Can you explain BPD to me?

Can some one explain bpd to me by giving some examples about how the symptoms effect your life?

My psych keeps saying I have traits of bpd but she is really bad at explaining and I don't understand the diagnosis.
I have read the criteria and I don't feel I fit the criteria as I understand it. But maybe I'm misunderstanding it.

Also what is the difference between emotionally unstable personality disorder and BPD?


Thanks

Hello, I'm not really the best person to explain it so I'll leave that to someone else. But as far as Emotionally Unstable Personality Disorder and BPD are concerned they are the same thing. There's been movement to change the name because of the stigma attached and Emotionally Unstable Personality Disorder is what it's apparently called in the UK.

borderline-personality/topic86557.html

Personally I agree with the posts there and prefer BPD over EUPD. I think when people hear EUPD they will just think we bawl our eyes out all the time. I don't think most people know what being "borderline" was supposed to mean. I may just be attached to the name though

Borderline Personality Disorder and Emotionally Unstable Personality Disorder are the same disorder. There is a huge push for renaming and EUPD is front and center. The new DSM (Diagnostic tool used by psychologists) is coming out fairly soon. I'm against a name change. Borderline is just what I know. I'd still refer to myself as a Borderline even if they did change it.

You should voice your concerns to your therapist. Tell him/her that you don't think you have BPD, always be honest. Tell him/her why you don't think the criteria applies to you. Below is a long winded summary of how BPD affects me.

Chronic emptiness and black/white thinking are the two symptoms that plague me the most, even more so than self injury. I'm constantly empty so I try and fill the void; usually with sex or spending. The sex I can live with, even though sometimes I feel like a ho but the spending is quite damaging. The status of all of my relationships is based on the last time we interacted. Was he/she nice to me? Was he/she mean or did they criticize me in anyway? I either hate you or you're my hero.

I dissociate, mostly during a panic attack. It's like looking through a foggy veil and you're not sure if things are real or if there are even consequences for what you're doing. I injure myself to relieve this tension. It's like I coil up on the inside and it's the only way I know how to uncoil myself.

I cannot regulate my emotions very well at all, especially anger. Intense mood swings; emotional rawness. Sometimes I turn inward and wall myself off from my friends; usually with music/headphones. Other times I'm passive aggressive. Sometimes I'm throwing a god damn temper tantrum. I sabotage every romantic relationship I have to avoid being abandoned/rejected. I have severe anxiety attacks when I think I've been abandoned, sometimes when I'm just alone. I struggle to leave a friends house when I know I have responsibilities to tend to that day.

I'm extremely paranoid about abandonment. I always assume worst case scenario. "My girlfriend must be cheating on me right now. That's why she didn't want me to come over." "My friends hate me and are doing fun things without me." Extreme self loathing. I have a very difficult time saying anything good about myself; mostly because I don't really know who I am or who I'm going to be.

I'm promiscuous, even for a man. I don't really have too much trouble in a long-term monogamous relationship but the second I've been rejected I remember that I'm a total slut. I'll have sex with anyone, just to touch them and feel connected. Married? No problem for me. Boyfriend out of town? No problem. You physically repulse me? No problem. You're just using me for my looks or some emotional support because your life sucks? No problem. That guy over there turned you down and now you want me because you need anyone? No problem. Sometimes it's not even sexual, just cuddling really. It's enough for me to feel... ecstasy? Bliss? Less terrible.

i found this on the inkernets!! it's pretty awesome....and a GREAT resource.

top 100 traits of those with a PD:
borderline-personality/topic92781.html

Great list, Wineaux!

Betty, the way I found out was by doing almost exactly what you're doing. My GP (who broke the news to me - my psych just sent her a report) told me of a few books that she suggested that I read. I went out to the book store, bought them, read them, and rolled m eyes. That wasn't me. It wasn't even close.

However, as time went by, and I was out in the world, I'd catch myself doing something and say "oh yeah, that was in the book, wasn't it?" That happened more and more until I finally gave in and accepted that I really do have BPD.

Oh what a terrible name! Emotionally Unstable EUPD. Who wants that diagnosis? Yes its bad enough its true.

Borderline BDP is so much easier to digest.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mn4g28fisz0

[quote="Virgo"]Oh what a terrible name! Emotionally Unstable EUPD. Who wants that diagnosis? Yes its bad enough its true.

Borderline BDP is so much easier to digest.

I was just thinking the same thing. sounds really bad
Explain that to cops when they come to the door.

I remember being in my room in uni one night, and I got it into my head that I wasn't pretty enough for my boyfriend and he'd much rather swap me for someone taller/thinner/blonde/without a big nose. I ended up crying hysterically curled up on my bedroom floor and slicing myself with a razor. I remember thinking in my head, 'Girl, you are emotionally unstable. You need help.'

To me, it's something I just kind of "knew", like the way you know you're in love.

From the inside - and this is just my perspective - it's knowing you are different from everyone else and that means you are inferior - it's feeling like you will never be good enough at anything you do - it's walking around with a little voice inside your head that says you really don't deserve to be here - it's hating the entire world and everyone in it because nobody loves you - it's constantly telling yourself that nobody loves you or will ever love you because you are so flawed -it's hating yourself and not knowing who you are at the same time -it's boiling with rage that you have to hold in all the time - it's wanting to be near people but being afraid of them and mistrustful - it's being pissed off that everyone always leaves you and you can't trust anyone.

That's my inner monologue - after diagnosis and three years of therapy it's gone back and forth - I see what I do now but I still criticize myself for doing it. I'm not suicidal because I can't be - I'm not allowed to be. And I don't lie in bed all the time anymore because that doesn't accomplish anything. I just put one foot in front of the other. I know what choices are healthy and what choices aren't, and 75% of the time I make good choices. Some days are better than others. But most of the time I'm grateful for what I have and I try to take comfort in the little things. Today is a bit of a dark day for me - sorry for the tone of this.

Sometimes I think being diagnosed with a PD is worse than not. It's like confirmation that there is something wrong with you, and something that is really really hard to fix.

Thank you for your replies.

I don't ever hate people or dislike myself so really don't assosiate with that.

To be diagnosed as traits of bpd how many traits you should you. If you have just one can you be diagnosed as traits do you know?