What is Borderline Personality Disorder?

Hi Jamie,

its your fellow countrywoman here- I was wondering, if you wouldnt mind, explaining to me exactly what Borderline Personality Disorder is. Ive heard the term but never met anyone with it and am curious as to how it differs from other mental conditions- You say in your signature that your case is severe- id like to be more educated so I can help and understand your specific issues better, and anyone else i meet who has the condition. If you are uncomfortable discussing it here on the board, my email is open.

Thanks so much mate (Go Carlton!)

Maz` XX

hi maz, thx kitt for the overveiw, you did well. i will break it down into chunks, first, getting dx.

the diagnosis.

it took about 6 yrs for the diagnosis of spbd. first of i had a dx of schizo-affective disorder with borderline and dependent traits in my personality. yes, the dx is as a result of massive childhood trauma, the physical and mental i remember, although around 4 yrs ago i was in hospital when my shrink pushed me to remember painful stuff then the memory of me being s.a. came out, thus my dx is from a sequel of child abuse. i was tortured, and had to work making light-fightings after school and on the week-ends. was a very unwell young man, went to a community school, was a bully myself, i learnt that to survive you have to show people this by hurting them. obviously much more, but i think this reflective.

i received a dx of severe borderline personality disorder by all paths of self-harm, hopefully my tact here is reflected and understood. thus respecting the rules and young members.

severe problems with authority ensued also, severe borderlines are cunning manipulators, we are very needy as well, we are in need of confirmation of our un-wellness a lot, severe borderlines disassociate, in all areas, we hear voices, are enraged easily, have disturbances in thought, engage in very risky relationships and addictive behaviors as well. obviously all forms of constant self-harm are apparent, constant hospitalisations, we are very depressed, we withdraw immensely, become psychotic quickly, for me it was hand gestures and very violent rocking and intense verbalisations.

treatment, psycho-social rehabilitation, first i did a six month inpatient stay at Spectrum, with intense cognitive, mindfulness, and meditative training with a major emphasis on self-development within a community via adopting the very effective principals and practices of Dialectic Behavioral Therapy. also i engaged in psych-social therapy within my community, albeit it was not as successful as the inpatient program. yes medication, medication, yrs of psychiatric counseling, hospitalisations, ECT, and a shrink whom nearly gave up on me, is how i got to where i am now. better. obviously i have left out the in between, although i think i have posted the relevant bits in the past.

yeah i still am living with this, why because some of the key attributes are taking awhile to leave me. that's how spbd works, some areas are good to ok, whilst others are poor to bad. it is a rotating disorder. my dx is also conditionally proven to be genetically predisposed, my father had a dx of schizophrenia, as i have in the past, thus this condition is here to stay.......as it has, but i mange it, alike my diabetes and cholesterol. massive family history of 3 brothers for no apparent reason found themselves, at separate times in heaven due to their own device. SBPD is known as the TO HARD BASKET OF PSYCHIATRIC DISORDERS, and yes it is now known as a psychiatric condition/mental illness, as in the past it was known to be a personality disorder not recognized as a dx of a mental illness. glad that has changed.

it effects more women in australia, 2% and 1 % of males, me. Very hard to dx, takes time, very different from a dx of schizo-affective and or schizophrenia, yes it is the difference between them both -some say, i agree, but it is the affective part of schizo, psychotic rather than depressive who will then possibly receive a dx of sbpd.

hope this helps.

jamie

p.s. i find that this disorder is somewhat reflective of me, in the quirky sense that this. and because 'apparently"   borderlines are known to be extremely anayltical, this i am, also just as much when i am unwell. oh, did i mention that borderlines will challenge anything that is not right and or will challenge to win, but to never save face!! also in the psych world it is a known key fact that borderlines do better outside of hospital.....yes there are times when borderlines do need hospitalisation, and they are extremely saavy when it comes to intervening on there own behalf as well, and here are times, esp within extreme psychosis that we do not know what we are doing. cheers, jamie

p.s. this disorder sucks, albeit i would be lost without it. sounds stupid i know, not a thing of learnd helplessness etc, more of a continued and developing of why i am who i am, i suppose. since i really do not like using the word "normal" this is mine. just a unique individual of this earth with gifts and talents unique only to me!! geez, i have just practiced what i have been preaching!!! thanks for listening. cheers, jamie

Hey Jamie, It's Gem......

I have been missing you lately.  Been really busy at work, not much time to chat up my people.  Hope you are doing OK.......Having kinda of a downer day, but they have been few and far between lately, thank goodness.  So when you read this, please send me some enlightenment my way.  You always cheer me up............

I will print that post off and always keep it forever and ever!  That was so beautiful, thank you so much.  Did God put you here to help me see how good I can be?  I think so.

Hope your dental work feels better today.  I do not like going to the dentist, they always hurt me.  I get fearful just setting in the lobby.  I think it is the smell of ether! ha ha

Today is a sunnier day and also I am a big football fan, regular season starts tonight and my Steelers are playing.  I have been a Steelers fan since I was a little kid (my father was a sports nut that had 3 girls).

Have a great day Jamie and thanks again.

Gem

Then you will be a bloke with a beautiful smile!  Let that inner beauty shine out into the world.  I had to have all my front teeth capped last summer, it was an unpleasant experience but the end result made me feel so much better about myself and not afraid to smile.  Chat me up later.......

Gem