Borderline Personality Support Group

I was just diagnosed yesterday I suspected I had bpd for a long time but it still came as a shock. I am a student psychiatric nurse and i know exactly the stigma that is attached to personality disorders. I'm waiting for an appointment to meet my psychiatrist and i'll probably have some harsh words to say. i was attending the mental health services for two years and was discharged september 2009. never once in all that time did anyone mention that i had a personality disorder even though i had been tested by a psychologist. In fact the family were assured i was simply a typical teenager who had become depressed and would never experience it again.

In the meantime I started my course and i was really enjoying it until i became depressed again in the last few months and went to the gp. Yesterday she informed me I had borderline personality disorder. I now have to give up my course and my family are really upset about the news. i feel like if they had just told me wat was wrong with me years ago my whole life would not be falling apart now.

Why do you have to give up the course, is it because you are depressed? A lot of people in the psychiatric field have psychological issues and are on meds and see therapists. Your life doesn't have to fall apart. At the most I would say take a break from your courses to start treatment and get regulated. April, one of the other co-leaders posts a weekly DBT lesson if you want to join in with us. It sucks to have to deal with this, but you can still have a good life if you work hard and believe you can improve it.

Welcome to our group, Bec! We're glad to have you here.

It's hard to say why you weren't diagnosed previously. From what I gather, they're cautious before they give certain diagnosises and borderline is one of them. I'm sorry that your family is so upset and also that you are. Are you mainly angry because you weren't diagnosed properly previously or frustrated because it turned out to be borderline? The stigma with it really is something else, isn't it?

I agree with Peaches. You can still seek help and go on with your life. This doesn't have to be the end for anything in your life and there are some positives in this. You're finally diagnosed now and can move forward. You found a support group and we welcome you. You're going into therapy having the proper diagnosis and hopefully they will be able to help and also give you the meds that could be life-changing for you. Again, welcome!

Post edited by: Angela2, at: 02/05/2011 01:54 PM

i guess i'm angry because psychiatrists refuse to label people because of the stigma of personality disorders. I live in Ireland and unfortunately the nursing board refuse to register anyone as a nurse if they have a personality disorder. because of the refusal to diagnose me properly i was denied the right course of treatment for three years and have to give up the course i love.

They aren't allowed to know your diagnosis, it's illegal for any doctor to tell that you are even a patient.

unfortunately u have to pass a medical where all ur medical history is made available.

((((((((Bec))))))))), I'm sorry. Are you sure that bpd would exclude you from this even if you'd be in therapy and on meds? Where do they draw the line? Do they also exclude people who are bi-polar or have depression or anxiety?

unfortunately they do exclude them especially if u try and withhold information from them. i'd find it funny if it weren't so awful. they promote acceptance to the public but practice exclusion. it's their loss because people who have suffered with mental illness and come through it are the best people to have. 'm trying to look at the positive side. i can go into counselling and still help people, but first and foremost i need to take care of myself or i wont be able to really do anything helpful.

So sorry to hear about you having to leave the program you have been in. Sucks. You could probably come over to the states and get registered, we're all neurotic over here. At least I am starting to think so.

Is there any of your course work that you could transfer to another program in the medical field that doesn't require the strict board exam?

It sounds like things are hard right now, but finally knowing "whats wrong with me" is really the first step on the way to getting better. And yes your attitude of taking care of yourself first is the exact right way to look at things.

Bec, I'm sorry for my confusion earlier. I missed the part that you're from Ireland and was confused because it isn't that way in the U.S.

Shining's suggestion to come to our country is a good one. If you prefer to stay in your own homeland, you may just want to think about it as a detour to your true calling.

It truly is important to take care of yourself first and you're wiser then you think because you can already see that. (I rarely see a solution to my own problems) This detour may lead you where you will be the happiest and give the most help and support to others. It could be a blessing in disguise even though it doesn't seem like it at the moment.