Borderline or PTSD? Confused.

I have recently started seeing a therapist for the first time. After a long assessment appointment, and even longer intake appointment, we were able to get into some rather deep things. At the end of my last session, she gave me print-outs of articles and information about "Complex PTSD". I am fully aware now that this is not in the DSM, and is not considered a real diagnoses. However, it fit me to the bone, and I felt a strange, cathartic sense of relief while I was reading. I would imagine even if it is not useful to use for diagnostic purposes, it may still be helpful in shaping a treatment plan?

I have read that C-PTSD and Borderline Personality Disorder have a lot of similarities and crossovers. I know this is not a doctor's office. I'm just looking for patient opinions/information. What are the differences between C-PTSD and BPD? Would the same treatment options be potentially effective in both cases?

In BPD, I always read about unstable relationships... could someone elaborate on that please?

And also, I get what I finally understand to be "emotional flashbacks." Is this something that people with BPD sometimes get? Thank you so much, and apologies for my ignorance. I'm new to all this.

Briar

I read somewhere that C-PTSD is PTSD with attachment issues and so is pretty much just PTSD + BPD.

I'm not sure on the accuracy of that though.

I've also seen that C-PTSD tends to deal purely with trauma where as BPD has a genetic component.

Again dunno if it's right.

Relationships for me tend to be 'light bulb' relationships. On again off again. One minute we're all over each other the next we're screaming the house down.

I'm not too sure what you mean by emotional flashbacks so I can't give you an answer. Sorry.

I have been told I have both but BPD has many spectrums from mild to severe. My c-PTSD gives me most the trouble, from nightmares, not sleeping, different levels of flashbacks, but I do have to say the BPD caused the negative coping behaviors due to the empty, lonely feelings and abandonment issues. I am so much better because of a diligent therapist. I always thought I was high functioning before therapy. I might have been but I was just surviving. Not living. I feel like I have just started my life. Knowledge is power. Learn everything you can and try real hard not to follow your emotions down a destructive path. It takes time and it gets better but with help.

That's what I've been diagnosed with as well. According to what I've read, C-PTSD is similar to BPD in the sense that they both can cause intense fears of abandonment and intense, uncontrollable emotions. My therapist told me that it's caused by an unstable upbringing, among other things.

And in my case, the instability in my relationships has been caused mainly by my paranoid delusions caused by a fear of abandonment, and my volatile emotions. It varies from person to person, however.

Feel free to ask any questions!

Thanks for bringing this up. I am dealing with many of the same issues. NPD and BPD were suggested in my case, but I was traumatized by an incident of sexual abuse by a stranger when I was 10. My father was also very abusive towards my mother and my mother towards me, in my early childhood. They started to get a little better when I was in my teen years, but my earliest memories are pretty horrific.

That's all I can say.