BPD or BP?

I've read here and there on here about the overlap between BPD and BP. But what are the differences? If you were a pdoc (or T) how would you make the distinction between Borderline Personality Disorder and Bipolar Disorder? What characteristics do you have to have to be BPD that would rule out BP or at least put it into question?

Mood disorders generally need to be of a two week duration

My therapist actually pulled out her DSM-5 for me to look at with her to see how BP is diagnosed. If you see a pdoc or therapist, ask if they will do this with you for both disorders and go over how they come to the diagnosis. My therapist believes knowledge of my disorder is how to cope with BP and live as stable of a life as I can.

BPD tends to make people react very strongly and emotionally to situations, conversations and other relationship issues(many of their symptoms are triggered by issues in relationships). They can go from calm to raging in minutes. This occurs almost all the time whereas a BP person may only act like this while manic or depressed or mixed. BP people usually have a more stable sense of identity and act perfectly normal between episodes while BPD people often don't know who they are and there illness is present most of the time. A big issue for BPD is fear of abandonment and they will go to extreme lengths to avoid this and get extremely distressed if they have or perceive an abandonment.

Until four years ago I was diagnosed with BPD and showed most of the symptoms. Either it was the Complex PTSD causing them or I recovered with intensive therapy. Either way I know how it feels to have BPD and suffer the stigma that comes with it. It is a very real, chronic illness that causes much suffering. You can have BP and BPD too. This makes things very complicated.

BPD, from what i understand, affects one's social life a lot. People with BPD tend to have intense and tumultuous relationships. They also tend to have trouble keeping friends.

I have been diagnosed with both but have managed (with lots of therapy)'to get better on the bpd spectrum of things. DBT helps a lot.

I don't have BPD myself, but I've been confused by some threads in the past that say that they have so many symptoms in common, while from what I've read, that's not entirely true. It sounds like you need the characteristics that Wander mentions and that if a mood last for less than about 2 weeks, then it's probably not BP, or at least not an episode. That's in line with what I've read. Just wanted to clarify, because it's a confusing issue.

I have both. What counts as BP is how I'm in a particular mood (usually depression). If I go for a week or more, it's usually BP. BPD is trickier, because while it's shorter it can turn south real quick. Also there are no meds for BPD; usually meds for comorbid issues like depression or anxiety. DBT helps with BPD issues, but it takes some work.

I have both BPD and bipolar.

For me... BPD is quicker with the moods. I can go from fine to having a meltdown in seconds. The moods last shorter than bipolar. and I usually profusely apologize for my behaviour after.

For bipolar, my energy, mood, and outlook on life go up and down all in one. For example if I'm upbeat , euphoric, not sleeping, energetic... I'm up. I'm manic in a sense - which is hypomania for me.

When I'm down, everything is down, energy (I sleep 9-14 hours if allowed), mood is depressed/dark, Outlook is bleak...

I can tell by my daily mood chart.

Have you thought of keeping a mood chart? Every day you chart if you were up or down that day. It's helpful.

As I say, I don't have BPD, but was curious about the overlap (or lack thereof) with BP. Your explanation of how they intersect and differ is really clear and illuminating. It must be very hard to navigate and handle both!

It is difficult. I was doing DBT (dialectical behaviour therapy) which helps with Borderline. But I had to quit because my job didn't allow me to take every Friday off for their 3-4 hour long group sessions. I will be resuming dbt soon with a therapist though which I'm grateful for.

For awhile drs thought I only had Borderline... then I was put on antidepressants and stopped sleeping, became euphoric and impulsive (hypomanic). So they diagnosed both.

BPD cuts.