The Student Room Group

Borderline Personality Disorder.

The other day someone made a comment which was suggesting that I have this disorder, so, being me, I decided to do some research and I'm starting to wonder. I found a questionairre but I'm not sure whether to think anything of it or what.
I know people will say "talk to your doctor" but I have my reservations. Last year I had depression and when I went for help I came away each time feeling worse because my feelings were dismissed as "teen hormones" and such. The fact that, as well as being extremely miserable, I was also not eating or sleeping and was very paranoid didn't make much difference to my GP's opinion. I am an extremely paranoid person now and I find it very hard to trust anyone.

Alternate between seeing people as either flawless or evil? Yes.

Have difficulty remembering the good things about a person they're casting in the role of villain? Yes.

Find it impossible to recall anything negative about this person when they become the hero? Not so sure.

Alternate between seeing others as completely for them or against them? Yes.

Alternate between seeing situations as either disastrous or ideal? No.

Alternate between seeing themselves as either worthless or flawless? Yes.

Have a hard time recalling someone's love for them when they're not around? No.

Believe that others are either completely right or totally wrong? No.

Change their opinions depending upon who they're with? Yes.

Alternate between idealizing people and devaluing them? Yes.

Remember situations very differently than other people, or find themselves unable to recall them at all? Sometimes.

Believe that others are responsible for their actions-or take too much responsibility for the actions of others? The second, a little.

Seem unwilling to admit to a mistake-or feel that everything that they do is a mistake? Feel that everything they do is a mistake.

Base their beliefs on feelings rather than facts? Yes, mostly I suppose.

Not realize the effects of their behavior on others? No.

Have trouble observing others' personal limits? Not sure. I push for info from people even if they don't want to talk if that's what this means.

Have trouble defining their own personal limits? No.

Act impulsively in ways that are potentially self-damaging, such as spending too much, engaging in dangerous sex, fighting, gambling, abusing drugs or alcohol, reckless driving, shoplifting, or disordered eating? No.

Mutilate themselves-for example, purposely cutting or burning their skin? Yes.

Threaten to kill themselves-or make actual suicide attempts? No.

Rush into relationships based on idealized fantasies of what they would like the other person or the relationship to be? No.

Change their expectations in such a way that the other person feels they can never do anything right? Yes.

Have frightening, unpredictable rages that make no logical sense-or have trouble expressing anger at all? Yes. Both.

Physically abuse others, such as slapping, kicking, and scratching them? No.

Needlessly create crises or live a chaotic lifestyle? Eh, sometimes.

Act inconsistently or unpredictably? No.

Alternately want to be close to others, then distance themselves? Yes.

Cut people out of their life over issues that seem trivial or overblown? No.

Act competent and controlled in some situations but extremely out of control in others? No.

Verbally abuse others, criticizing and blaming them to the point where it feels brutal? No.

Act verbally abusive toward people they know very well, while putting on a charming front for others? Yes.

Can they switch from one mode to the other in seconds? Yes.

Act in what seems like extreme or controlling ways to get their own needs met? No.

Do or say something inappropriate to focus the attention on them when they feel ignored? No.

Accuse others of doing things they did not do, having feelings they do not feel, or believing things they do not believe? Not sure. Probably not.


(Sorry if that's difficult to read.)
Is it worth following up? I don't want to be one of those people who reads about something on the internet and assumes they have it.
Thanks :smile:

Scroll to see replies

Reply 1

I think it's worth following it up.

Reply 2

although this is going to be the 'talk to your doctor' sentence that you dont want to hear, you should maybe go to your GP and ask to be referred to a counsellor or psychiatrist who would be better equipped than a doctor to diagnose you

Reply 3

It's so easy to box yourself using quizzes like these.

Look up Borderline Personality Disorder on wiki, or google, and have a proper look. If you seriously and honestly deep down feel there is a serious possibility that you suffer from this disorder then see your GP and don't lie to them.

If your GP fobs you off again, and if the way he explains his decision makes no sense to you, see a new Doctor, it isn't hard.

Reply 4

BPD is one of those things that a lot of people seem to think they have. If I do any of those stupid internet quizzes I come up as Borderline without fail. Self diagnosis is not so good. Talk to someone about it, but it could always be *just* (heh) a form of depression.
I hate the "it's just your hormones", I got that for years before anyone took me seriously. Then they stopped after a year anyway! Find a nice GP/school or uni counsellor or someone.

Reply 5

SilverWings
It's so easy to box yourself using quizzes like these.

Look up Borderline Personality Disorder on wiki, or google, and have a proper look. If you seriously and honestly deep down feel there is a serious possibility that you suffer from this disorder then see your GP and don't lie to them.

If your GP fobs you off again, and if the way he explains his decision makes no sense to you, see a new Doctor, it isn't hard.


How did you get all your neg rep?

Reply 6

Talk to a different doctor. Just phone and say you want an appointment, but not with __doctors name___. They wont care.

Reply 7

I think it's easy to self diagnose BPD, especially if you are as you say an extremely paranoid person. Personally, I'd chill out and try not to think about it.

Reply 8

SilverWings
It's so easy to box yourself using quizzes like these.

Look up Borderline Personality Disorder on wiki, or google, and have a proper look. If you seriously and honestly deep down feel there is a serious possibility that you suffer from this disorder then see your GP and don't lie to them.

If your GP fobs you off again, and if the way he explains his decision makes no sense to you, see a new Doctor, it isn't hard.

Why see a new doctor? Why has she been fobbed off?

Personality disorders are the psychiatrists way of putting someone in a box. Its no longer ok to simply say someone is an ********, you have to come up with a way of figuring out just what kind of ******** they are.

There is no treatment for personality disorders. Its really just part of lifes spectrum.

Reply 9

Nally
I think it's easy to self diagnose BPD, especially if you are as you say an extremely paranoid person. Personally, I'd chill out and try not to think about it.


If anything it can , make a extremly bad situation ever worse , gets blown out of proportion totally is how i feel!imo! :cool:

Reply 10

I wouldn't worry too much; after comments from my friends, I did an autism/aspergers test (the official one, or something) and got about twice the normal score for a regular person.

I doubt I'm an Aspy though.

Reply 11

Jamie
Why see a new doctor? Why has she been fobbed off?

Personality disorders are the psychiatrists way of putting someone in a box. Its no longer ok to simply say someone is an ********, you have to come up with a way of figuring out just what kind of ******** they are.

There is no treatment for personality disorders. Its really just part of lifes spectrum.
I'm not saying I "believe" in personality disorders, I'm not even saying they exist but in this case it is irrelevent what I "believe" in - if the OP seriously thinks they have a personality disorder [meaning they must "believe" in personality disorders] - then they *could* be being fobbed off, and hence may need to see a new Doctor, what harm can it do anyway?? Either the OP gets the diagnosis they're after and hence the treatment or they don't, and everyones life continues as normal.

Reply 12

Riddy
How did you get all your neg rep?
I, uhh, asked for it. :wink:

Reply 13

stop taking stupid questinaire's they mean **** all? I did a which super hero are you? and came out as wonder women, there full of **** i'm telling you.

Reply 14

also the whole thing of belief means nowt really, you can believe you have a personality disorder if you like, but it does not mean this personality disorder exists.

if i believed i was immortal does this mean i will never die?no

Reply 15

Meh, as far as the medical profession are concerned they exist.

Reply 16

SilverWings
Meh, as far as the medical profession are concerned they exist.


i'm sure they do.

but the op has had no professional help to suggest that he does infact have a personality disorder.

to the op would it make life easier for you to believe or to be told you have a personality disorder? would it excuse or explain why you are who you are?
i think labelling yourself being told you are something , excuses your actions and moods nad in someway helps to take the responsibity off you.

if you are diognosed with depression for example you not wanting to be around poeple, feeling down constantly and are finding you have very low you feel the urge to very little atall, then its like its become acceptable to behave and feel this way because thsi is stereotypical of this particuler mental illness.

Reply 17

SilverWings
I'm not saying I "believe" in personality disorders, I'm not even saying they exist but in this case it is irrelevent what I "believe" in - if the OP seriously thinks they have a personality disorder [meaning they must "believe" in personality disorders] - then they *could* be being fobbed off, and hence may need to see a new Doctor, what harm can it do anyway?? Either the OP gets the diagnosis they're after and hence the treatment or they don't, and everyones life continues as normal.

What treatment!?!

Theres no more treatment for borderline than there is narcissism or hystronic type personality disorders.
Its just different ways of labelling *******s.

Reply 18

Jamie
What treatment!?!

Theres no more treatment for borderline than there is narcissism or hystronic type personality disorders.
Its just different ways of labelling *******s.


DBT has proven to be effective, and in some cases anti deps and anti psychotics are used. It IS treated now, the gov published a document entitled " personality disorders no longer the diagnosis of exclusion"
Various health trust have personality disorder services whice deal mainly with borderlines, also many CMHT have borderlines on thier books so to speak.

Reply 19

I don't know whether I believe in personality disorders or not, but I just wondered whether it's worth talking to someone about. I know that they're very hard to diagnose anyway, so hey.

RE: the GP issue, I have changed GPs anyway but as I said, I do not trust others enough to talk about feelings etc. and I fail to see the point in doctors now after different situations.

So, I am very confused. But thanks for all your help :smile: