[fuzzyowleyez]

Have any of you here ever experienced psychosis related to your BPD, depression, or just psychosis of any stripe? I only know one person in my life who has experienced psychosis, we aren’t friends or anything, but I know they have a relatively positive view on experiencing this symptom. I, on the other hand, experience nothing but fear when I think I’m being followed, talked about, or that people are otherwise out to get me. The entire experience was so terrible for me that I hope it never happens again. I would love to hear some stories from folks.

[HD7970GHZ]

Hi Fuzzyowleyez,

I have never personally experienced Psychosis.

I am sorry that you went through those things...

I am by no means trying to take away from your experience, but are you saying that what you experienced: is a form of psychosis?

If so, be wary... Just because you experienced something that is typical of psychotic symptomatology does not mean you are experiencing psychosis...

Fearing that people may be following you, talking about you, or are out to get you: (can be a product of very REAL and legitimate past traumas) which - could rule out psychosis altogether. Unfortunately more and more people DO in FACT experience these things in life, which muddies the whole process of finding a proper diagnosis and effective treatment. Your feelings could have to do with past abuse, bullying, or dealing with narcissists or sociopaths, unethical therapists or police, invalidating parents and manipulative siblings / friends, etc.

I struggle with thoughts and feelings that people in the healthcare system are out to get me, however, in ACTUAL FACT, in the PAST: this DID LEGITIMATELY happen... (Long Story) [Never threaten a lawsuit against the healthcare system.]

Expecting and suspecting that the healthcare system sees me as a liability and thus a threat, is a valid and trauma based suspicion. An untrained therapist with a blind spot might consider these thoughts and feelings to be psychosis, but someone who has been around long enough would spot the correlation with past trauma and immediately rule out psychosis.

Be careful not to fall into a trap where you label everything in your mind as untrue or psychotic. These kinds of scenarios DO happen more and more. Society is becoming bent on success and narcissism. Bad things DO happen to good people. People get followed, they become targeted by malicious groups trying to take advantage of those most vulnerable. There is gossip amongst humans, there is bullying, etc...

Try not to label your experience as psychosis; Borderline Personality Disorder is correlated with past abuse, trauma, abandonment and betrayals... Perhaps what you are experiencing is the emotion, "Paranoia," which a lot of people mistakenly associate with psychosis: (unreality / NOT based on FACT / Untrue) Paranoia is an emotion and is as important as all the others. It has a very real and important message; it means potential danger. For trauma survivors, danger is something they experienced and so paranoia can be justified.

Perhaps I am only repeating what you already know. Not trying to be rude, hope this plants seeds in your head. I am trying to validate your emotions rather than label them.

Thanks,
HD7970ghz

[fuzzyowleyez]

That's just fine, I don't feel you were rude. I labeled my experiences that way because i was diagnosed that way and thought it would be easier or more relatable for other folks whose experiences were also given that label to relate to what i was trying to say. Maybe it was a bad diagnosis, I don't know. All I know is what happened, that I began to believe some pretty impossible stuff and my meds helped a great deal.