Missing everyone!

Hi everyone!
I was just thinking about everyone lately and I feel I haven't really posted regularly on here in forever. School's really crazy as well as life. Not much has changed except that my medication has taken hold and it's an overall good experience. It gives me space and while I still have my BPD episodes, I can see them from an objective perspective more often and I can be in a place where they don't seem overwhelming. I talk to my pdoc today for my second apt, so let's see if she actually says anything about BPD or my continuing symptoms. I think this should show her that I do have BPD as she said herself, "There is no medication for BPD." While that may be true, I still want to do this:
I just wanted to tell everyone I miss you all and I'm hoping to return this summer. I may be volunteering to try and rev up for grad school. I'm thinking of becoming an bilingual therapist! We shall see because I still have so much time to go until I graduate. But, anyway, I hope life doesn't keep me from here too long because I really do miss you all. I hope you're all well. i'm thinking of you!

<3

"There is no medication for BPD"

This only means that the blue pill (you take it and you wake up tomorrow and don't remember anything and are cured) does not exist.
With BPD, you can treat the smyptoms, but not the cause of the symptoms. This is different from for example bipolar, where it is thought that the cause for the symptoms is a chemical imbalance in the brain. You fix the imbalance, you fix the problems.

BPD is more thought of as a developed, "learned habit"... so the cause is psychological, not psychiatric. That is why BPD is treated by psychologists... and Bipolar by psychiatrists.

This is the official view.

HOWEVER, it has been found in studies with mice that traumatic experiences (for example the mouse has been mistreated/hurt as a child...) DO, IN FACT, alter the brain chemistry of adult mice. Furthermore, giving the mice antidepressants... remedied their anxious, depressed behavior.

This is why combined treatment (medication + psychotherapy) is almost always superior to just one half. You treat the symptoms with medication, and get to the root by psychotherapy. While under the effects of the medication... it becomes possible (at least easier) to learn better behavior (antidepressants have been shown to increase neuroplasticy, which is not very good with depressed people... and btw, the increase of neuroplasticy caused by a med is a very good predictor for therapeutic success with the medication)

Thanks for the update

I hope all goes well with your doctors. And hopefully they don't pull any bulls***. Keep doing well in school and follow your dream!

Good luck!

something like lithium makes you nub and kills your emotions happyness and depression right?
anti depresion pills and even anti psychotics are regularly prescribed to borderlines right?

thejan wrote:"There is no medication for BPD"

This only means that the blue pill (you take it and you wake up tomorrow and don't remember anything and are cured) does not exist.
With BPD, you can treat the smyptoms, but not the cause of the symptoms. This is different from for example bipolar, where it is thought that the cause for the symptoms is a chemical imbalance in the brain. You fix the imbalance, you fix the problems.

BPD is more thought of as a developed, "learned habit"... so the cause is psychological, not psychiatric. That is why BPD is treated by psychologists... and Bipolar by psychiatrists.

My pdoc explained this to me today. she asked me what i thought the difference was between bipolar and bpd. i explained the difference. she told me the above in so many words. It kinda makes me feel better I guess...I understand the difference now. I don't doubt I have bipolar though, because i do sense a different chemical balance since before i started taking the medicine. it's not totally chemical, though, so that's where bpd comes in. I also think a lot of my family has BPD. It's something that's been handed down by certain exhibited behaviors for so many generations. Is there bipolar there too? Probably. But it's definitely BPD too. I just talked to my aunt about some of her symptoms and it sounded like I was talking to myself in the future if i didn't get treatment. it definitely changed my perspective on some things.

thank you aliveatnight. Basically everything went OK, except I was beyond annoyed that i had a 10:30am appointment and wasn't seen until 11. i think it was because my pdoc is training a med student. i hope so, anyway, because if that happens again i'm going to go all borderline and $#%^. i certainly felt those thoughts coming out today.

i see her in another 6 weeks. we upped my dose to 10mg of abilify.

i had a presentation today in my education class that was super stressful and i am going to spend the night knocking out from sedation because i'm sure another 5mg will knock me out for the next few nights.

From what I understand mood stabilizers, mood uppers (anti-depressants), and anti-anxiety pills can all effectively reduce the intensity of symptoms of BPD. It does not cure them however. Sometimes though having the medications can make it easier for the patient to get through the toughest parts of treatment involved in psychotherapy and group therapy or any place they have difficulty in DBT. I almost wonder why gabapentin hasn't been used regularly for BPD mood stabilizing. I don't think it has the numbing effects some drugs have and grabbing a reign on their emotions can be one of the most useful tools to get through the tough stuff for a pwBPD. Everyones different though and only a psychiatrist who was good knows whats best for what patients. Anyway just some observations...

huggies & missies!!

That would have annoyed me as well. I hope the meds help you (they made me worse ). Good luck with everything that's going on!

Thanks for the update Ev! I'm glad to hear that things are going well for you with the medication. I totally understand the school pressure, I've got my final paper due for my class this week also. Hang in there! Summer will be coming soon!