[Susan27]

hi everybody!

I was reading through this section and read some things teejai wrote on PD NOS and it totally fit me. I've never really had a dx but i know, due to my symptoms, behaviours, reactions, high sensitivity, paranoia over being abandoned, easily feel rejection, dissociative states, etc. that i've got "something" more than anxiety and depression. i fit into symptoms of PTSD, Borderline, and mild bipolar but have never been given a true dx. my T doesn't believe they help. she said i have a little of this and a little of that. When i was reading a few blurbs on what PD NOS is, it sounded like it captured a lot of the things i've been trying to "fit into a box" for the purposes of finding the proper support, etc.

can anyone help me out with this and what it entails?

[Perna]

Personality disorder, not otherwise specified, means you don't fit any other DSM personality disorder classifications as applied by a psychiatrist. One can't really diagnose one's self as there are things one can't see when looking at one's own behavior. I'm not a doctor either but from the list you gave you seem to fit Borderline personality disorder.

If you fit one or another of the disorders, you might have that disorder AND another but not "not otherwise specified". That diagnoses is only for those that don't fit anything else, not for if you have one and others in addition. There are 10 personality disorders, "not otherwise specified" is not something you want as it has no clear way to work on it, it's just what's left over if you don't fit any of 10; it's not a "little of this, little of that" but a "not much of the above".

http://www.psychological.com/psychol..._disorders.htm

[teejai]

Another name for PD NOS? 'Totally ****ed in the head' syndrome.

Operational definitions ? One criteria away from two separate PD ie
Borderline(4 criteria) schizotypal (4 criteria) or alternately 10 PD criteria without meeting the full criteria for any one specific PD.

[Susan27]

yes, i think you may have hit the nail on the head ... i have
"totally **** in the head" syndrome!!!!! That one I can diagnose myself too!

[Rapunzel]

Susan,

I can really see your T's point about diagnoses not really being very helpful. Mine is like that too, and I'm starting to find myself answering similarly when my clients ask "what do you think is wrong with me." But at the same time, I still obsess over what diagnoses I probably meet the criteria for, so I understand that side of it too.

I think that teejai was just describing what it's like for her, not trying to call you something objectionable. Over the internet, it's hard to know how to read either her tone or yours, so I can't tell for sure if you were upset about the reply or agreeing with it.

Anyway, if you feel that you have a personality disorder, whether it can be categorized or not, there are some implications for that and you certainly could talk to your T about them if you feel like you want to, or want to know more about how it might apply to you. Personality disorders are pervasive patterns that affect our relationships and communication with others. There is often a fine line between normal traits that a lot of people have, and personality disorders. Almost anybody reading a lot about personality disorders might come away from it relating to many symptoms and perhaps convinced that they might have one or more of the disorders.

Some therapists hesitate to tell clients that they have a personality disorder because it can seem insulting, given attitudes toward many of the personality disorders, and people who suffer with them. It can seem like a brush-off also, because a lot of therapists don't believe that personality disorders can be cured. They are certainly hard to treat. And even if two people meet criteria for the same personality disorder, those two people are likely to be very different.

So, if you do have a personality disorder, then you can expect either to spend a long time in therapy, or to accept that those traits may always be part of who you are and how you interact with others. Treatment involves taking a close look at patterns, traits, and behaviors that are probably an integral part of your identity, deciding which ones cause trouble for you, and which ones you can change or how you can adapt to keep those traits from hurting you or people in your life. So, if you have a personality disorder, be prepared to roll up your sleeves for some hard work that isn't always pleasant. It's worth it though.

My T is one of the few who believe that personality disorders (although she would be very reluctant to refer to them as such - she doesn't like the concept) can be successfully treated. But I've been working with her for more than 4 years now, and I have a long way still to go.

Best of luck to you on your journey!

Rap

[Susan27]

hi rap and thanks for writing.

i've been with the same therapist for 17 years now and it has been a long hard journey so i know what you mean!

as for my reply i was actually agreeing in a funny way so i hope teejai read it that way! i think it was a great alternative way to "sum it up" when it feels like it can't be summed up!

i just get frustrated because i have a lot of serious symptoms and false ideas inside that do impair my ability to be social and maintain healthy relationships.

i guess it's best for me to just leave it undiagnosed and continue my inner work. it just gets frustrating that i've been "at it" for so long now. it feels like a long hard journey that takes me so much time because there's a lot of feelings/experiences from my childhood that i am still unable/unwilling to face.

thanks for your support
susan

[teejai]

You are right i wasn't trying to be objectionable.
Point of correction-I'm male(reluctantly so .Dxed in past as having GID but turned down for mental health reasons)

[Rapunzel]

Oops, sorry about that teejai. Another thing that can be harder to pick up on over the internet.