High functioning periods

Hiya guys.

I got my diagnosis earlier on in the year, after years of being told over again that i just had depression. I always knew it wasnt just that.

With my bpd i sometimes go through periods (2 months or so) without any symtoms really. I function normally really then i change and go through months of experiencing all the symptoms at once.

Does anyone else experience these periods of normality? Ive just gone through a really good period and bang its hit me like a ton of bricks this week.

Just cos im so normal at times it makes me question whether they got my diagnosis right. Surely it really was BPD id be all over the place all the time?

Or am i just high functioning at these times?

Thanks

There are two schools of thought on this.

One, to meet a criteria for BPD, you have to have most of the symptoms and they must be pervasive, meaning there most or all of the time, everyday.

Two, that BPD symptoms are context dependent for many people, and many people who would meet criteria one day won't necessarily three weeks from now.

Honestly, I wouldn't worry about the label. Focus on your symptoms and what you'd like to work on. Most psychiatrists aren't even in agreement on what BPD entails exactly, with some saying it's a syndrome of Axis 1 + Axis 2 stuff, or subclinical bipolar, or a form of PTSD.

I kind of get it. My symptoms won't really go away, but sometimes I'll find some healthy coping mechanisms that actually work for me to keep things "under control" for a while, and I'll feel better for a couple weeks, or maybe even a month. My symptoms are still there, but I actually am capable of dealing with them for a little while. Never lasts too long, though. I can never seem to stick to one specific coping skill; the negative part of my mind always finds a way around it to make me miserable again.

I have been diagnosed with BPD, and I have to say that I do go through periods when I feel like I'm perfectly normal. These only occur during times of very little stress, like when I'm not in school, when I'm not in a romantic or new relationship and am not looking for one, and when I'm taking my medication as prescribed. Once something stressful happens or I start a new relationship or a romantic relationship my symptoms come back. This also means that when I go to school and have normal responsibilities my symptoms come back. Which leaves me thinking, was I ever really "healthy"? Or was I just under very nice circumstances?

I can magically become (or rather, fool myself into thinking I am) "high functioning" either when I first fall in love with someone, or I'm basically a hermit.

A "perfect" time for me, would be the first like half year of being in a new relationship. This happened to me last year and I thought I'd recovered... HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA no. Once we became more familiar with one another, everything came back.

Another time I can also feel like a high functioning person is when I'm isolated and locked in my bedroom. I've lived most of my teen and adult life like that.

There are periods when I feel perfectly normal and secure, but they are rather short-lived as my anxiety or sadness comes back at one point for whatever reason. I have to say though that I'm much calmer when I'm not emotionally invested in anyone.

A couple of psychiatrists have told me that PDs can lie dormant and only become problems in times of stress.

CloudShark wrote:A couple of psychiatrists have told me that PDs can lie dormant and only become problems in times of stress.

Good point and makes sense, sometimes it needs a trigger, stressful situation exactly.

i actually think that this happened for me , childhood, content few years, triggered last ex.

Seems very plausible to me definitely

aren't high functioning period insanely boring?

can you please tell me if you want or anyone,what do you do when you are low functioning that is different from high?
and how did you go to therapist did you do something and you had to go or was it willingly.
i am asking because i want to understand more the disorder.

about the random above i find the void and depression devastating to not be able to function.but i have the problem were i find stable boring like it lacks passion and i want to leave like something is missing and unstable is triggering me to much although i feel more love /passion.and i want to leave because i am freaking out.
like is a catch 22. everything to fail.

edit:personqlly i feel every few years something very bad happened again and again and again.until the last time was the worse.about something being the trigger.of whatever i have depression or somerhing