Borderline Personality Disorder?
Hi,
I have been recently diagnosed with Mixed Depressive and Anxiety Disorder by CAMHS (I'm 17). They've not actually talked about this to me, and I hate my CAMHS person so I don't really want to talk to them about it either. I'm trying to get another CAMHS person who I met at a hospital one time, I really liked that person so I want to see them at CAMHS more.
Anyway, I'm not exactly sure about my current diagnosis as I don't think I have an anxiety disorder. Reading through the letters I have had home from CAMHS it seems like my current person has made some stuff up about me (such as panic attacks) just so they can fit me into this diagnosis that they have been set on for a while. I could go on all day about why I hate them but that doesn't matter, I don't trust their diagnosis.
I originally thought I had depression but my GP told me to look up more on mental illnesses and now I think I might possibly have borderline personality disorder. I have difficulty keeping relationships with people which I've noticed a lot recently since my mental health declined, one example is with the friend I mentioned earlier. We've been friends and fallen out a lot, I get extremely upset whenever they can't talk to me and they've blocked my number in the past because I kept texting and calling them. We are friends again but I'm upset with them at the moment because they said they would talk to me after my exam but they didn't. I've fallen out with other friends as well but this friend (who is my only friend - except online ones - who know about my mental health) seems to be having the worst of my mental health.
There are a lot other symptoms, I match many symptoms of depression.
Anyway, I think I may have borderline personality disorder. I've mentioned it to my GP and my CAMHS person. My GP isn't trained to diagnose it (something like that) but they said they can see why I think that. My CAMHS person dismissed it without much discussion, and I don't trust them to diagnose me.
Is it possible I have borderline personality disorder? And what can I do to get this dismissed properly or to get the diagnosis? I don't really want to say I want any mental illness, I just want to get a diagnosis and know what is wrong with me.
I have been recently diagnosed with Mixed Depressive and Anxiety Disorder by CAMHS (I'm 17). They've not actually talked about this to me, and I hate my CAMHS person so I don't really want to talk to them about it either. I'm trying to get another CAMHS person who I met at a hospital one time, I really liked that person so I want to see them at CAMHS more.
Anyway, I'm not exactly sure about my current diagnosis as I don't think I have an anxiety disorder. Reading through the letters I have had home from CAMHS it seems like my current person has made some stuff up about me (such as panic attacks) just so they can fit me into this diagnosis that they have been set on for a while. I could go on all day about why I hate them but that doesn't matter, I don't trust their diagnosis.
I originally thought I had depression but my GP told me to look up more on mental illnesses and now I think I might possibly have borderline personality disorder. I have difficulty keeping relationships with people which I've noticed a lot recently since my mental health declined, one example is with the friend I mentioned earlier. We've been friends and fallen out a lot, I get extremely upset whenever they can't talk to me and they've blocked my number in the past because I kept texting and calling them. We are friends again but I'm upset with them at the moment because they said they would talk to me after my exam but they didn't. I've fallen out with other friends as well but this friend (who is my only friend - except online ones - who know about my mental health) seems to be having the worst of my mental health.
There are a lot other symptoms, I match many symptoms of depression.
Anyway, I think I may have borderline personality disorder. I've mentioned it to my GP and my CAMHS person. My GP isn't trained to diagnose it (something like that) but they said they can see why I think that. My CAMHS person dismissed it without much discussion, and I don't trust them to diagnose me.
Is it possible I have borderline personality disorder? And what can I do to get this dismissed properly or to get the diagnosis? I don't really want to say I want any mental illness, I just want to get a diagnosis and know what is wrong with me.
(edited 8 years ago)
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Dont worry too much about diagnosis - they are all just theoretical frameworks and tend to be transient in practice anyway. From the patients point of view the only point in them is for getting treatment and/or benefits.
I know this sounds glib but I struggled for years to accept I was mentally ill and rejected diagnoses and it has taken me probably ten years to finally acknowledge it. I accept that they are just using a term to designate a group of people who have had problems like mine. It isn't anything definitive like doing a blood test and noticing the presence of some substance. For most mental illnesses, no credible mental health professional would claim to understand the mechanism in any realistic or definite way.
I know this sounds glib but I struggled for years to accept I was mentally ill and rejected diagnoses and it has taken me probably ten years to finally acknowledge it. I accept that they are just using a term to designate a group of people who have had problems like mine. It isn't anything definitive like doing a blood test and noticing the presence of some substance. For most mental illnesses, no credible mental health professional would claim to understand the mechanism in any realistic or definite way.
I haven't seen the gp yet and i think i have bpd or depression
No sane psychiatrist is going to diagnose a 17 year old with a personality disorder. 
There are way too many factors to take into account, your personality is probably still in a state of flux, and simple teenage hormones can appear pretty much the same as a personality disorder.
I don't want to patronise you, and definitely not diagnose you, but right now nobody can give you a definitive answer to whether you have a personality disorder or not. You're simply not at the right age for anyone to tell.
Another thing to think about: if you've found you can't trust CAMHS right now, wait till you try having a BPD diagnosis and then see how much more they'll dismiss your opinions.
People with BPD have a bad reputation amongst psychiatrists (n.b. I have nothing against people with BPD, but there's definite discrimination that goes on against them), and from my own experience a bad psych will never take you seriously if you have that diagnosis.
So I think what you can most productively do just now is look after yourself as best you can, be kind to yourself, and try not to push away anyone you really do want in your life.
There are way too many factors to take into account, your personality is probably still in a state of flux, and simple teenage hormones can appear pretty much the same as a personality disorder.I don't want to patronise you, and definitely not diagnose you, but right now nobody can give you a definitive answer to whether you have a personality disorder or not. You're simply not at the right age for anyone to tell.
Another thing to think about: if you've found you can't trust CAMHS right now, wait till you try having a BPD diagnosis and then see how much more they'll dismiss your opinions.
People with BPD have a bad reputation amongst psychiatrists (n.b. I have nothing against people with BPD, but there's definite discrimination that goes on against them), and from my own experience a bad psych will never take you seriously if you have that diagnosis.So I think what you can most productively do just now is look after yourself as best you can, be kind to yourself, and try not to push away anyone you really do want in your life.
Original post by superwolf
No sane psychiatrist is going to diagnose a 17 year old with a personality disorder. There are way too many factors to take into account, your personality is probably still in a state of flux, and simple teenage hormones can appear pretty much the same as a personality disorder.
I don't want to patronise you, and definitely not diagnose you, but right now nobody can give you a definitive answer to whether you have a personality disorder or not. You're simply not at the right age for anyone to tell.
Another thing to think about: if you've found you can't trust CAMHS right now, wait till you try having a BPD diagnosis and then see how much more they'll dismiss your opinions. People with BPD have a bad reputation amongst psychiatrists (n.b. I have nothing against people with BPD, but there's definite discrimination that goes on against them), and from my own experience a bad psych will never take you seriously if you have that diagnosis.
So I think what you can most productively do just now is look after yourself as best you can, be kind to yourself, and try not to push away anyone you really do want in your life.
There are way too many factors to take into account, your personality is probably still in a state of flux, and simple teenage hormones can appear pretty much the same as a personality disorder.I don't want to patronise you, and definitely not diagnose you, but right now nobody can give you a definitive answer to whether you have a personality disorder or not. You're simply not at the right age for anyone to tell.
Another thing to think about: if you've found you can't trust CAMHS right now, wait till you try having a BPD diagnosis and then see how much more they'll dismiss your opinions.
People with BPD have a bad reputation amongst psychiatrists (n.b. I have nothing against people with BPD, but there's definite discrimination that goes on against them), and from my own experience a bad psych will never take you seriously if you have that diagnosis.So I think what you can most productively do just now is look after yourself as best you can, be kind to yourself, and try not to push away anyone you really do want in your life.
Yes, even nurses hold bad attitudes to people with this diagnosis. A colleague leant towards me once and described someone as "PD in a box". I don't know why but I was mildly offended.
Change GPs. It's definitely worth looking into. None of us can tell you if it's possible that you have it because even professionals find it difficult to diagnose. Considering you're only 17 it might be difficult to get a bpd diagnosis. I've read in a few places that you have to be at least 18 for diagnoses of serious disorders like that. Try calling up GPs or CAMHS to see what they say about this.
I'm in a similar position to you. When I went to my GP I was adamant that I have bpd because I have literally every single symptom, plus my friend was diagnosed with it a few years ago and she's suspected it in me for well over 2 years now. According to her I'm "more borderline" than she is. When I went to my GP she said that I don't seem like I have a personality disorder, whatever that means, so she had me seek a diagnosis for bipolar, and eventually after a painstaking wait I was diagnosed with that. I've got two conflicting opinions - one from someone who knows me almost as well as I know myself, and another from a professional who deals with this stuff every day. Since I got the bipolar diagnosis I've been considering going to another gp to see what they say about bpd because bipolar feels like an incomplete explanation for me. It just doesn't do justice to explain the crippling emptiness and soul crushing loneliness that I feel which provoke a looot of issues.
I'm in a similar position to you. When I went to my GP I was adamant that I have bpd because I have literally every single symptom, plus my friend was diagnosed with it a few years ago and she's suspected it in me for well over 2 years now. According to her I'm "more borderline" than she is. When I went to my GP she said that I don't seem like I have a personality disorder, whatever that means, so she had me seek a diagnosis for bipolar, and eventually after a painstaking wait I was diagnosed with that. I've got two conflicting opinions - one from someone who knows me almost as well as I know myself, and another from a professional who deals with this stuff every day. Since I got the bipolar diagnosis I've been considering going to another gp to see what they say about bpd because bipolar feels like an incomplete explanation for me. It just doesn't do justice to explain the crippling emptiness and soul crushing loneliness that I feel which provoke a looot of issues.
Original post by superwolf
No sane psychiatrist is going to diagnose a 17 year old with a personality disorder. There are way too many factors to take into account, your personality is probably still in a state of flux, and simple teenage hormones can appear pretty much the same as a personality disorder.
I don't want to patronise you, and definitely not diagnose you, but right now nobody can give you a definitive answer to whether you have a personality disorder or not. You're simply not at the right age for anyone to tell.
Another thing to think about: if you've found you can't trust CAMHS right now, wait till you try having a BPD diagnosis and then see how much more they'll dismiss your opinions. People with BPD have a bad reputation amongst psychiatrists (n.b. I have nothing against people with BPD, but there's definite discrimination that goes on against them), and from my own experience a bad psych will never take you seriously if you have that diagnosis.
So I think what you can most productively do just now is look after yourself as best you can, be kind to yourself, and try not to push away anyone you really do want in your life.
There are way too many factors to take into account, your personality is probably still in a state of flux, and simple teenage hormones can appear pretty much the same as a personality disorder.I don't want to patronise you, and definitely not diagnose you, but right now nobody can give you a definitive answer to whether you have a personality disorder or not. You're simply not at the right age for anyone to tell.
Another thing to think about: if you've found you can't trust CAMHS right now, wait till you try having a BPD diagnosis and then see how much more they'll dismiss your opinions.
People with BPD have a bad reputation amongst psychiatrists (n.b. I have nothing against people with BPD, but there's definite discrimination that goes on against them), and from my own experience a bad psych will never take you seriously if you have that diagnosis.So I think what you can most productively do just now is look after yourself as best you can, be kind to yourself, and try not to push away anyone you really do want in your life.
Original post by upagumtree
Yes, even nurses hold bad attitudes to people with this diagnosis. A colleague leant towards me once and described someone as "PD in a box". I don't know why but I was mildly offended.
Original post by Mequa
If you do get a diagnosis of BPD, it may be best to keep it confidential as that does attract considerable stigma. There are some incredible hate pages about it on the Internet.
The treatment of choice for that is Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT).
The treatment of choice for that is Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT).
Original post by SteelRose
Believe me, a diagnosis of BPD is not something you want on your records.
Original post by Anonymous
What is going on with this? Why do people with bpd have such a bad reputation amongst mental health practitioners? That's shocking...Please all explain why this is or at least why you guys think so/in your experience?
People with the disorder are often stigmatised as being manipulative and attention seeking. Try googling it if you're interested - there are some really interesting articles with theories like that women who've been through traumatic experiences are often diagnosed with BPD, whereas their male counterparts more often get told they have PTSD (which is seen in a much less negative light, and as serious but treatable). From what I've read it's a pretty compelling argument, but I'd encourage you to make up your own mind.
There also seems to be a trend of diagnosing people who have treatment-resistant depression with BPD, possibly because it's then seen as acceptable to throw the patient on the waste pile, rather than invest further time and treatment into them. As mentioned by Mequa, DBT can be used to treat BPD, but getting the treatment is like gold dust!
I should note that all of the above is from my personal experiences with psychiatrists or what I've read online, so I'd encourage open-mindedness and doing your research before forming your own opinion.
Original post by superwolf
People with the disorder are often stigmatised as being manipulative and attention seeking. Try googling it if you're interested - there are some really interesting articles with theories like that women who've been through traumatic experiences are often diagnosed with BPD, whereas their male counterparts more often get told they have PTSD (which is seen in a much less negative light, and as serious but treatable). From what I've read it's a pretty compelling argument, but I'd encourage you to make up your own mind.
There also seems to be a trend of diagnosing people who have treatment-resistant depression with BPD, possibly because it's then seen as acceptable to throw the patient on the waste pile, rather than invest further time and treatment into them. As mentioned by Mequa, DBT can be used to treat BPD, but getting the treatment is like gold dust!
I should note that all of the above is from my personal experiences with psychiatrists or what I've read online, so I'd encourage open-mindedness and doing your research before forming your own opinion.
There also seems to be a trend of diagnosing people who have treatment-resistant depression with BPD, possibly because it's then seen as acceptable to throw the patient on the waste pile, rather than invest further time and treatment into them. As mentioned by Mequa, DBT can be used to treat BPD, but getting the treatment is like gold dust!
I should note that all of the above is from my personal experiences with psychiatrists or what I've read online, so I'd encourage open-mindedness and doing your research before forming your own opinion.
Original post by Anonymous
Hmm thanks for the response, it's still bad though, like 'oh if you're too difficult a customer then you can kill yourself for all I care'... That isn't okay. They're paid to help mentally unwell people in general not pick and choose what they can be bothered with. Unless they've chosen a specialism there's no excuse for this.
Totally agree that it's unacceptable.
I was 'diagnosed' with BPD (comorbid with GAD, depression and PTSD) and after a pretty intensive course of DBT I no longer meet the diagnostic criteria for BPD and I feel like I've really turned it around. However, I was incredibly fortunate to have a GP who's known me for my entire life who was able to give me the proper referrals, and a wonderful support network of social workers and psychiatrists. My therapy was done privately as DBT isn't offered on the NHS in my area, and as far as I know (at the time I started) it isn't available anywhere else without going private - there are plenty of medical professionals who haven't even heard of it!
As others have mentioned, your age is going to be a major barrier to getting a diagnosis for a personality disorder, and your GP won't be able to give you the diagnosis anyway; you'd need to see a psychiatrist, and even then, they're often quite hesitant to give a diagnosis on something like that. I was never formally diagnosed (hence the 'diagnosed' up there) so it doesn't appear on my medical records, but my psychiatrist was able to identify the thought patterns associated with it, and sent the referral for DBT on the basis that it would help with the way my depression manifested - we both agreed that CBT wouldn't be appropriate for my needs.
The main thing is to find out if your parents can afford private treatment for you (I think mine was about £80/hour with one or two sessions a week over the space of five or six months, so it's really not a cheap option) or if your primary care trust is willing to fund it, if it's not available on the NHS in your area. Often a therapist will do a free or fixed-rate introductory session where they assess your needs and determine whether the therapy is appropriate for your situation. Your psychiatrist may have a list of recommended/approved therapists so you can phone around and see what's available close to you.
As others have mentioned, your age is going to be a major barrier to getting a diagnosis for a personality disorder, and your GP won't be able to give you the diagnosis anyway; you'd need to see a psychiatrist, and even then, they're often quite hesitant to give a diagnosis on something like that. I was never formally diagnosed (hence the 'diagnosed' up there) so it doesn't appear on my medical records, but my psychiatrist was able to identify the thought patterns associated with it, and sent the referral for DBT on the basis that it would help with the way my depression manifested - we both agreed that CBT wouldn't be appropriate for my needs.
The main thing is to find out if your parents can afford private treatment for you (I think mine was about £80/hour with one or two sessions a week over the space of five or six months, so it's really not a cheap option) or if your primary care trust is willing to fund it, if it's not available on the NHS in your area. Often a therapist will do a free or fixed-rate introductory session where they assess your needs and determine whether the therapy is appropriate for your situation. Your psychiatrist may have a list of recommended/approved therapists so you can phone around and see what's available close to you.
Anon, as Wolfie said above, it's unlikely you'll be diagnosed with a PD at 17 but then, who knows? I'm 18 and I was diagnosed with Anankastic (obsessive-compulsive) personality disorder, which is a rarer one, and I only thought I was going to be told I would have traits of it.
Warning though, it took a psychiatrist 2 hours and 6 pages of notes, and a lot of personal talking and opening up on my side, to get a diagnosis (along with dysthymia.) And I was originally diagnosed with social anxiety. Things like this take time.
Warning though, it took a psychiatrist 2 hours and 6 pages of notes, and a lot of personal talking and opening up on my side, to get a diagnosis (along with dysthymia.) And I was originally diagnosed with social anxiety. Things like this take time.
Original post by superwolf
No sane psychiatrist is going to diagnose a 17 year old with a personality disorder.
Not true. I study criminology and there are plenty of cases where teenage murderers and criminals of other sorts have been diagnosed for disorders as stated in the OP. Don't even know how you could say that.
That being said, no one can be entirely sure how credible OP is. But your sentence is not accurate.
Original post by Man.bear.pig
Not true. I study criminology and there are plenty of cases where teenage murderers and criminals of other sorts have been diagnosed for disorders as stated in the OP. Don't even know how you could say that.
That being said, no one can be entirely sure how credible OP is. But your sentence is not accurate.
That being said, no one can be entirely sure how credible OP is. But your sentence is not accurate.
I was just diagnosed with a PD and I'm the youngest person in my NHS area to have one. For a PD to be diagnosed in children and teenagers, the symptoms must be present for at least 2 years. It was quite a shock for me to be diagnosed with one since I'm only 18. My CMHT told me that mental health professionals are wary of diagnosing children with PDs.
Original post by CescaD96
I was just diagnosed with a PD and I'm the youngest person in my NHS area to have one. For a PD to be diagnosed in children and teenagers, the symptoms must be present for at least 2 years. It was quite a shock for me to be diagnosed with one since I'm only 18. My CMHT told me that mental health professionals are wary of diagnosing children with PDs.
Of course wary because then the prescription drugs they have to take being young. But the other guy said it like OP is lying about having a PD just because of his age. As I stated, the main people who are teens and younger who get diagnosed have pathological behaviour like are chronically depressed or violent or unruly, ex: murders, criminals. It's rare for a teenage offender to not be diagnosed. But even non-offending teens have been treated for these disorders after showing enough symptoms.
Original post by Man.bear.pig
Of course wary because then the prescription drugs they have to take being young. But the other guy said it like OP is lying about having a PD just because of his age. As I stated, the main people who are teens and younger who get diagnosed have pathological behaviour like are chronically depressed or violent or unruly, ex: murders, criminals. It's rare for a teenage offender to not be diagnosed. But even non-offending teens have been treated for these disorders after showing enough symptoms.
I know the other user, and Wolfie meant it in the fact that a person is still developing at 17 so it would be an off-chance of being diagnosed with a PD. He didn't phrased in the best way. :/
Well, yes, I know about the treatment; I also have chronic depression on top of a PD. And I've never committed a crime in my life. Treatment doesn't always necessarily work, and they are harder for PDs.
Original post by CescaD96
I know the other user, and Wolfie meant it in the fact that a person is still developing at 17 so it would be an off-chance of being diagnosed with a PD. He didn't phrased in the best way. :/
Well, yes, I know about the treatment; I also have chronic depression on top of a PD. And I've never committed a crime in my life. Treatment doesn't always necessarily work, and they are harder for PDs.
Well, yes, I know about the treatment; I also have chronic depression on top of a PD. And I've never committed a crime in my life. Treatment doesn't always necessarily work, and they are harder for PDs.
I'll wait for him to explain what he meant.
Mental illnesses and PD's aren't exclusive to offenders. I'd never make such an allegation, but to be 17 and diagnosed isn't unheard of particularly if you take offenders into account. I know treatment doesn't always work; these illnesses and disorders are probably for a lifetime, which is unfortunate. Treatment technically does work as it doesn't equal a cure; it's alleviating the symptoms, simply, like meds and therapy.
In short my point was that it's not unheard of nor rare for teenagers to be diagnosed when you take youth offenders for starters into account.
Original post by Man.bear.pig
I'll wait for him to explain what he meant.
Mental illnesses and PD's aren't exclusive to offenders. I'd never make such an allegation, but to be 17 and diagnosed isn't unheard of particularly if you take offenders into account. I know treatment doesn't always work; these illnesses and disorders are probably for a lifetime, which is unfortunate. Treatment technically does work as it doesn't equal a cure; it's alleviating the symptoms, simply, like meds and therapy.
In short my point was that it's not unheard of nor rare for teenagers to be diagnosed when you take youth offenders for starters into account.
Mental illnesses and PD's aren't exclusive to offenders. I'd never make such an allegation, but to be 17 and diagnosed isn't unheard of particularly if you take offenders into account. I know treatment doesn't always work; these illnesses and disorders are probably for a lifetime, which is unfortunate. Treatment technically does work as it doesn't equal a cure; it's alleviating the symptoms, simply, like meds and therapy.
In short my point was that it's not unheard of nor rare for teenagers to be diagnosed when you take youth offenders for starters into account.
Well we would hope that the OP is not a youth offender. I mean, for starters, he is on TSR.
If the OP does have BPD then he has a better chance than me of turning his PD into traits and not a full blown PD
