BPD: What is it? How can I tell?

[GENERAL ANNOUNCEMENT]

GENERAL ANNOUNCEMENT This board is intended for general questions about BPD and other personality disorders, trait definitions, and related therapies and diagnostics. Topics should be formatted as a question. Please do not host topics related to the specific pwBPD in your life - those discussions should be hosted on an appropraite [L1] - [L4] board. You will find indepth information provided by our senior members in our workshop board discussions (click here).

[kellens]

Finally an answer.  For six years I've been ok dealing with ADHD and cyclothymia, even some addictions, but there's always been those underlying issues that nothing else, no diagnosis has been able to encompass.  My husband is borderline and we finally have a diagnosis in the right direction.  His psychiatrist mentioned it right off the bat and his psychologist put a name to it: narcissistic pd. But I know it goes much deeper than that.  My life, OUR life has BPD written all over it.

Thank you for the video, Skip.  I'll take this to counseling.

[Matt]

NPD (narcissistic personality disorder) and BPD are two closely-related but different disorders.  Someone could have both.

[Want2know]

Here is something that I posted in another thread that I think would be informational here, as well:

Traits vs Disorder: BPD is a disorder rated by dysfunction.  When a person is high functioning (opposite of dysfunction) it means less severe.  Most people we describe as "high functioning" are not clinical BPD - rather they have personality disorder traits or BPD traits or other issues - all of which are enough to contribute to a very difficult relationship.

Recycling is something we both do and are equally responsible for.  Many people contact there exs for various reasons after a breakup.  Most of these contacts are not related to rekindling the relationship - however some are.  From studies done here, we are as likely to contact or exs as they are to contact us - and we are as likely to try and rekindle as they are.

BPD - NPD - ASPD Comorbidity Extremely rare and not really indicated in this list below.  BPD traits alone are enough to make this hard. And remember, the level of our pain we feel is not related to the severity of their disorder - it is is related to our ability to cope.

Denial Someone with a subclinical traits oif BPD will much less suspect BPD than someone with severe BPD who is dysfunctional and can't hold a job, is suicidal, etc.  Subclinical traits of BPD are technically not BPD so the denial is more or less accurate.  The person still has serious issues.

Everyone - including all of us - tends to not suspect mental health issues (denial) until there is an emotional crisis.  Many of us will learn from this experience that we too have been in denial of our own issues - like abandonment issues or codependency or etc.  Hopefully we will o more to face them than our partners.

Here is a good link to help out with Facts.  These breakups are really painful.  Stay with the facts, they will help you heal faster and better.
http://bpdfamily.com/message_board/index.php?board=45.0;sort=views;desc

[GENERAL ANNOUNCEMENT]

GENERAL ANNOUNCEMENT This board is intended for general questions about BPD and other personality disorders, trait definitions, and related therapies and diagnostics. Topics should be formatted as a question. Please do not host topics related to the specific pwBPD in your life - those discussions should be hosted on an appropraite [L1] - [L4] board. You will find indepth information provided by our senior members in our workshop board discussions (click here).

[doubleAries]

W2K--
That's very informative. I suppose I saw "high/low functioning" as whether they could stay out of jail or not. Some dysfunctional people are better at evading consequences than others. not sure what this would be called.

[Cantor]

Thanks for the info. I also had high and low functioning confused...  

[ScotisGone74]

I realize that each situation of BPD is different and that most people would believe that Low Functioning BPD is by far the worst, but from what I have seen is that most of the Higher Functioning BPD's refuse to admit they even have a problem, that it is everyone else's fault, and are able to appear somewhat normal to others that they don't see on a daily basis.  My experience with Low Functioning BPD's is very limited, but at least they admit they have a problem and are trying to seek some type of treatment usually.  I believe it is a fine line between some low and high functioning BPDs, it is amazing to me that the high functioning ones I have experienced are able to keep their job and somehow have been able to avoid getting themselves into a lot of serious trouble.  I'd be interested to hear what others have to say.  Thanks all of your responses. 

[Matt]

I realize that each situation of BPD is different and that most people would believe that Low Functioning BPD is by far the worst, but from what I have seen is that most of the Higher Functioning BPD's refuse to admit they even have a problem, that it is everyone else's fault, and are able to appear somewhat normal to others that they don't see on a daily basis.  My experience with Low Functioning BPD's is very limited, but at least they admit they have a problem and are trying to seek some type of treatment usually.  I believe it is a fine line between some low and high functioning BPDs, it is amazing to me that the high functioning ones I have experienced are able to keep their job and somehow have been able to avoid getting themselves into a lot of serious trouble.  I'd be interested to hear what others have to say.  Thanks all of your responses. 

My ex is high functioning.  She has been diagnosed with "multiple psychological disorders" including BPD.  And yes, I worked with her for many years, and in a structured environment, she does very well.  It's in the home that she can't act right all the time, especially under stress.

[OgopogoDUDE]

I realize that there are many, many different types and subtypes and categories (& subcategories) of BPD/ERD/narcissism etc. (high functioning, low functioning, social avoidance, overly social types, etc

Where does one get a list of all these different types anyway?

[arabella]

Where did you get the information re there being over 200 different types of BPD? As far as I am aware, BPD is BPD - there are no 'types' per se (at least clinically speaking). ERD and narcissism are not the same as BPD, they are separate disorders which may coexist in the same individual, but they are distinct diagnoses. High vs low functioning just describes where on the spectrum a person with BPD falls - i.e. how severe their symptoms/traits are. Social avoidance vs being over social - again, this is not a sub-category of BPD but is either a feature of that individual's core personality or, if problematic, a separately diagnosed disorder.

Comorbidity is high with BPD, i.e. many people diagnosed with BPD will also have other disorders at the same time. This complicates diagnosis and treatment but it does not change the nature of BPD itself.

If you have other information, I would be all ears - trying to learn as much as possible here!

[changingtimes]

For me I guess I was just trying to understand the high and low functioning of BPD; I see that mentioned a lot on the boards.  I am dealing with someone who is undiagnosed, so I am learning all on my own.