Hi Azul, I think I know what you're saying....maybe? lol. I have spent 28years in and out of psychiatric services with several hospital admissions etc. I would present with anxiety, depression, alcohol issues etc. I was never really 'labeled' with anything until about 5 or 6 years ago where I got a diagnosis of Bipolar. I didn't agree with this so stopped taking Lithium. I was recently diagnosed with BPD and I know this is what I have plus I realize I also have AvPD....they overlap, as CANC says. I'm getting to what I think you mean....I was never able or given the opportunity to express what was going on with me. All the doctors or therapists saw was, anxiety, depression etc...they never asked how this was impacting on my life and what I thought were the possible causes. So, there was never a 'big picture' so how could there be a correct diagnosis. I do have hypomanic episodes (that feeling where I have no fear and think I can do anything) so they made a diagnosis of Bipolar which I believe is completely incorrect. So, basically I see what you're saying.....there are things and behaviors we see as 'normal' because we don't know any differently so don't ever mention these things so as a consequence doc and therapists are not dealing with ALL the information that is really necessary to attach a diagnosis, they don't think to ask and we don't think to tell. As a result, in my case, for example, this leads to decades of living a desperate, chaotic life, ending in ruins. Am I right, is this what you mean? Sorry if not and sorry for going off the point a bit.