Who first diagnosed you?

I'm just curious about other people's diagnosis stories. Like were you diagnosed in therapy by a therapist or psychologist or in a medical situation by a psychiatrist? Did you suspect borderline on your own before you were officially diagnosed?

Mine is pretty stereotypical. I was diagnosed by a psychiatrist in the emergency room after attempting suicide after a break up and then more firmly as an inpatient. I had my suspicions about it but everyone was hesitant to give an 18 year old a diagnosis of BPD. Hbu?

Well... I went to therapy for 3 years but my psychologist had to give birth so I was left alone. It was a really hard time so she recommended me to see a psychaotist.
I didn't even know he diagnoed me and found out after a few months. I still see both of them and i'm happy he did.

When I was 14 I suspected I had BP, because I had no idea there was such a thing as BPD- even though I didn't act exactly like someone with BP, I thought that's what I had an carried on with life.

I brought it up with my doctor when I was maybe 16 or 17 and he said no such thing existed and I was looking for attention.

When I was 18, I, too got diagnosed in the hospital after an "attempt". It wasn't a solid diagnosis, so they made me go to another therapist to confirm; she did.

A year later I went to another psychologist (one I actually trusted) and he also diagnosed me. So safe to say, I have BPD.

anothernight wrote: Did you suspect borderline on your own before you were officially diagnosed?

I diagnosed myself after being told by a friend that I should look into the disorder. I first told her to eff off, but after finding out others' experiences with BPD and what the symptoms were, it was obvious I had it. My newest therapist, the one I see now, has told me I have it and I am being treated for it now.

I was 22 and in a mental hospital for a suicide attempt. One of the psychologist in there diagnosed me, but I swear she didn't tell me because I was uninsured (she was pure EVIL). I should've known not to trust that psych when my mom started going on and on about how wonderful she was.

I didn't find out about the BPD dx until I was 24 (last year) because I received my medical transcripts after applying for SSI.

When I was 17, a therapist I was seeing unofficially diagnosed me, but I called the BPD hotline and the woman told me that if the therapist thought it was that, then it's mostly like that, so. I'm trying to fit an appointment in with a new therapist this week. Maybe she'll have something different to say.

My first diagnosis came at 13 after a suicide attempt. At that point I was diagnosed with major depressive disorder.

Several hospitalizations later as well as a lot of therapy and medication, I was diagnosed with BPD at 16 during a hospital admission along with bipolar disorder.

While I knew it was true, I tried to hide it from subsequent therapists and psychiatrists due to the stigma in the mental health field. I was re-diagnosed 2 years ago. I suppose I can't deny it if I've been diagnosed twice!

My diagnosis came after I became imminently suicidal and went to my GP, begging for help. Although she didn't hospitalize me (which, to this day, surprises me), she did put me in for a psych eval, where I found out not only what BPD is, but also that I have it.

I'd heard about BPD about five years ago and thought it sounded a lot like me. I've been in a few different group therapies with people that were a lot older than me and quickly realised they'd all been diagnosed BPD. When I asked the psychologists if they thought it was something I might have they kind of brushed over it and told me a 'label wasn't important.' After an overdose last November I spent time in a psych hospital and saw the psychiatrist. A few months after I was discharged I went to my GP requesting any information she had about me from the Unit and under 'diagnosis' on my discharge sheet was 'Emotionally Unstable Personality Disorder' (which I soon discovered meant BPD.) Nice of them to actually tell me! I'm not sure why they try and keep this type of diagnosis quiet. It would have helped me knowing I had it a long time ago as it's only now that I'm about to start DBT and getting the right kind of treatment as I finally know what I have!

The head psychiatrist at the hospital I went to when I knew I was sinking fast. I was in EPT for over 12 hours, interviewed by a few doctors, became extremely agitated as they kept asking me the same things over and over. They finally sent me home with a script for Mirtazapine after placing a call at 2am to the head psych there whom I had an appointment with the following week. When I left to go home, the psych at EPT told me that when I start to feel emotionally overwhelmed, to go grab ice and hold it in my hands tight until the bad feelings go away.

Went back the next week for the appt, had NO clue I was having an official diagnosis done, finally found out what it was that's been eating at me for years, and I almost did a happy dance that someone finally got it. It was sweet relief to know it had an actual name instead of depression, anxiety, PTSD, agoraphobia, etc.

Now it's just a matter of recovering from it. I don't expect it to be easy, it's still difficult, especially when you don't really have a support system in terms of friends and family who don't understand it ( here...I find alot of understanding and comradery with you fine folks, however ), but I'll get there in my own time.....