Border line traits

Maybe because I don't have one symptom: unstable self-image. I'm weird. I don't like diagnosis as a label. But I also have to accept that as humans we try to organize and structure everything. I may have BPD, but I'm not BPD. I am me. There's no one else out there who is me. So BPD is on a small part of me. And I have met many other people woth borderline in my life: around 7? I'm not them and our symptoms differ from mine.

But BPD diagnosis fits me. I do suffer from depression and anxiety. But I have more symptoms than those diagnises cover. And none of the other diagnoses fit me as well as BPD does.

I think part of the stigma with BPD is because many hogh functioning individuals have it, but they are seeking treatment because they have found ways to cope on their own. Or they don't think anything is wrong. So professionals tend to see the worst cases.

Me, I'm different because of my life experiences. I experienced mass amounts of trauma, but I had mother-figures through my childhood who helped compensate for the trauma. Our experiences make all of us different.

I guess a point I want to make is having the flu, depression, cancer, autism, etc. isn't who you are. You are still you even if you have BPD. Treatment is only there to allow you to cope with the symptoms to better your life. We all want to better ourselves and improve our lives, right? Same with BPD. It's not a death-sentence, it's not a curse. It's not fun or easy.

Idk. Does that make sense? It's such a difficult and sensitive topic. It shouldn't have to be. I am a good person, I just happen to have BPD.

I'm sorry if I've upset anyone with this post. Seems like it's a sensitive topic. someone mentioned that they are a good person, they just have BPD. That makes me think of what my T always says. He often says "I think you are a good person. You care about others. You are doing a good job with your kids (they come in with me sometimes do I guess he sees how I interactvwith them and talk about them). He says I care about others and I have strong moral values. And he keeps saying I'm very strong and have a lot of resilience even though I've had a lot of things knock me down. So thank you for reminding me that I'm a sick person who wants to be well. And I'm glad T reminds me of the positives.

Those things in themselves don't make you a bad person. I think it's the behaviour we do that is the problem, if we make poor impulsive choices over and over again? I don't know anything about BPD. I thought the acronym was for bipolar disorder. Which I guess is the more extreme behaviour of days, weeks etc rather than being mad for a day or so? Please correct me if I'm wrong.
What I do know is that it's the choices we make that are judged by others if we are "good" or "bad". Not the low self confidence or emotional feelings of inadequacy or inner conflicts.

Not sick. Just been through a lot in life, and while you're still struggling and it hasn't been easy, you're still a good caring person and mom who deserves to find your inner happiness and peace

iheartjacques, not you not anybody else is a "sick person." Sure, we all have our own illnesses and disorders that we deal with. Some have tougher illness, some easier of course. The tougher the illness, the more they might influence our actions and sometimes we hurt others or ourselves. We all do the best we can given our genes and biology, psychology, environment, and past. But deep down we are all people who are worthy and have values. Life has not been kind to us in some ways. But we try to survive and make the best of it. There is more to us, much more to us, than our illnesses.

I have PTSD, depressive traits, anxiety, BPD traits, adjustment disorder, occasionally distorted thinking . . .

All of which become worse if I haven't slept or am hungry. (Hangry?)

Yesterday, I had mean narcissistic snappy peckish traits, aka PMS.

However, if the sun is shining, I slept in that day, had a great breakfast, and work has been going well, and my children are not sick, and I haven't fought with my spouse in 48 hours, I then exhibit Mother-Theresa-like sainthood traits and Einstein-like genius traits.

These are traits of a lot of things in addition to BPD, save maybe the self harm. Even so, self harm and many BPD traits to a milder degree are see in people on the autism spectrum or who are bipolar, in PMDD and PTSD, for example.

Unfortunately, many mental health professionals use "borderline" very loosely and apply it to clients they find challenging or difficult. I tend to believe the line of thinking that true BPD is very specific and shouldn't be thrown at everyone who has trouble regulating their emotions. It's sometimes disturbing when certain behaviors are labeled "borderline". People with the true BPD have specific traits and behaviors that when combined, become a disorder.