Are these symptoms of BPD?

Yes, I know this is something I should be asking my T but I am not seeing her for three weeks and I want to make sure I am not completely off base with my concern before I consider bringing it up in session.

- Low self esteem (all the time)
- Convinced people don't like me and are just pretending or they are just trying to "put up with me".
- Suicidal thoughts
- Thoughts of self harmed (acted on it a few times but have managed to stop)
- Idealise certain people (close friends, my therapist and when I was school a few teachers).
- When something goes wrong in a friendship I just abandon the relationship and take forever to get over it. I have had a lot of failed friendships.
- Feelings of emptiness or that life just isn't "enough".

I have been diagnosed with depression so that could also be causing some of the things listed above. I can't tell what is my personality and what is depression (or whatever it is I have). Does the above sound like BPD?

I know this sounds really needy but why is everyone ignoring me???!!

No one is ignoring you. I don't know where you are located, but where I am, the sun wasn't up when you posted

Did you look at the sticky at the top of the forum about BPD symptoms?

I think the things you list could be symptoms and sure, talk about it with your T. It is common to be diagnosed with depression, depression with anxiety, and bipolar before a diagnosis of BPD. In my case, my T doesn't dwell on diagnosis. I presented my thoughts to her about BPD and she agreed and had thought that for some time, and added that she didn't want me to get hung up on the diagnosis. So we don't discuss it or the symptoms. My therapy has been very helpful!

I'm sorry it's so long before you see her again. Is that your usual schedule?

Yea it sounds like some symptoms of BPD. In my case I never even knew what BPD was. I have always had bouts of depression. But mostly I have always just been very emotionally unstable. It is my emotions that have always reeked havoc in my life.

I had been "informally" diagnosed Bipolar II but when I read the symptoms it just didn't sound like me.

So I wrote down ALL my symptoms. I made a chart and it took me weeks to make it. Any time I'd get a feeling or thought I'd add it to the chart in categories. So I went and saw a new Pdoc and brought him this chart... told him of my "biploar II" diagnosis. He literally read my list, looked up and said BPD. So I rushed home and read those symptoms and Voila.... THAT'S ME! I just knew. No doubt in my mind that's what I had.

So My advice to you is to write a list of Everything you feel and bring it in. Some doctors aren't as familiar with BPD. It's so easy to mix it up with Bipolar. But like Echoes said... the label isn't as important as addressing your symptoms. Maybe ask your therapist about DBT.

Also... you should try reading a book on BPD... "I hate you...Don't leave me" OR "Sometimes I act crazy" are two good books. You can see if you relate to the books. When I read them I was floored how much I related.

Are you on medication? Antidepressant may not be enough. U may benefit more from a mood stabilizer. I dunno... just throwing out some ideas for you to talk to Pdoc about.

I had never heard of BPD until I was at my son's intake for Aspeger's LOL.. The intake officer needed some background info on my son like our past of my moving he and his siblings around and never settling anywhere, always needing something new in my life whether it be a change in hair color, boyfriend, living arrangements ( i cleaned by moving.. lol) and after my son left the room he asked me if I had ever thought about having MYSELF evaluated.. He right away said I sounded like a borderline gal.. LOL

I also went home right away an looked it up and wow, I fit ALL but one of the critera. I was in shock and made myself an appointment. I have since then fired one T (she ticked me off so I just told her where to go.. I guess she caught me on a bad day.. LOL my new T is through a differnt office. So far we're making progress and she says BPD too and the Dr. dx me with Bipolar II.. It's been a long ride but I think I'm finally on the right road..

A lot of this definitely does sound like BPD, I'd check with your T obviously but it sounds like you're going to do that so... that's good. I hope that you can get the help/support that you deserve. Also, definitely wasn't ignoring you... I was just sleeping when you posted earlier. I hope you feel better soon.

Yeah, I realise now most of you would have been asleep when I posted this. I was just feeling lonely and stuff because of a few things that were going on at the time. I am going to ask my T if she thinks I have something other than just depression. I am very certain I have Major Depression but it is quite common to have more than one issue at a time so yeah, I will see what she thinks.

I applaud Echoes & Crab76's response - care not about the diagnosis, & focus on the symptoms! Love that! Me, I was diagnosed with two different things....and now, years later, have "self-diagnosed" an additional two "labels". Which irritated the dickens out of me at first, as well as caused me to fear I was becoming one of those hypochondriacs, who starts believing she has everything she reads about. But you're right, retro_chic - y'all are. It's common to have more than one diagnosis....and there's a lot of overlap among many. I'm trying to remember, myself, the name / label doesn't matter....what I need to focus on is understanding what the heck is happening, has happened, has been happening all along, and what I can do about it. Sounds like you're on a good track - reaching out, asking questions, learning. And I'm not just saying that because it happens to be what I'm doing!

Yes, I think that is what has me confused; the overlap of symptoms. I know "labels" don't help a lot of people but I do feel as if it would give me a better understanding of myself.

You also could just have "Borderline Traits'". Some people get diagnosed that way. I think you have to meet 5 out of the 9 criteria to have the full diagnosis. I meet 8 out of the nine.... I do not get paranoid dissociative symptoms.

But I understand why you would want to get to the bottom of your diagnosis. ALSO.... I believe my depression was caused by my BPD. I think the sever stress I put myself through due to BPD has caused me to slip into a depression. Because I haven't always been depressed. I have had a few smaller bouts with depression but this year takes the cake. So Yea... it all overlaps.

They may or may not be symptoms of BPD. I think a lot of us need to realize that symptoms overlap with other disorders.

From the list you posted, it's possible it's BPD. But at the same time, all of those symptoms can happen with a severe depression.

Definitely talk with your T, none of us here can dx you. I know that for me, I was diagnosed after repeated nearly successful suicide attempts, repeated hospitalizations, and a plethora of other things that happened. I fit 9 out of the 9 symptoms on the diagnostic criteria.

But even still, it took a long time to be diagnosed. A PD can't be diagnosed quickly, because you can be in a funk that looks as if you have a PD, but isn't long lasting. PD's are generally constant until the patient enters treatment. BPD can also look like a lot of other disorders (and vice versa). ASPD, BPD, depression, anxiety, PTSD, and a few others that I can't remember all look very similar to one another.

So be patient, and like others have said, don't get hung up on the diagnosis. A label doesn't really help you out. It can give answers, sure, but overall it's not what matters. It's your symptoms that matter.

retro_chic, A book I found helpful is Borderline Personality Disorder Demystified, An Essential Guide for Understanding and Living with BPD, by Robert O. Friedel, M.D.

He explains it very well.

I'm not sure I agree with his pharmaceutical treatment, but I like the book anyway.

Agreed. I have read the Friedel book and it is a very non-judgemental descriptive outline of BPD symptoms, possible causes and various types of treatment. I found it reads like a textbook, but in a way that is what some of us need when first find out about the diagnosis.

Be well everyone!
B1

If anything it would be borderline traits.. Check with your psychiatrist / therapist for a reliable diagnosis.

You have met many if the criteria. For BPD, but the are several conditions that overlap in symptoms. The only way to be certain if you have BPD is to talk to your T or your Pdoc if you have one. my T was the one who brought it to my attention and read the criteria, I tried to blow some of them off so I wouldn't qualify but the more she discussed it and the moe independent research I did I had to agree. Pschcebtrsl has some great links but I dint recommend selfdiagnosing yourself. This is something your going to want to review with a professional. Peace and goodwill!