[moodycow]

hi i have just had my bpd diagnosis confirmed and after the initial relief of having reasons why i am like i am all the questions kicked in the most pressing one being is there anyone on here who has fully recovered from this disorder because right now it feels like a very big mountain to climb.

[Espresso]

I wish I could say that I'm fully recovered. Some days I feel like I am, but then it all goes downhill. It's a roller coaster. Good luck.

[trying2survive]

Originally Posted by moodycow

hi i have just had my bpd diagnosis confirmed and after the initial relief of having reasons why i am like i am all the questions kicked in the most pressing one being is there anyone on here who has fully recovered from this disorder because right now it feels like a very big mountain to climb.

i can say i'm not even remotely close to being recovered

sorry, i know that doesn't help!

I've gone from 9/9 to 7/9 and of those 7 at least 3 of them are much reduced.

[lynn808]

I have to say that I am in recovery too...don't know how long it will take...may take years or may fight the rest of my life. I was diagnosed for over 25 years but BPD for 6 months. It has really changed my view on successful recovery as an option. I wish you good luck on your journey!

[ifst5]

I'm not sure that it's really possible - kind of like a process of recovery rather than recovering completely. Symptoms can be reduced and there are ways of coping when the status quo in life shifts. The latter being especially helpful when you're worried your progress will unravel and you'll sink back again. But it takes a lot of work. I'm from the UK as well so what i will say is that the circumstances are also going to play a big part unfortunately. What postcode you're under and what services you can access may well become a concern for you. All i'd say is, do your research, be persistent and don't take no for an answer. Check out the NICE guidelines if you need clarification. I assume you've already been referred to the local personality disorders team as you say you've been officially diagnosed. What's next, are they going to offer you DBT? Remember it's not the only treatment option so if you feel it's not right for you don't forget to inquire about the possibility of MBT or Schema if you feel they might be better. The Mind website has a lot of info on the disorder including treatment options so i would head there also if you haven't already. For self help, i always list dbtselfhelp.com as one of the better sites. All the best.

[moodycow]

Thanks for this , it was helpful i have been referred but have been told waiting lists for treatment are 1 year +!

[trying2survive]

Originally Posted by moodycow

Thanks for this , it was helpful i have been referred but have been told waiting lists for treatment are 1 year +!

wow! that sucks...doesn't help much at all!

[ifst5]

Originally Posted by moodycow

Thanks for this , it was helpful i have been referred but have been told waiting lists for treatment are 1 year +!

What are you supposed to do in the meantime? Has this been adequately explained to you and by whom? What kind of relationship do you have with your CMHT? Do they or more specifically your psychiatrist/care coordinator have a view on this? Are they going to support you during the wait? What can they offer you or does their approach need changing? Could they do with supporting you better emotionally or do they need a jump start in helping you solve matters practically?

Just some questions i'd be throwing out there although i imagine they've no doubt crossed your mind as well. I really hope you can maintain the strength in being involved with all the different authorities - it can be very draining, not to mention depressing, so if you ever just want to have a rant or rave please feel free to message me. Sending hugs from a fellow Brit who's had more then their fair share of the UK mental health system

Originally Posted by moodycow

Thanks for this , it was helpful i have been referred but have been told waiting lists for treatment are 1 year +!

Don't let that discourage you.

I've never had DBT, the nearest DBT specialist is over 300km's from where I live and therapy has been almost non-existant but I've made some headway despite this.

There is hope even if you're on your own. It's just that little bit harder.

[atomicc]

I have had remission of a lot of my symptoms before, but they seem to come back. :/ It is possible to recover and it's definitely possible to lessen your symptoms so you can live a normal life.

[moodycow]

Originally Posted by ifst5

What are you supposed to do in the meantime? Has this been adequately explained to you and by whom? What kind of relationship do you have with your CMHT? Do they or more specifically your psychiatrist/care coordinator have a view on this? Are they going to support you during the wait? What can they offer you or does their approach need changing? Could they do with supporting you better emotionally or do they need a jump start in helping you solve matters practically?

Just some questions i'd be throwing out there although i imagine they've no doubt crossed your mind as well. I really hope you can maintain the strength in being involved with all the different authorities - it can be very draining, not to mention depressing, so if you ever just want to have a rant or rave please feel free to message me. Sending hugs from a fellow Brit who's had more then their fair share of the UK mental health system

thankyou so much for this ,wish i could put you in my pocket and take you to all appts i am so crap at asking questions particularly the right ones , i tend to get overwhelmed by it all and confused about who is who and responsibilities ect and sometimes i just dont care as they often make me feel like an inconvienence !!

[ifst5]

Originally Posted by moodycow

thankyou so much for this ,wish i could put you in my pocket and take you to all appts i am so crap at asking questions particularly the right ones , i tend to get overwhelmed by it all and confused about who is who and responsibilities ect and sometimes i just dont care as they often make me feel like an inconvienence !!

I'm really sorry, it sounds like you've had a rough time of it and to be honest with the way mental health services are going here it hardly surprises me. Do you think advocacy might be useful? I've included a link from the Mind website which might be useful Mind - Finding an advocate I can't recommend the Mind website highly enough - it's very good at providing all sorts of info and support and you can also call/email them.

At your next MH appointment, I would ask for a copy of your most recent care plan and see whether what it says is actually being carried out. So for example, are you seeing the psychiatrist regularly enough to discuss overall treatment and medicine plan? (If you're on meds or would like to be). Do you know who your care coordinator is? They are the person who acts a sort of intermediary between yourself, the different services involved in your care and your psychiatrist. A care coordinator can be a social worker, mental health nurse or even a therapist. They're meant to provide practical and emotional support. I would also find out where this care coordinator is based and what their number is. Usually they're where your CMHT (community mental health team) is and are available on an extension. Sometimes the same goes for the psychiatrist in charge of your care. The number for the CMHT is not only important for reaching them (if that's the case), it also might mean you have the option of speaking to a duty worker there. They can help you through times of greater emotional need and even crisis (especially useful if your care coordinator/psychiatrist are not immediately available to talk too). If need be they refer you to the crisis team or in extreme situations, emergency services. Duty workers also make a brief note of the detail of your call so that a care coordinator can know what's happened most recently by checking your notes. (Don't worry you have control over how much information is shared and whether you want further contact from someone like your CC).

I realise you may already know a lot of this but I really encourage you to read the Mind website for further info. Whenever you next see someone involved in your care I hope you can find a way of asking them more specifically what their role is. From there they should be able to better explain the chain of command and where they fit into it. I always take a notepad with me to appointments as my memory is poor and I need a more adequate record of who I've spoken too and what about. As I said before, if you ever want to message me I'm here. I hope I've been helpful

[henrydavidtherobot]

I'm in recovery and have made tremendous progress in 6 months. The only criterion that I was missing was anger. Now, I do not hurt myself or think about it or dissociate severely. Some of my symptoms reduced before I was even diagnosed. 3 more symptoms have reduced drastically and only come up when I'm stressed. You can do it!

[moodycow]

thank you for this , i thought that i didnt have the anger at first but i sure do it is not coming out in obvious ways and rarely directed at other people , more at self or life and circumstance . today i am being sorely tested today iam very angry at the world !!!