about some more help and to ask about the prozac, and the possibility of mood stabilisers, as i dont feel any less depressed than when i wasent taking any anti depressants, i think because ive been sober (and realised that substituting alcohol with drugs is not the key) i ve realised when the cravings are there and when im being completly erratic, we have done something called mindfullness at the 4 week detox programe i attended, i only grasped a little bit of it but it helps to stop and think for a second, between thinking a thought and reacting. it s hard work seeing a councilor at the moment as the funding of addaction(the alcohol team) has been cut and they keep changing who the councilor is and so ive been in limbo a little but i will ask to see another physc, thanks for all the input,greatly appreciated, xxx

[Kimberley]

borderline personality disorder

Hey Trying,

Mindfulness is included in the DBT programme as well. Please please please nag for DBT! It's really helped me. The 'Radical Acceptance' lesson alone has shifted my thinking immeasurably.

I notice you're in the UK too. Luckily I got an 8-week dbt class through my local alcohol team (it was called 'Mood management', but I was given it cos it was DBT). I have been doing the online classes too: dbtclass : DBT Online Classes with a workbook.

The specialist treatment for BPD is 2 YEARS of twice-weekly classes and there is a year or so to get into my local treatment centre (London), but I have found that doing it the way I have done it, both me and my pscyh agree I no longer need such an intensive course.

I still have lots of work to do, but at long last my BPD is manageable. It can be done! And I never thought I'd say that.

Let us know how you get on!
K x

[tryingsohard]

borderline personality disorder

cool ill check out that link, thanks for the inspiring info, im so glad i logged back on to the site after such a long time,(guess im ready for it now) im down in cornwall so ill have to nag as im sure everything runs slower down here!!! were on pasty time !!! tomorrow im attending a programe run by addaction (doing woodwork) an ill ask my key worker about seeing what she can do to get me another appointment with shrink,and if i read up an have some idea about what treatment would help i guess they are less likely to fob me off, thank you again for your help, x

[tryingsohard]

borderline personality disorder

and big congratulations on nearly 6 mths thats something to be really proud of, you sound like you have worked really hard to change and understand a lot of things, xx

[MissHazel]

borderline personality disorder

Loveyour quote. My ass fell off years ago!!!

[tryingsohard]

borderline personality disorder

just waiting to confirm membership to the yahoo group, big thanks xx

[tryingsohard]

borderline personality disorder

i have written this for the online bpd yahoo group,to explain a bit about me apart from the spelling ,grammer and punctuation does it make sense? opinions good or bad would be great, thank you
thank you. my name is rachel im 32 (only just). ive been a heavy drinker/alcoholic for years.since i was 13 and was raped,because i was unconciious, this triggered a lot of drinking also taking drugs mainly ecstacy,speed,ketamin an coke,at different stages in life,i have been struggling with detoxing and remaining sober for the last 4years, i have now mannaged 4 mths sober. I have a 14 year old son,since his birth i have mannaged to contain my addictions to a point,i just function pretty well whilst under the influence,a master of disguise,no one knows that i am drunk untill i get upset and i turn into the devil.ive held down a house, job and being a single mother.although i have been in 3 violent relationships.and one relationship where i was violent to my partner(an lost the best sober man ive ever loved)understanderbly.
i have only been given a diagnosis in the last 6 mths and to be truthfull have not really been given anything but a label from my dr and psycologist who saw me to diagnose me.my dr just always says get the drinking under control and does not really acknowledge the bpd or given me much information so really all i know is from the internet searches i have done. it upsets me reading as i still dont really understand what it is or what can be done. i know that what i have read describes me perfectly and desperatly would like to gain some knowledge and control for myself.
i am participating with a rehab programe that involves wood work and allotment and also mindfullness.which i am beginning to understand a little more.
i joined a forum for alcohol dependants called my way out and a kind lady also diagnosed with bpd linked me to the yahoo page and highly recommended taking a look. i am trying to find the book walking on eggshells as it sounds an informative read.and now im sober i really would like to do all i can to remain sober but also to be unafraid to live my life as i feel terribly scared and in limbo at the moment, i read it described as white knuckiling which describes how i feel at the moment, i would be dedicated from gaining as much as possible from this group if accepted. thank you for your time.