[librarybelle]

Hi all,

I'm hoping you guys can help figure something out. I'm new to this forum, so hi! I've been diagnosed BPD for about 6 months now, but have been in therapy for OCD and emotional dysregulation much longer. Took a new therapist to figure out the BPD.

Anyway, something new has started happening to me that I'm getting a little desperate to find an answer about. Anytime my partner (or my sister, or close friends--so someone I'm close to) has a medical appointment, I get really anxious--even if it's something routine like a dental appointment. I don't know what's causing it, and the therapist thinks its borderline related, but has never seen it before.

Has anyone else experienced something like this? Or have any thoughts about what might be causing it? Or thoughts in general about it? I don't know what is causing the anxiety spikes about these particular situations. Any ideas or experiences you have to share would be very appreciated.

[Yzen]

Do you have anxiety when you go to the doctor too? I get a little anxious for my appointments. Maybe it is fear of the unknown...unexpected medical news. If it doesn't bother you when you go to the doctor, it might be more of a worry about people close to you and not wanting anything to happen to them. Going to doctor and dentist are helpful to their health....a good positive healthy action.

[librarybelle]

Hi Yzen!

Yes, going to the doctor does make me anxious--but it always has. This is a pretty new addition to my sandbox of anxieties. I agree that these are good things that they should be doing, I just don't know where the anxiety response comes from. Fear of the unknown is definitely part of why I get anxious about my own appointments, so it might be the same thing bleeding over? I'm just not sure. I know that I feel less nervous in an environment that's familiar to me -- like my GP's office that I've been seeing for years. So maybe it is the unknown with people who are close.

Thinkin about what you said, I also wonder if it triggers anxieties over my own health subconsciously, since doctors/dentists visits make me anxious.

Thank you for your response! Just hearing from someone else is really helping the anxiety. I appreciate you taking the time!!