I have read PLENTY about both disorders. How BPD and Bipolar are often misdiagnosed for each other and how they are often comorbid conditions. Nowhere did I say that they are basically the same thing. Apparently I'm not articulating well because people keep misunderstanding me.

When he said the focus should be on regulating my emotions, my first thought was, "I'm working on that with my psychiatrist. That's why he gives me the meds. To help me keep my emotions in check." That was what immediately popped into my brain so after everything we talked about, (and there was a lot) I was surprised at the choice because I kind of felt like I've been trying to control that. That's not to say that I still can't use some help from a therapist, but like I said, due to the depth and breadth of that particular conversation, I thought it odd.

Granted, regulating emotions would definitely benefit me. But my assignment the week before was to figure out what I want to work on. Having had a convo with my sister who has always helped me while I didn't have a therapist (she's incredibly insightful), one of the things that her and I highlighted together were my feelings of never fitting in - lacking a sense of belonging. This was a trend that she and I identified throughout my life. The fact that I am NEVER content. It doesn't matter what I have, there is ALWAYS something I am lacking. What I'm doing isn't good enough, I'm not good enough etc.

So after all of this to say "regulating my emotions" I was like OK. Can't deny that that would help me. My mood is often irascible and I KNOW that my emotional responses to things are usually not how most of the people I know would respond. If "normal" is 50 of a 1-100 scale, I'm probably 110 a good amount of the time.

It was only after I had left that his particular choice of words clicked in my head. "Regulating Emotions." Only after coming here back in August had I ever heard BPD called "Emotional Dysregulation Disorder" and the like. So when I left therapy I felt like he sort of told me, without TELLING me for the reason your mentioned - stigma. He seemed loathe to put that label out there.

I should really just let the treatment happen on it's own through therapy (it's going so well). But I'm an impatient zealot, who just wants to know that I am right so that I can continue to study BPD to DEATH! (As IF I'm not doing that now.) This is entirely related to my need to always be right, lol.

So OK. If that didn't clarify for anyone, then I guess I'm just giving up. And I always thought I had excellent communication skills.....