Interested in a Diagnosis poll

I'm kind of surprised too, except it's simply going to come down to who replies, regardless of the general mix of the forum.

It seems like that to me too, Blue_Bird -- "mixed" gets thrown around more than it used to, often inappropriately. (Which got me to thinking and digging around the DSM-V changes. Turns out they have "lowered the bar". While I'm grateful of its recognition in BP II (it validates the utter hell of simultaneous extreme symptoms I had a very long bout of that went WAY beyond irritable depression or dysphoric hypomania), I'm also kind of dismayed. There is nothing on this earth like sustained simultaneous extremes. It is beyond horrid and really should retain its own distinction. Now, they've got "mixed-features specifier", which is to be having full criteria for one mood and 3 or more from the other pole. Excluded are symptoms common to each. In other words, one aspect can be subclinical(!) Personally, I think that's going too far.)

Aaaanyhow… I don't want to hijack… , BUT (to bring it back around), even in consideration of the changes it is overused. And yes, it typically is a description of BPD presentation that's getting labelled (incorrectly) that way.

Actually Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) needs a name change. It's really a emotional personality disorder (EPD?). I think a lot of us have some traits of BPD too, but not enough to be comorbid. Also imho I think most people with BPD never seek treatment. I also think personality disorders carry a heavier stigma then mood disorders. I wish I can remember where I read that according to a few psychiatrists, BPD should not even be listed in a personality disorder because in their opinion it's more of a mood disorder. Who knows. Next year they may come out with a new label too.

I've read of it referred to as ERD, Emotional Regulation Disorder. I think that's a much better and more accurately descriptive name than Borderline, and agree that it would be nice if they would change it.

Ok so Im short on time so I'll come back later again, keep voting people, would be interesting to see the stats.

So those who asked about BPD... It is commonly misdiagnosed as BP, it is also (less) common for it to comorbid with BP. In my vast experience those first misdiagnosed with BP, never drop the label when rediagnosed BPD. Of course it can and does co-exist but not nearly as much as claimed. Many on this forum display more symptoms of BPD than BP, that is where my curiosity came from.

Now, only doctors can diagnose, and many BPD people are in denial about their symptoms. But if you meet 5 or more of the following criteria you should perhaps review your treatment options as BPD can be CURED with DBT.

source -http://www.spectrumbpd.com.au/pages/about-borderline-personality-disorder-bpd/formal-diagnostic-criteria-for-bpd.php but this info is easily found via google. Side note, not much has changed from the DSM IV to the DSM V in regards to this disorder.

I am not denying anyones diagnosis but I figure the more correct information shared on this site the better. And if it helps someone on the road to recovery fantastic!

I really did think there would be more comorbid BP and BPD votes as some of who voted certainly display symptoms of both on the forum.

Cant sleep

Supanova- that's really interesting!

I think I might have some paranoia from being stalked.
I don't really have any of the other stuff, though.. I did have one anger outburst that scared me into going to the doctor.

I can see how BP and BPD might be mixed up. A lot of the major symptoms are similar. What got me diagnosed specifically, though, was sometimes having faster than usual thoughts, more energy and talking more than usual, on top of having been depressed. My psych completely brushed off my anger outburst as a matter of fact...said he did not take that into account.

I'm diagnosed rapid cycling but I don't know what he based that on, maybe because I was depressed for nearly a year and then had just a few days of being angry/irritable/faster thoughts/agitated.

Can you tell why I get confused? :P Anyway, thanks for your input!

I've heard that there's a really high comorbidity between BPII especially and BPD, especially ultra rapid cycling BPII. It's kind of weird to see it underrepresented on the forum when I know two people IRL with comorbid BPII and BPD.

Maybe us BPI folks are just more likely to join forums, lol.

It was easy for me for having full blown mania...i think that definitely simplifies things. Although i dont really carry any of the Bpd symptoms.
What i do really think ppl get confused about is rapid cycling, which means 4 or more distinct episodes lasting ATLEAST a week in a given year. It dosent mean hours
Pdocs are to blame for all the confusion inmy opinion

Yes so many people get confused. Rapid cycling is 4 or more episodes in a year - not in a day or a week, they need to last a minimum of 4 days for mania/mixed and 2 weeks for depression for it to count as an episode.. My pdocs go by the 2 week rule either way.

I dont think it is so easy as to be diagnosed BP1 just cos of one manic episode, I know many on here have had severe mania so there is no dispute at all but I went completely off my rocker manic because of antidepressants and I still have a BP2 diagnosis as my mania was triggered by ADs and my hypomanias dont go up to the stage I need to be hospitalised. I tend to spend more time lately cycling between mixed and depression or agitated depression (as I am in now). And my cycles last months.

The only BPD trait I can associate with is SH behaviour but that is also present in depression and impulsiveness is only present in hypomania. Baseline I exhibit zero BPD symptoms. I think that is an easy way to tell the difference. If you do those things listed outside of a mood episode as well as during then there is a personality issue going on there.

I hope that this has educated some people so they can get correct treatment.

I wasnt on any medicine for my manic episode and psychosis so i guess thats why you hot the bipolar 2?
I get mixed and my god thy are the WORST

But im sure there are variations in bipolar that make it confusing

Yeah, exactly, and I'm still kinda side eyeing my psych and bp diagnosis because of that. He's just...weird. I don't meet the hypo length of time required for a BP II diagnosis and definitely not BP I. I do wonder sometimes if I'm misdiagnosed but the option he offered to test that was to go off my meds and see what happens. I got withdrawal problems really bad and chickened out.

I wish I had more certainty but frankly I'm sick of worrying about it and that's why I just go with the NOS or consider myself having some BP "traits" that respond to a mood stabilizer.

Thanks again, very interesting and I hope maybe it will help someone here!

IIRC, I read somewhere that it's named "Borderline Personality Disorder" because it's on the borderline of sociopathy.

BPD is not a mood disorder. It just seems like one. It can be eliminated.

Perhaps what you are seeing is folks being emotionally labile rather than having BPD (at least in some cases). I'm sure at times I can be accused of this; most of us probably could be at some time or another. It could probably be confused for bipolar symptoms in someone who doesn't understand, even in someone who lives with it perhaps.

I selected the generic "Mood Disorder" since I don't know what I am, but do know that I have some sort of mood disorder. My last therapist once thought I was borderline, but then decided I wasn't.

I've decided to name my mood disorder Spooky Ghosts, because **** just comes outta nowhere. I can open a door to Heaven, or be visited by Hell.

Strange ideas enter my brain, a single thought or an entire playlist can just start looping on its own, and sometimes I could swear "something" is telling me that people are against me, conspiring.

And money, money just sometimes disappears from my checking account and I have no idea where it's gone. I think the ghosts are robbing me. They must be taking what I owe them for when they are my creative muses and showing me the truth of the universe. Or for when they lead me to another potential dalliance.

And I think sometimes they fill me with rage and angst and self-loathing, and I think that's when they want me to join them.

I'll submit Spooky Ghosts to the DSM committee for review for their next revision.

Interesting, since looking at a few peoples profiles it seems they have voted BP1 even though BPD is listed as a dx or concern on their profile. Some that voted BP1 do not even have it listed as a concern in their profile.

So I guess this poll is definitely not going to give me accurate stats in any sense of the word. I should have added "self diagnosed" to the voting poll, that might have been more eye opening.

Bipolar 1. I have had 2 clearly manic episodes. I am manic now. I went off my meds, stupidly, because I felt a bit depressed and blah. I thought I could control it by giving up alcohol, caffeine, exercising and eating well. I was wrong.

I was misdiagnosed with depression for years.

Sorry if I caused confusion with this! My primary diagnosis is Schizoaffective Disorder, but it's BP 1 type so i just picked BP1. Sorry if that messed up your poll!

All the Best,
Hope

No that is fine, as its quite similar and I know many schitzoaffective browse this forum.

I was more confused as to those with obvious BPD symptoms and or dx have chosen BP1 rather than co morbid bpd and bp? DO they feel there is a stigma on here or do they just reject their diagnosis?

I don't know much about Schizoaffective Disorder, I didn't know that one could have a BP type associated with it. Is a form of BP the only "type" one can have associated with it? I always figured BP and Schizoaffective Disorder could be co-morbid. This sounds different than just co-morbidity.

It sounds interesting, though I'm sure having the disorder is far from a walk in the park. I'm just curious to know more, just for personal edification.

Thanks.

From my limited knowledge of schitzoaffective bipolar type is that they have the mood swings of bipolar but also experience psychosis outside of mood episodes. I didnt think to add it as a comorbidity as its generally called bipolar type and they struggle with the modd swings as much as any other BP1 person does.

Supanova did a great job of describing it! To add to that, schizoaffective means that a person has both mood symptoms and psychotic symptoms, and that the psychotic symptoms occur both within the mood episodes AND outside of them. There's a bipolar type, in which the mood symptoms are both mania and depression, and then there's also a depressive type, in which the mood symptoms are those of depression. Thanks for your interest! Let me know if you have any other questions!

All the Best,
Hope

Thanks to both of you for answering this, Supanova and HopeForChange! It's very elucidating.

So is Schizoaffective somewhere on the Unipolar/Bipolar spectrum, since it does involve mood symptoms? Do you think it should be, if it isn't?

Are there psychotic symptoms even when the mood is stable?

Comorbid was my vote.

I have a dual DX of BP2 and BPD, confirmed by 3 pdocs over a 3 year span and recently a panel of 8 professionals who were all in agreement.

Bipolar 1. Psych wanted to diagnose me with BPD but three diagnoses is well enough, thank you. I'll get the treatment I need with the BP I diagnosis so I do not care about the others

I selected BP1 as its the closest to what I have and it was my original dx. I'm diagnoses Bipolar Schizoaffective.