[LizzieVale]

What is the difference if any between the terms Borderline Personality Disorder and Borderline Personality Organization? After being in psychotherapy for the last 20 years my psychiatrist is no longer practicing. He wrote a referral letter in order for me to see a new psychiatrist. This is one of the terms that he wrote to describe my condition: "Lizzie has chronic anorexisa nervosa and a long standing anxiety disorder. This is all within the context of a borderline personality organization".
Up until reading this letter I was under the impression that my condition was one of anxiety and depression along with the eating disorder. I had no idea that a had a borderline personality disorder.
What I'm trying to establish is does this mean that I do indeed have BPD? If so, why would this information been kept confidential for all these years. As a patient don't I have a right to know about my condition?

[FooZe]

Hi LizzieVale, welcome to Psych Central!

I think the reason we hear more about "Borderline Personality Disorder" than "borderline personality organization" is because that's what the DSM has been calling it for years. I thought I remembered the other term from somewhere; it turns out to be Kernberg's. I found an article about it (and him) here:

Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) is one of the most controversial diagnoses in psychology today. Since it was first introduced in the DSM, psychologists and psychiatrists have been trying to give the somewhat amorphous concepts behind BPD a concrete form. Kernberg's explication of what he calls Borderline Personality Organization is the most general, while Gunderson, though a psychoanalyst, is considered by many to have taken the most scientific approach to defining BPD. The Diagnostic Interview for Borderlines and the DIB-Revised were developed from research done by Gunderson, Kolb, and Zanarini. Finally, there is the "official" DSM-IV definition.

And that's just the first paragraph.

[SwayintheBreeze]

I think what he's referring to is that the anxiety and eating disorder are part of the traits (organization) associated with BPD. That would be my guess liz but I am not an expert. Has he never mentioned borderline personality? P

[LizzieVale]

No, he's never ever mentioned the Borderline Personality Disorder part of my illness SwayintheBreeze. Makes me wonder why? Perhaps he thought I would have trouble coming to terms of what i have. If thats the case he's spot on because im totally devistated to discover that I have this awful illness. I feel sick just thinking about it.

Thank you for the warm welcome and information FooZe. Am about to check out the link.

[LizzieVale]

Just read through the link that you posted SwayintheBreeze, and its as though someone has written all about the way i think and feel. Thats me to a T. Now that i know that i have a personality disorder what is the next step in self healing? Im so upset and afraid. Maybe my shrink was right in not letting me know about my illness after all. Im having trouble to come to terms with the fact that im somewhat not normal in the way that my thinking process works, or dosnt work .....

[MDDBPDPTSD]

Found a link too. May be a repeat of what was already stated in previous link. Dunno:

http://www.vbhcs.org/poc/view_doc.ph...oc&id=584&cn=8

Hope this helps some.

[LizzieVale]

Thank you so much for sharing that link with me MDDBPDPTSD. It was really helpful in helping me understand specifically what the three main personality disorders are. Neurotic being the less severe personality disorder, psychotic being the most severe of the personality disorders and borderline being inbetween the two. At this stage of my illness any information anyone is able to share with me is greatfully appreciated and i thank you for your kindness.