[crashley]

I've recently been visiting my doctor and mental health counsellor who both believe that I may be bipolar. I have many symptoms such as periods of elevated mood and euphoria (being more energetic, needing less sleep, etc during these times) as well as many depressive periods. However, I think that there might be "more".
Occasionally, I have full breakdowns (which occur on any given day) where my mood changes more drastically and is much more intense than usual. I cry uncontrollably, have irrational and unorganized/racing thoughts, feel worthless and angry, have suicidal thoughts, and am simply in a "dark place". Usually I'm able to calm down within 15-45 minutes.
However, after starting a journal I have realized that many of these breakdowns are triggered through conversations with my boyfriend. For some reason, some conversations we have seem to act as a trigger, and I will have a breakdown. For example, one evening I became incredibly angry and upset when my boyfriend suggested for us to go to his friends house (something we do multiple times a week) instead of staying in for the night by ourselves. Typically of course I would not become so upset over this, but I did. I cried uncontrollably for about half an hour. When I finally returned to "normal", I told him that nothing was wrong. I wasn't actually angry over the situation, meanwhile I had just had what he viewed as a "severe mental breakdown".
I'm incredibly confused and would appreciate anyones input on my situation. My current relationship with my boyfriend is incredibly unstable because I cannot control my emotions, especially in these situations.

[atomicc]

Hello crashley and welcome to PC! I'm glad you've found our borderline personality disorder forum!
It sounds to me like you do possess borderline traits, because of the mood swings triggered by interpersonal relationships. It is possible to be diagnosed with both Bipolar and Borderline PD, I suggest you take some of the tests available for borderline PD and talk to your doctor.
There isn't a different medication specific to BPD, just different types of therapies.

[QuasiM0d0]

I am so sorry you are going through such difficulty. You have to inform your Doctor what is going on with you. If your meds are not working let them try another "c0cktail" (combo drug) therapy for you.

Please try to hang in there.......

Kind Regards,
QuasiM0D0

[widgets]

I am currently going through an assessment as the mental health team belive I may have bipolar as well as bpd.

Do you have a current diagnosis?

It can be murky waters because bipolar and BPD share similar traits and symptoms and sometimes it can take a long time to distinguish if you have one or the other, both or none.

The way I will describe it is this:

My bipolar mood swings tend to have no specific trigger, i find myself going into a lull, my mood is low, i sleep up to 22 hours a day and either don't eat or eat way too much. Nothing anyone does particularly bothers me as I believe everyone hates me anyway and I completely isolate myself from everything and everyone. This tends to happen 1-2 times a year and can last 2 weeks to 3 months.

Apart from these depressive episodes where I feel nothing apart from depression, i have the mania/hypomania and the BPD moodswings.
This is the part I am still trying to figure out.
My mood will be High, i will be productive and do lots of things, start new projects, start seeing new people, sleep less, exceed work targets and basically be very capable. But this is when the BPD most affects me, I will get angry and anxious way more, i expect myself and everyone else to be perfect and I feel like everything should be revolving around me. I have black moods when I am in this place but they can last 1 hour to 2days. But if something upsets me I won't wallow I will act out.

Then there are the relatively normal times, where the anxiety and ocd and bpd still affect me but I am neither depressed nor manic. So I can get angry buy it won't be as intense, i will sleep a normal 8 hours etc. But at these times if something triggers Me badly then it can send me into a mild depressive phase for up to 2 weeks.

Hope this helps.

Basically it's common for these two disorders to be diagnosed in 1 person but I guess it will affect everyone differently as there are so many variables.

Keep working it out and talking and journalling, maybe try the medhelp mood tracker. That helped me when I used to see my psychiatrist at the start

From all my research and personal experience, I think there is a fine line between BPD and Bipolar Disorder (at least type 2 ... type 1 being more easily identifiable with severe manic episodes). From what you described, I'm guessing your doctors think you have Bipolar 2 (less severe mania). I've read that it is easy to mistake one for the other (BPD/Bipolar 2), and I agree.

I say go with what your doctors are suggesting. They will likely put you on a mood stabilizer + antidepressant (e.g. Lithium + Wellbutrin). See how you respond to those. Who knows ... they might help you ! It may sound stupid to you, but I think it's worth accepting the Bipolar diagnosis solely in order to try a different course of psychopharmacological treatment. I think the diagnosis is less important than your treatment and recovery. Whatever can work should be given a chance to work.

I have BPD + Bipolar 2. I personally identify much more strongly with the BPD diagnosis simply because I've been on every SSRI known to mankind, some SNRIs, and 2 mood stabilizers (taken concurrently with antidepressants), and so far, I have improved exactly diddly squat. To me, this is indicative of a much more deeply rooted problem (behavior patterns ... i.e., BPD) than a chemical imbalance/deficiency that can be improved by popping a buncha pills (which is more like Bipolar disorder, referring to mood stabilizers and antidepressants).

But this is just me. You might respond to Bipolar medication.

[fletch33]

I have both BPD and Bipolar Disorder. They actually fit together very well. A lot of the symptoms are similar in ways. I find, however, that the BPD diagnosis is more an accurate description of my overall condition. It just depends on whether or not you meet the criteria of each disorder. Check with your pdoc or therapist about the criteria in the DSM-5 if you are curious.

[aprillynn197]

Im borderline and bipolar and it is a hell of a mixture. I am the same way with my moods. I have made tons of mistakes because of my unstable emotions. Your not alone. My relationship has always been up and down because of my illnesses.