[hopealwayz]

My T just emailed me back and mentioned something about another diagnosis that I disagree with and I’ve already been evaluated by my last 2 psychiatrists for it and they said that I don’t meet the criteria for the diagnosis. The issue is that T is wanting to focus on that.

[DP_2017]

Well remember it is YOUR session, so you can decide what to focus on..... politely disagree or ask why he thinks it when others don't.

[maybeblue]

You might have better luck discussing the diagnosis in person rather than over email. It seems like there is more of a tendency to be misunderstood on email because people try to be brief. Mental health diagnoses are unfortunately a little hard to pin down sometimes and open to interpretation of symptoms. There's no blood test that can absolutely distinguish between bipolar disorder vs. borderline personality disorder vs. major depressive disorder. So I figure that means that if you are not willing to take a label, you don't have to. He can just work on helping you treat symptoms.

[LonesomeTonight]

Agree with DP that you can say you don't want to focus on that...does he know the last two didn't think you had it?

[hopealwayz]

He said that I have some traits of borderline but my diagnoses are ADHD, Anxiety, Depression, Panic Disorder, and Insomnia. I haven’t been taking my ADHD medication so that’s why I’ve had more problems recently.

[LonesomeTonight]

Originally Posted by hopealwayz

He said that I have some traits of borderline but my diagnoses are ADHD, Anxiety, Depression, Panic Disorder, and Insomnia. I haven’t been taking my ADHD medication so that’s why I’ve had more problems recently.

Traits are different than an actual diagnosis of the disorder. Pretty sure I have some borderline traits (and many people do) but am not officially borderline (I also have anxiety, panic disorder, and depression, with bonus of OCD).

[Elio]

Originally Posted by LonesomeTonight

Traits are different than an actual diagnosis of the disorder. Pretty sure I have some borderline traits (and many people do) but am not officially borderline (I also have anxiety, panic disorder, and depression, with bonus of OCD).

I would agree that most people have traits of most personality disorders because well they are personalities. They only become disorders when they occur in extremes and with rigidity (my understanding and opinion). The questions or thoughts to focus on, is how are these traits helping and hurting you reaching your goals, what do they do for you and is there a different way of responding to things that would be more helpful in reaching your goals, being the person you want to be, and living the life you want to have?

I would say that I have traits as well. I just know when I have thoughts that fall in that grouping, that often they are fleeting thoughts (meaning mins to days but not what I really feel), that I need to pause, because I really don't want the long term consequences if I was to follow through with the thoughts. If I still feel a certain way after several days to a week, then I can trust that I really do feel that way, in terms of quitting something, starting something, buying something big... and such.

Originally Posted by hopealwayz

He said that I have some traits of borderline but my diagnoses are ADHD, Anxiety, Depression, Panic Disorder, and Insomnia. I haven’t been taking my ADHD medication so that’s why I’ve had more problems recently.

Traits is not a full blown diagnosis. Every human on this earth has at least one trait of some personality disorder. I have schizoid traits myself, but do not have the diagnosis. Perhaps you can focus less on the label and more on treating the symptoms? You definitely struggle with black and white thinking, and I do too sometimes! What matters is that we work on it.

[toomanycats]

Borderline is kind of a catch-all to be honest. Most people in therapy have borderline tendencies.