[hahahahah]

So when I was a teenager I was diagnosed with Major Depression. I had no idea that my diagnosis had changed (over 10 years later) to Borderline Personality Disorder and Dysthymia. My girlfriend has long suspected this but didn't say anything until recently as she thought I would be offended. Then I visited my PDoc yesterday and mentioned that my girlfriend think I may be misdiagnosed. He asked what she thought my diagnosis should be and I told him BPD, he showed me where he had written that down already. I was kind of shocked to have not known all this time (been seeing him for over a year). He was just like, "well did you ever ask about your diagnosis?"

Don't know if I should feel better or worse knowing this. But my anxiety has been through the roof lately and nothing really helps except being around people.

Has anyone found that just knowing their diagnosis helped them?

[cboxpalace]

There's differing views on this topic. My personal opinion it does help to know your diagnosis in order to understand it and how it affects you and possible treatments. If you didn't know you were borderline how would you know dbt is a therapy? So I think it's good to know.

[Luvmydog]

I agree with cbox. I think that knowing can be helpful. For years I had know idea why I would act or react the way that I did. After learning my dx, and doing research on it, I was able to 'see' that many of my reactions were affected by my dx. It helped me to adapt in different situations, and especially relationships. (my first marriage ended shortly after I got dx'd, but am in my second marriage and will be celebrating our 8 year anniversary next week.)
This was of course helped by therapy. I learned how to act and react differently in many different situations (of course using what I've learned is a bit more challenging), but it certainly helps.

[Ithilanar]

Definitely! I haven't received my official diagnosis yet, but my doctor believes I have BPD. To me it means everything. My entire life I have been researching everything, overanalyzing, trying to understand what was wrong with me for ages. Knowing it may be BPD answers all my questions and I finally feel I have an identity. I know why I am different, I know why I am so unstable in relationships, I know it isn't me! I know why I never fit in. I have a disorder that is changing the way I feel and think and I can finally start to cure myself (or at least get better).