High Functioning BPD?

Just wanted to hear from those who have either been referred to as this (or diagnosed) or are familiar with anyone who has?
I believe in the 'mood spectrum' and just like there are various forms of bipolar disorder (cyclothymia for example) I believe there is a spectrum for BPD.

Just looking for a discussion and thoughts.

(also, as a side note, it takes a very good pdoc to do a proper diagnosis this, to listen carefully and not just go by appearances.
My experience has been horrible in regards to the quality of pdocs ... just sayin' ...)

I wasn't under the impression that High Functioning Borderline was even a proper diagnosis. Seems a bit like an opinion given by professionals.

The way borderline is written, you have to meet dysfunctional criteria to be borderline (they call it a personality disorder.) The leading BPD doctors today see it as a brain difference and with that definition, sure, there can be high functioning borderlines. They can fit zero criteria of BPD as it's written today, but still have the brain difference that makes us unique to society.

I'm just guessing here, but I'd guess a high functioning borderline person lives a somewhat private life. If they are married, they have a very understanding spouse. Both parties would have to be secure with the fact that the borderline is distant and sometimes icy at times. Using my own self as an example, I think I would be most functional doing obsessive things (I love to research, I want to build my dream car.) A functional BPD would probably have very regular sleep, eating, exercising and hydrating cycles. He/she would probably have a sense of spirituality that can help them feel fulfilled when they start feeling empty. They would probably have a job that doesn't require close, personal relationships. They might be friends with schitzoids and antisocials (neither would offend each other, but they could help each other and seem to accept each other.) I also think helping charitable organizations is a good thing for BPDers. You can help on a personal level (feeling good, being with others) without having to have intimate relations. Above all else, I think a healthy BPDer understand him/herself as being different and accepts themselves completely. That's the hardest part. We're told every day we're not OK, so seeing our self would be like admitting we're the worst people on earth. I don't think most BPDers ever find themselves. The good ones develop skills. The unfortunate ones suffer their entire, often short lives. I think it would be possible to get beyond just having skills, but our fear and shame make it extremely hard to get there.

I think BPD life is going to be a little quirky no matter what. It doesn't have to be confusing and miserable though. I have hope that there can be happiness. We just have to put down everything we've been told is happiness to get our brand of it.

If you refer to the DSM, you'll see that personality disorders in general are not diagnosed unless the person reports marked distress or impairment in social or occupational functioning. So someone who has traits associated with BP (i.e. impulsive behaviors, self-mutilation, reactivity in mood, identity disturbance) may have the underlying traits but has somehow found a way to compensate/cope with these things to the point that they can still function fairly well at work and/or in romantic relationships... In this case, they have the traits but not an overall personality disorder.

However, once these aspects of their personality become so problematic that they are no longer able to function in any of these areas, then the personality traits collectively become a "disorder" (though most people don't fall neatly into the categories outlined in the DSM anyway)

Hope this helps!

-- (high-functioning grad student in psychology with BPD traits myself)

Like your response inthecloudsx2, makes sense to me

Here are some links that refer to it and describe it:
http://www.bpd411.org/diaghighlow.html
http://www.bpdcentral.com/resources/basics/types.shtml
http://www.borderlinepersonalitysupport ... rline.html

High-functioning borderlines act perfectly normal most of the time. Successful, outgoing, and well-liked, they may show their other side only to people they know very well. Although these borderlines may feel the same way inside as their less-functional counterparts, they have covered it up very well-so well, in fact, that they may be strangers unto themselves

This describes me to a T!

A patient who is "High functioning" and "a quiet borderline" is able to mislead 100% of those around ...
High functioning Borderlines may rage only in front of their significant other. In fact many keep it so well hidden that Non's are not believed when they tell friends and family what is happening. Job instability may or may not be present in high functioning borderlines, but is usually found in low functioning

I understand that 'high functioning BPD' is not in the DSM, but as I said, I believe in a spectrum for this and many illnesses.
Believe me, I am one crazy beeatch at times, and I don't like it ...at all and try like hell to control it, but when distressed, feeling abandoned or rejection, it is scary crazy. I finally sought help when I was becoming very dysfunctional, and seriously suicidal.
I have had a year of therapy, including DBT and some meds (though I am very wary of psych meds and side-effects) and am doing somewhat better. So that's my story, mostly high functioning engineer, BUT that has lived a life full of much hurt, loneliness and anger and dysfunction ...

Interesting discussion.

You can have a diagnosable BPD and still be high functioning. Some borderline people have jobs and families. I notice a lot of people on this forum are married with children or are engaged. To me that's high functioning. Low functioning would be not being able to properly interact with anyone because of your behaviors and emotional problems, I'm truly a low functioning borderline in that regard, and I don't work or go to school either. The illness has complete control of my life right now. Not everyone is like that though, plenty of people with BPD live very successful lives. If you have a family and you don't die by suicide or end up in the hospital all the time, that sounds pretty high functioning to me.

I class myself as high functioning BPD. In that when things are going OK and there aren't many triggers around, you would consider me pretty normal. I can hold down a stressful job, I was married, have 2 kids etc etc. But then I hit a series of large triggers and fall apart.....but the fact that I made it to 28 before a suicide attempt shows I must have been coping pretty well for that long anyway!

I guess it's like high functioning autism/Asperger's. The underlying problems are still there, but you're able to function almost like normal...so some people wouldn't be able to tell there was something wrong at all. I know it shocked everyone when I decompensated like I did. It still surprises people i tell in various groups that i go to.....the most common response is "but you're so normal!"

I wish......

I would be considered high functioning.

Caveat: Only in the utilitarian sense of the word.

I have always been able to hold steady jobs, and am currently in university.

In the psychosocial ramifications of the word?

I am the lowest functioning BPDer that exists. No friends, distance myself from everyone, haven't had a phone call in months. I can smile and laugh with people at work and university; I can be gregarious and charming in limited quantities, and I can even appear to be confident.

But ask me to go for a walk, have coffee, or inquire towards my philosophic beliefs?

I am gone, like a ghost.

When it comes to interacting with other people I usually rise to the occasion but I always feel like a fraud having to lie about every aspect of my life so they don't get scared and run away. If they knew how dysfunctional my life is I feel like they wouldn't be interested in me anymore. There comes a point in every relationship I'm in where I feel like breaking down and confessing the truth to them that I've been stringing them along the whole time and I'm not really as together as they thought I was. I imagine some people like us in longer relationships feel like they are faking it for years.

I would say I'm a low-functioning Borderline. I don't have a job because of sensitivity & fear. I took a semester off of college due to depression. I haven't had friends since high school. When I have a crush, I go temporarily insane & start cutting & getting psychotic.

People criticize me on a forum & I get suicidal thoughts... definitely low-functioning.