[easy goer]

This seems to be occuring with my wife although I am so new to this I have no idea. I see her as borderline, she seems to be a textbook example of this..There was some sort of abuse in her past which seems to go hand in hand with all of these disorders...She has talked to us with a somewhat different voice in the past although often it is just her thoughts and ideas that seem to be from a different person. It is interesting that there are certain behaviors w/ borderline like putting on a facade and/or feeeling like a child that seem to coincide with DID...Does anyone have an idea how one would go about differentiating this sort of thing?

[Elysium]

Well...It would really take a qualified therapist and some diagnostic tests and a face to face interview for a therapist to be able to attempt to separate the diagnoses out and find which one is what.

Not being a therapist, I can't really say if it is possible for one person to qualify for all three of these diagnoses, but I do know that I am a person who was diagnosed with Complex PTSD with dissociative symptoms and some symptoms of BPD. About 4 months ago my dissociation became so bad and the voices in my head that had been there forever started introducing themselves to me and telling me their names. I discussed it with my therapist and was sent to another therapist specializing in dissociative disorders and was diagnosed with DID. Just keep in mind that it is possible to have symptoms of a disorder and not qualify for a clinical diagnosis.

All this being said....a lot of therapist don't like to label people too much and tend to like to focus on the symptoms of what the person is experiencing. Not saying that having something to call it isn't important, but really, does it ultimately matter what we call it? It won't change the symptoms and ultimately doesn't really change the treatment too much either.

I'm glad you came here and checked in. I invite you to look around the site and don't hesitate to ask questions and share your experiences. Also, if you would like to invite your friend/family member to check out the site, she is also welcome here as well.

Hope this offered some support. Don't hesitate to come here with your questions!!

[Miri]

Absolutely these 3 "diagnoses" go hand-in-hand, more often than not, to some degree. It really isn't necessary of differentiate what is what, it'll drive you to distraction if you try. Healing therapy will address the issues as they arise and healing in one area will help in others. We just can't be sorted out so easily, I'm afraid. In the beginning, it feels like that is necessary because you are trying so hard to just understand things. The greatest asset you can foster is patience. It takes time to untangle what happened and how that is affecting things today. I offer you encouragement and hope, it CAN get better.

[possum220]

dear easy goer,

it really would be best to check this out with qualified therapist after a session or two. i was talking with a counsellor and she was saying that DID and BPD are closely linked, but the motives behind actions differ greatly and those actions will determine either BPD or DID. Yeah clear as mud.

Both BPD and DID require proffessional help.

[easy goer]

thank you everybody for your kind support. I could really use it. I recognize that it's not important to diagnose but rather if I find something that works for me (e.g Stop walking on eggshells) then I will use it for as much value as I can...So I dont want to get all academic but this sort of stuff does make me wonder. YOur works are somewhat reassuring that all of these can be present.

I was thinking they could as some things about BPD e.g. wanting to be a child seem also e.g. DID..There's one more thing I wanted to relate that I found out yesterday and has me sort of puzzled and thining about..

My wife told me that when she got her current psych ward (second admission in June) they said the first week she was in a dream like state. For an entire week she did not where she was or who she was...

She has often seemed to behave in this sort of manner at home, especially after her brother shows up. She is very sweet and kind much of the time, almost TOO kind one might say. One might think she is just sort of too much of a saint to be real...Occasionally when she is triggered she gets all foul mouthed on us. It's reall shocking..But it's another subtle persona that I see more of: she just critics everything. OMG it was unbelievable.

I ran out to get milk late at night. Got some at 7-11; "why didnt you get it at Safeay? I thought it was closed.." Goes on and on about this..Arguing over 25 cents?? what the ell?

Then the toater. I put a piece of bread in toaster. "It doesnt go there, it goes HERE" Pts to one certain slot in toaster with an arrow..Like there actually is a special slot when you have one piece of toast...Like it realy matters..

Many stories like this you've probably heard them all. Could she be in some sort of other persona or maybe just in a trance?

But it's hard to tell she possibly slips into another personality very subtley that we dont notice it..Or perhaps she just doesnt recall stuff. I like to think that she really does recall stuff and is just saying she doesnt out of shame, but then again maybe she really doesnt remember.

She has done some really screwy things to hurt me, and I just wonder if this dream like state she was in (I have no doubt she is telling the truth about it) relates to other behaviours the past couple of years and to DID..

Thanks for any support. I got to see my Therapist yesterday so I am trying not to over analyze it but any thoughts please feel free I guess it helps..

[easy goer]

Just to update: My wife was actually doing quite well yesterday SHe was smiling. In fact beaming. We had not seen her like that in many months... I tried to keep a happy face on but it is hard to hide my pain right now..

She's on a regime of welbutrin and respirdal..She can take seroquel if she feels panic. SHe must have been in a state of depression for many months as she has said and I think it must be true..last month they took her off the welbutrin for some reason and then she sort of stopped teh respirdal on her own..

Thank you for the update its nice to hear how things are going

[amandalouise]

the diagnosis thing Im with everyone else that said the only way to tell them apart is with special tests.

The toaster thing, I have one of those and if I am toasting only one slice and dont put it into the slot with the arrow it wont work. I thought it was just me so I read the toaster manual and that too said for one slice use the slot with the arrow otherwise the toaster wont work, with mine
I push the handle down and the bread just keeps popping back up again with this grinding noise. I then called the company that made the toaster (GE) and they told me they make their toasters that way so that if kids are making the toast they wont get burned by putting their fingers in the side with no toast. only the side with the arrow will light up when making one toast. I thought this was a great idea for keeping little kids just learning how to cook their own toast safe.

[paddym22]

Thanks Easy Goer glad to hear it, and do yourself a favor stick to the experts, the professionals to diagnose her condition, you had driven your self ill jumping from one thing to the next. Now go and relax and be enjoy being with your wife

[easy goer]

I really dont mind gathering as much info as possible Part of that is my nature and part of it is that I feel that the criticism leveled upon seeking opinions here is just as valid as that of science in general or history for that matter.

I have faith that over the longhaul with an open mind science will cometo the right conclusions, you have to test, retest and ask yourself does it fit your own common sense? Nothing more different than being on this board. At least for me, as I often do things this way..

Same sort of thing was leveled at Widipedia. SOmeone did a study and found that had just as many, or as few inaccuracies as your standard encylopedia. SO make of tha what you will.

And in fact, it is not crucial that I come to some academic conclusion. Only that I take anything that I can use and try to see if it can help me. That's really bottom line if it works for me.

[easy goer]

Originally Posted by amandalouise

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The toaster thing, I have one of those and if I am toasting only one slice and dont put it into the slot with the arrow it wont work. I thought it was just me so I read the toaster manual and that too said for one slice use the slot with the arrow otherwise the toaster wont work, with mine
I push the handle down and the bread just keeps popping back up again with this grinding noise. I then called the company that made the toaster (GE) and they told me they make their toasters that way so that if kids are making the toast they wont get burned by putting their fingers in the side with no toast. only the side with the arrow will light up when making one toast. I thought this was a great idea for keeping little kids just learning how to cook their own toast safe.

thakns for your input on the toaster thing. You know maybe my wife meant well. for a time the toaster wasnt working but that was because that circuit breaker thing in the outlet had been tripped. My wife figured that out pretty quickly..But I wonder maybe that was happening the same time I put hte bread in the wrong slot so maybe she through there was a connection... In any event I didnt make much out of it.

So thanks for thinking of this. I think every little bit can help. It sure is puzzling this DID, BPD, etc. At least for somoene who has no experience.