Websearch EMDR-Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing

This treatment is for anyone who has had any traumatic experiences that clarification of the emotion would aid in understanding and overcoming. Since borderlines typically have such situations, it is more for them then for bi-polar.

It is dynamic, forward thinking, and with a therapist trained in it - quite effective. I speak from personal experience. I believe Borderlines usually have issues that EMDR can help clarify.

I think of the difference this way, Borderline have triggers that cause the emotions to change, Bipolars can have the change just occur, because BPD is developed, and BiPolar is chemical. I think I am stating facts in a generalized way.

It is easy to be diagnosed as having one or the other as their symptoms are similar. It is not as common to have both. (I have been diagnosed with both although I disagree and believe I am only bipolar).

My talk therapist told me that she couldn't help bipolar, then later diagnosed me with borderline to go with the bipolar, and treated that part. Although typically borderlines have some type of traumatic upbringing, (which I didn't) and also borderlines often cut, or harm themselves in some physical way (which I don't). Psychiatrists that only work with meds and not talk therapy have told me they can't do much with borderline, except treat any extreme emotion like anxiety or depression (for example) that comes with it.

Lastly, IMO, borderline personality disorder can be overcome. Bipolar disorder can become manageable, but being a chemical imbalance, cannot be overcome. That is probably a controversial opinion.

Best of luck to us all.

PS: 1. We are never out of line questioning the people treating us. We have to work 100% with them to better ourselves, but we also must be in agreement with the diagnosis to do so. Letting them know you question the diagnosis, and learning more is our right and obligation. We may have mental illness, but we are not sheep. and 2. Your intense studying of this (you said you may have gone overboard on researching it) and that sounds like you kept at it and kept at it for hours thru possibly days. The way you suggest overboard sounds like you were obsessed - I get that way in the manic stage of bipolar.