BPD denial

[VIDEO: "What is parental alienation?"]

I've read so many stories of people with BPD refusing to admit they have a problem. I've even heard of many who despite being diagnosed and still suffer it's symptoms claim they grew out of it or are cured and no longer need treatment.

I suppose it's part of the illness but could it be part the fault of our mental health professionals?

First off the name alone "Borderline Personality Disorder" is quite unappealing to say the least. The stigma associated with having something so poorly named would be embarrassing to admit and probably make you feel like a total freak of nature. I wouldn't want to admit to it either!

Also how many people with BPD self harm but cutting or self mutilation? I think it's a small percentage and too much of an emphasis is put on that symptom that a person will easily discount the fact by saying I don't do that, so I don't have that. People with BPD self harm in many other ways that are either overlooked or not even mentioned. Often people with BPD have narcissistic traits so suicide and self mutilation go right out the window because a narcissist would never dream of such a thing.

Perhaps if more of an emphasis was put on the primary symptoms that all people with BPD share and it had a less threatening name like more people would seek treatment.



         

[BrokenFamily]

I've read so many stories of people with BPD refusing to admit they have a problem. I've even heard of many who despite being diagnosed and still suffer it's symptoms claim they grew out of it or are cured and no longer need treatment.

I suppose it's part of the illness but could it be part the fault of our mental health professionals?

First off the name alone "Borderline Personality Disorder" is quite unappealing to say the least. The stigma associated with having something so poorly named would be embarrassing to admit and probably make you feel like a total freak of nature. I wouldn't want to admit to it either!

Also how many people with BPD self harm but cutting or self mutilation? I think it's a small percentage and too much of an emphasis is put on that symptom that a person will easily discount the fact by saying I don't do that, so I don't have that. People with BPD self harm in many other ways that are either overlooked or not even mentioned. Often people with BPD have narcissistic traits so suicide and self mutilation go right out the window because a narcissist would never dream of such a thing.

Perhaps if more of an emphasis was put on the primary symptoms that all people with BPD share and it had a less threatening name like more people would seek treatment.



         

[fromheeltoheal]

Mental health professionals consider borderlines to be one of the most difficult to treat, some won't at all, plus there is no prescribed medication for it's treatment, so there's no money to be made; it is an industry after all.

But aside from that, think about how you would feel if someone told you you had a mental illness and were dead serious about it; that's not easy to hear for anyone, and if you're someone who is in constant pain and have developed all the tools to avoid that pain, those also serve as barriers to treatment.  As with most things, we usually need to hit rock bottom and find some humility before we ever consider change and the possibility that something is not right with us.  Also, apparently most people who exhibit traits of the disorder wouldn't actually warrant a clinical diagnosis for it, and we all exhibit traits that could be considered borderline traits at one point or another; it's a matter of consistency and intensity.

I read story after story here when I first got here that had me convinced these people had also dated my ex, the similarities were numerous and exact, which gave me connection and made me feel not unique and not alone, which were good things, and if it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck, it's probably a duck.  To me it doesn't matter anymore really; being in a relationship with her sucked and I absolutely needed to remove her from my life, and although the connection here and learning the clinical side of the disorder helped a great deal, I'm no longer interested in what she "has", as long as she's not having me.

[Infern0]

Mine was given a loose diagnosis of BPD.  Told she had "traits" I think health professionals don't like giving out a BPD diagnosis however I can 100% confirm that she does have full blown BPD.

Well she has all 9 traits.  

She knows that she has a problem but doesn't feel like she can cope with the therapy.

Most times she will talk quite openly to me about it,  sometimes she gets upset and doesn't want to discuss it and when heavily disregulating she will deny having a problem.

Mine is a self harmer,  cuts and burns.  Also comorbid anorexia and a few other issues. Occasional psychosis which is a lot of fun.

She's certainly a pretty serious case.

[myself]

The name of the disorder probably isn't stopping very many of the people who have it from seeking real help, but the disorder itself does. Those who do 'grow out of it' (which seems to be a tiny percentage, based on the few who actually do go through treatment and continue working on themselves) are not 'cured' but have learned to manage their reactions and deal with their feelings in less destructive ways. The main reasons pwBPD don't face their problems seem to come from within, not outside themselves. Yet, where did the original shame come from? Neglect? Abuse? Internal imbalance? Does anyone here know if, through therapy and etc, it's truly been traced back to the roots by those who have the disorder?