BPD and bipolar

I believe you can. I was previously diagnosed with Bipolar not specified what type and personality disorder with borderline traits.

I didn't bring up the BPD part with my new pdoc yet. The pdoc who labelled me with that happily sent me home when I was really not doing well when I returned just days after having gone home from another stay there. New pdoc understood how that must have felt, being invalidated, being told you are making things up when you are already confused. Sometimes I start to believe Im simply making everything up because I sometimes lie a lot. That again is usually related to a bipolar episode though.

She said we have a lot to work on but didnt agree that it's just who I am when I said that. I do see some traits in myself but feel that overall most of them are related to bipolar episodes and only a few are consistent and some of the major symptoms are not there at all.

I am still told CBT and DBT would be good for me and whether I have a personality disorder or not I have a lot of past trauma to work through and thought patterns I need to change.

Everybody has a little bit of axis 2 in them now and then. I use the term broadly.

Research wise, i don't think they co-exist as often as people think.

Sometimes docs don't like to dx axis 2, out of concern for patient. Can make patient feel better to name it axis 1. Not best practice perhaps but not uncommon. At the same time, if it's a major case of axis 2, they don't hesitate much on it. If it's grey, they almost always go with axis 1. There's some diagnostic overlap in presentation and symptoms but pretty clear cut imho. axis 2 is persistent personality situation. Key word persistent maladaptive behavior. Key word relationship drama. A borderline is not gonna isolate (generally). Key word chronic self harm or thoughts there-of, without being in an acute mood situation. Key word rare remissions. Key word developed in childhood in response to trauma.

DBT is great and an extension of CBT with some different components/aspects. Both are great for axis 1 or 2 imho. Insight, insight, insight. Both help with that, and is crucial in having good QOL, whether bipolar or axis 2. And again, we all have a little axis 2 in us at times, key word at times vs. persistent.

That's my 2 minute take on things.

I for sure have some type of bipolar because I've had pretty dramatic mania and depressive episodes, but they also have me down with BPD and want me to go through with DBT soon. But I don't self-harm, I don't manipulate, and instead of lying a lot I actually am the opposite, I have a very hard time even telling White lies. I do have relationship problems but my husband was diagnosed with BPD in the past and I actually see more characteristics of it in him than in me. My tdoc thinks my issues with my relationship are not due do BPD but possibly due to a mild autism spectrum disorder. My pdoc recently acknowledged I might have ASD but doesn't feel I am diagnosable.

Can someone explain what the axiss' are?

Primarily Axis I and Axis II are mentioned here, although there are five axes total.

Axis I is "big psychiatry". Schizophrenia, bipolar, major depressive disorder, schizoaffective, anxiety.

Axis II is personality disorders.

It is an oversimplification, but in crude terms Axis I conditions are treated with pharmacological therapy and Axis II are not.