Ok so I was orignally DXed with Bipolar and subsequently was DXed with BPD and that particular doctor stated i'm probalby both.

Well of late I've been observing my patterns. Indeed I feel that I do have a numberof BPD traits but one thing makes me think its quite possibly more BP than BPD.

Rapid mood changes seem to be what most people here experience much of the time and for me, I don't see that about me. I attribute any sudden changes of mood to my emotional intensity. If something makes me angry, happy, sad, I just happen to experience it more strongly but although that is a BPD trait it's not the same moodiness that I hear from people here. I mean my mood changed 99.9% of the time are explainable by an event or trigger.

In a more general sense my cycles as I've noticed have a longer term to them, pointing more to BP than BPD. I will be manic for a period of days up to weeks and although I might have a short lived mood change at times, it's more rare or as above it can be attributed to something specific happening.

In all of this, I guess it really doesn't matter. I am me, this is how I am and in any case I am learning to see the moods, the changes and behaviors and learning to accomodate these things.

Thanks for listening. Just thought I'd update since I've been away for a bit.
~S4

Originally Posted by s4ndm4n2006

Ok so I was orignally DXed with Bipolar and subsequently was DXed with BPD and that particular doctor stated i'm probalby both.

Well of late I've been observing my patterns. Indeed I feel that I do have a numberof BPD traits but one thing makes me think its quite possibly more BP than BPD.

Rapid mood changes seem to be what most people here experience much of the time and for me, I don't see that about me. I attribute any sudden changes of mood to my emotional intensity. If something makes me angry, happy, sad, I just happen to experience it more strongly but although that is a BPD trait it's not the same moodiness that I hear from people here. I mean my mood changed 99.9% of the time are explainable by an event or trigger.

In a more general sense my cycles as I've noticed have a longer term to them, pointing more to BP than BPD. I will be manic for a period of days up to weeks and although I might have a short lived mood change at times, it's more rare or as above it can be attributed to something specific happening.

In all of this, I guess it really doesn't matter. I am me, this is how I am and in any case I am learning to see the moods, the changes and behaviors and learning to accomodate these things.

Thanks for listening. Just thought I'd update since I've been away for a bit.
~S4

Yeah, I wondered where you'd been. I'm more BPD but am also BP11 with NPD as the chaser....a veritable trifecta of MI....my cycles are very very rapid and my mood can change and does change several times daily; I keep resisting meds (although my T insists they will help) because I'm trying to manage my moods myself....limited successs, I'm sorry to say.

Glad you're back.

Originally Posted by KathyOlivia

Yeah, I wondered where you'd been. I'm more BPD but am also BP11 with NPD as the chaser....a veritable trifecta of MI....my cycles are very very rapid and my mood can change and does change several times daily; I keep resisting meds (although my T insists they will help) because I'm trying to manage my moods myself....limited successs, I'm sorry to say.

Glad you're back.

Thank you for noticing

I too am learning to manage my moods myself. I mean because. fck drugs. That's just me, if someone else benefits from them, more power to them, but I am me, I have whatever it is and will have it for life. Much rather learn to live and deal with life as the real me, not a masked one.

S4, I've been diagnosed w/ both BPD and BP. I can tell the difference b/w the two very well. The BP mood changes, like you occur very gradually, until it hits a point of no return when either I'm in a full blown mania or in a bleak depression. It can take me weeks or months to break out of.

However, w/ the BPD, the cycles usually happen very very quickly, and I can pin point a specific event that caused it. For me I usually lash out w/ severe anger that can lead to aggression. But, when I'm in a BP caused depression, some events that trigger the BPD will add to and aggravate the BP.

From personal experience the BPD can really piggyback on the BP.

I hope all that made sense.

Originally Posted by jeffro1972

S4, I've been diagnosed w/ both BPD and BP. I can tell the difference b/w the two very well. The BP mood changes, like you occur very gradually, until it hits a point of no return when either I'm in a full blown mania or in a bleak depression. It can take me weeks or months to break out of.

However, w/ the BPD, the cycles usually happen very very quickly, and I can pin point a specific event that caused it. For me I usually lash out w/ severe anger that can lead to aggression. But, when I'm in a BP caused depression, some events that trigger the BPD will add to and aggravate the BP.

From personal experience the BPD can really piggyback on the BP.

I hope all that made sense.

Oh I completely agree with what you've said. If I'm in an all out mania cycle and I am triggered it can be a bad thing. I see bpd "mood swings" for me at least more like triggered and extreme emotional responses rather than anything cyclic. I don't switch moods like a rapid cycler as some have stated they experience.

Originally Posted by jeffro1972

However, w/ the BPD, the cycles usually happen very very quickly, and I can pin point a specific event that caused it. For me I usually lash out w/ severe anger that can lead to aggression. But, when I'm in a BP caused depression, some events that trigger the BPD will add to and aggravate the BP.

From personal experience the BPD can really piggyback on the BP.

I hope all that made sense.

You're right about the gradual of the BP but I sometimes have no idea what triggers the BPD mood changes...just one minute I'm ok and then suddenly I just want to cry. Can be a breeze crossing my face, even an expression that I have that mimics one often used by my exbf (that's part of BPD as well, mirroring...its good when the relationship is strong but incredibly painful after it's over) that will send me into a tailspin.

The piggybacking is true too, in my experiance. All very frustrating and hurtful. Thank you for explaining it better than I could.

Originally Posted by s4ndm4n2006

I don't switch moods like a rapid cycler as some have stated they experience.

I do....constantly. Worse when under stress which I am now. I consider it a good day when I have only 3 or 4 complete mood changes. Lately, I've been experiancing upwards of 12 or more on a daily basis...the anger ones I can usually walk off. The crying ones are much harder to move out of.

Head down...push on. And blame allergies when anyone questions my redrimmed, tearing eyes.

Originally Posted by KathyOlivia

I do....constantly. Worse when under stress which I am now. I consider it a good day when I have only 3 or 4 complete mood changes. Lately, I've been experiancing upwards of 12 or more on a daily basis...the anger ones I can usually walk off. The crying ones are much harder to move out of.

Head down...push on. And blame allergies when anyone questions my redrimmed, tearing eyes.

Awee : about the crying. I'm sorry. I don't get that often at all, but then I've been trained not to as a man. It's stupid but true.

yeah and I don't have all that many ever really. Hence the reason I think BP affects me more than BPD. but then maybe I'm one of the BPD in denial or soemthing. who knows.

.

[IndieVisible]

The main difference I noticed are in the mood swings. While both experience mood swings, BPD is a much more narrower mood range it swings. Mostly just anxiety, and anger. Triggers play a larger role for BPD. While a BP has a much wider range in their mood swings and can feel very elevated too. Basically BP can be all over the map. Another difference is BPD has mode swings because of triggers so they can happen any time and last for minutes to hours, rarely days. You could have both if abandonment issues are present, and you fall in the other criteria for BPD. So your pdoc could be right! I would ask him which he feels is more predominant in your case. Good luck to you!

Originally Posted by IndieVisible

The main difference I noticed are in the mood swings. While both experience mood swings, BPD is a much more narrower mood range it swings. Mostly just anxiety, and anger. Triggers play a larger role for BPD. While a BP has a much wider range in their mood swings and can feel very elevated too. Basically BP can be all over the map. Another difference is BPD has mode swings because of triggers so they can happen any time and last for minutes to hours, rarely days. You could have both if abandonment issues are present, and you fall in the other criteria for BPD. So your pdoc could be right! I would ask him which he feels is more predominant in your case. Good luck to you!

Actually I don't know how much of your statement is true. TBH it doesn't matter at this point.

I don't have a pdoc and don't care to ask them.

[IndieVisible]

Originally Posted by s4ndm4n2006

Actually I don't know how much of your statement is true. TBH it doesn't matter at this point.

I don't have a pdoc and don't care to ask them.

Ok then, thanks for sharing. I guess I misunderstood the purpose of starting your thread. I assumed you were looking for feedback. My bad.