Comorbidity?

[JJacks0]

I've been seeing a lot of members here asking whether each other's exes were diagnosed with BPD or not. Mine was not.

She was actually diagnosed with Bipolar disorder when she was quite young - this was never reevaluated as she became an adult. Over time and after doing some research I realized that she didn't really fit that description - her moods were triggered and circumstantial, as opposed to purely cyclical.

But she did have low lithium levels and I did witness episodes that looked a LOT like mania to me, as well as lows that looked a lot like depression. So I suppose it's possible that she has both? On top of this she also struggled with suicide ideation/attempts, self-harm, eating disorders, most likely seasonal affective disorder, occasionally heard voices, and she had a brief period of time where some major OCD tendencies emerged- (although they seemed to be coupled with the mania & may have even been partially due to meds she was taking irregularly).

No doctor ever seemed willing to challenge her Bipolar diagnosis, but her current T did seem to agree that BPD was likely, encouraging us to read I Hate You, Don't Leave Me and engaging in some DBT exercises with her.

Did any of your partners also have traits of multiple illnesses? Sometimes when I remember that she was not formally diagnosed with BPD, more questions emerge. But it really seems like there's more going on here than just one thing. And out of everything I've read, her symptoms align with its description the most. Ultimately I guess it doesn't matter, but it does seem to complicate things when trying to make sense of certain behaviors.
 

[Sadly]

Mine is undiagnosed but classic BPD however there are very strong traits of Paranoia too. His father is an unmitigated bully and control freak but thankfully I haven't spent enough time in his presence to know what else he might be.
My exe's 19 yr old son cuts himself and appears to have an antisocial disorder. Also hard to know more as he hasn't seen his dad for over a year, his mother seems a bit unbalanced too but quite frankly am not surprised after spending 21 years with my ex. The 2 years exactly I have been with him now have me on antidepressants and suicide watch and yet prior to meeting him I was a happy well balanced individual, had worked on and come to terms with my own childhood issues and was doing fine. I think from my experience there are often combinations which make these people hard to diagnose and treat. Mine ticked every box for BPD and a lot for PPD. I am codependent as I have learnt here. Not s match made in heaven.

[enlighten me]

Both my uBPD exs have a lot of cluster b traits. They both score around 30 out if the 36 in the dsm 4. Some stronger than others but BPD seems most prominent for them both. My ex wife also heard voices. Both have strong NPD traits. Thers a whole mixed bag.

[heartandwhole]

Hi JJacks0,

It is quite common for a diagnosis of BPD to be comorbid with other diagnoses, especially mood disorders, such as anxiety, depression, etc. Also, Bipolar seems to be over diagnosed these days; in other words, it seems that doctors are much more willing to diagnose Bipolar right out of the gate than BPD. Maybe because of the stigma, insurance coverage limitations, and the fact that treating Bipolar disorder includes medication.

We have a very informative thread on the subject here:

DIFFERENCES|COMORBIDITY: Borderline PD and BiPolar Disorder


heartandwhole