[yesterdaysangel]

I'm diagnosed with cyclothymia/bipolar ii, but as I have grown and continually been more self aware, people (myself included) have noticed that I also display some pretty obvious signs of borderline personality disorder. I know that one is often misdiagnosed for the other, but I also know that there is a possibility of comorbidity, and I was wondering if anyone else has been in this position, and if the bpd symptoms are something I should address?

[gina_re]

I'm pretty sure a few of us think the same thing. In fact I know there are a few threads out there about this very same subject. Some of the symptoms overlap and it can be a comorbid disorder. But because of that, I would check with a pdoc for the diagnosis because self-diagnosis from what you read online and what you know about yourself may not always be accurate. Good luck!

[Roaming_bird]

I was/am diagnosed with both BP and BPD. I know that was true in the past, but I have very few of the symptoms now. If you have any questions about it, I'd be happy to help.

[ComfortablyNumb5]

I'm BP and have BPD. I honestly find a hard time telling the difference. I actually didn't even know I had BPD until I got my medical records a few years ago. My pdoc just failed to mention it. Nice. When I found out I was appalled! I really didn't know what it was until I looked it up. And yea, the shoe fits... Unfortunately. I find that when I'm not on meds or I'm self medicating that I make more irrational decisions and when I'm hypo and OCD I obsess over abandonment issues or being hurt. However when I am stable, my BPD symptoms are easier to put to the side. But yes the two are often mistaken for the other and if you're concerned you have BPD then bring it up to your pdoc or T before jumping to conclusions!

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[Row Jimmy]

I was originally "diagnosed" with both......p-doc wasn't sure so he let it ride for a while. I'm officially BP2 now but I do display some BPD characteristics like black and white thinking (called "splitting"), uncontrollable anger, and substance abuse. However, I'm not scared of being abandoned, I don't care if people like me or not, and I'm comfortable with who I am.

IMO, you have to show a lot of BPD to get a diagnosis. In addition, perhaps you need to display at least one characteristic that isn't common in both. For example, I don't think BP is marked by irrational fears of abandonment.

[ComfortablyNumb5]

Originally Posted by Row Jimmy

I was originally "diagnosed" with both......p-doc wasn't sure so he let it ride for a while. I'm officially BP2 now but I do display some BPD characteristics like black and white thinking (called "splitting"), uncontrollable anger, and substance abuse. However, I'm not scared of being abandoned, I don't care if people like me or not, and I'm comfortable with who I am.


IMO, you have to show a lot of BPD to get a diagnosis. In addition, perhaps you need to display at least one characteristic that isn't common in both. For example, I don't think BP is marked by irrational fears of abandonment.

Oh yea... I forgot to mention my substance abuse and anger issues. I have dysphoric mania so my anger really comes out when I'm mixed or manic. It's no walk in the park.

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[Row Jimmy]

Anger and substance abuse can be found in both.......I had the same issue with booze but I gave it up too. Anger remains a bit of a problem but I'm getting there.

I'm still convinced BPD needs to show some sort of fear of abandonment and a general feeling of discomfort about identity. A lot of mental illnesses can display as other things.....I suppose that's why there so hard to diagnose and understand.

[pirilin]

You need 5 of of these for BPD.

Fear of abandonment
Unstable or changing relationships
Unstable self-image; struggles with identity or sense of self
Impulsive or self-damaging behaviors (e.g., excessive spending, unsafe sex, substance abuse, reckless driving, binge eating).
Suicidal behavior or self-injury
Varied or random mood swings
Constant feelings of worthlessness or sadness
Problems with anger, including frequent loss of temper or physical fights
Stress-related paranoia or loss of contact with reality

[Wanderlust90]

I have a lot of trouble accepting a bipolar dx when there is such overlap between atypical (in my case also agitated) depression/bipolar 2 & BPD. I actually identify a little more with BPD symptoms but no pdoc or therapist or nurse has ever suggested it.

[Victoria'smom]

I had a dx of PD nos & bp w. psychotic features before I brought it up to T. He changed it to just bp w. psychotic features.

Like RXQueen875 i found out my diagnosis of 'traits of BPD' when i read my medical records. I was appalled as well. But i've recently remembered that really early in my diagnosis 25 years ago i *tried* to get diagnosed BPD and my shrink rejected it and i was really mad. I don't have 'panic re real or imagined abandonment' or unstable relationships, mostly because i don't have *any* relationships. I do have the sense of chronic emptiness, reckless spending when hypo-manic and in the past i had para-suicidal behavior. I can't tolerate the therapy for BPD, dialectical behavior therapy, so it's sort of a moot point. I just get hypo-manic from the long days of activity and stimulation in DBT when i'm so used to being on my own.

I don't really mind how things are now. I'm really inactive but i just have a dog to take care of and i'm up to that so what does it matter if i sleep twelve hours a night and nap all afternoon? I guess i'm wasting my life but having got such a rough start in life i don't really think there's a lot out there for me. I don't think there's a lot of potential for my life. I digress.

[yesterdaysangel]

UPDATE: I just exhibited apparently the most tell-tale sign of BPD in a very rapid cycling episode, so I think I'm gonna have a nice long conversation with my therapist very soon. Not thrilled about this new development, but I'm rolling with it.

[Imah]

I have been repeatedly diagnosed with BP for about 36-38 years. I was also diagnosed with BPD nearly 3 years ago now. Now that I have come to accept the dual diagnosis, I am trying to understand which symptoms come from which disorder.