FAQ: Could it be multiple comorbid personality disorders?

[BPDFamily.com]

Fascinating topic. I know that research has linked ADD/ADHD in girls to BPD. I wouldn't be surprised if clinical depression, bipolar and other genetically inherited mental health problems can lead to BPD. It makes sense if you think about it. My mom and I both have ADD, and she has BPD as well. ADD can cause a lot of problems; drifting off when people are talking to you, feeling slow in school, not being able to focus on social interactions and behave appropriately; these make developing healthy relationships that much harder and I believe have contributed to my mom's feelings of inadequacy and self-loathing, and ultimately her BPD. Luckily for me, I was able to get into treatment at a young age and was spared the potential of developing BPD for myself (phew on that one!).

The interesting thing to me is that while ADD and bipolar are genetic and managed with medication and therapy throughout a person's life, BPD is (supposedly) much more curable IF the person wants to get better. The IF is the big question though... .

When my wife was a teen, she was treated for ADD with Strattera. She stopped because it caused her heart problems. I do have ADD too and am taking Concerta LP daily since about 4 years ago.

[flatspin]

Fascinating topic. I know that research has linked ADD/ADHD in girls to BPD. I wouldn't be surprised if clinical depression, bipolar and other genetically inherited mental health problems can lead to BPD. It makes sense if you think about it. My mom and I both have ADD, and she has BPD as well. ADD can cause a lot of problems; drifting off when people are talking to you, feeling slow in school, not being able to focus on social interactions and behave appropriately; these make developing healthy relationships that much harder and I believe have contributed to my mom's feelings of inadequacy and self-loathing, and ultimately her BPD. Luckily for me, I was able to get into treatment at a young age and was spared the potential of developing BPD for myself (phew on that one!).

The interesting thing to me is that while ADD and bipolar are genetic and managed with medication and therapy throughout a person's life, BPD is (supposedly) much more curable IF the person wants to get better. The IF is the big question though... .

When my wife was a teen, she was treated for ADD with Strattera. She stopped because it caused her heart problems. I do have ADD too and am taking Concerta LP daily since about 4 years ago.

[ucmeicu2]

my xBPDgf has many co-morbid diagnosis.  she kept them from me and/or downplayed them initially.  it wasn't until i was "hooked" that it was all revealed to me, layer by layer.  apparently the trigger was becoming emotionally close to me.  then after she initiated physical intimacy with me, things went off the chart.  her official dx's (that i am aware of, there could be others?) included:

anorexia

bulimia (binging AND purging)

PTSD

anxiety

depression

ADD

OCD

bi-polar

alcoholic (at her worst?  1/2 gallon of vodka every day to keep away DT's)

a dissociative disorder (by end of our r/s i even began to wonder if maybe multiple personalities)

UNOFFICIALLY, i came to believe that she had other PD's, including Histrionic PD, Narcissistic PD, as well as a growing problem w/hoarding

it was excruciatingly painful to watch her spiral down the way she did.  she ended up in prison, which is apparently the new state sanctioned treatment of choice, the new "asylum", if you will.

icu2

[gotbushels]

Hi board   just wanted to chime in that I found this information useful. Thanks Skip!

~ If you are recovering from a failed relationship, the important thing is often to understand which behaviors were pathologic (mental illness) and which were just the normal run of the mill problems common to failing/failed relationships - there is often a bias to assign too much to the "pathology" and not enough to common relationship problems, or the issues we created by our own behaviors.

Analyzing comorbidity data is a complex matter that probably exceeds most of our laymen skills   smiley 
... .
Comorbid w/BPD ... .Narcissistic ... .Men 47% ... .Women 32%

Don't become an Amateur Psychologist or Neurosurgeon  While awareness is a very good thing, if one suspects a mental disorder in the family it is best to see a mental health professional for an informed opinion and for some direction - even more so if you are emotionally distressed yourself and not at the top of your game.