diagnosis help

[srabsrab]

I am the mother of a 17 year old girl.  psychiatrist thinks she has BPD, although no medical or other exams have been made.  diagnosis has been made by observation, and  family history of bipolar desease (a cousin of the father) .  I would like to know if any one knows who would be doing diagnosis, the big problem is that I live in Ecuador (south america).  If not known , what should I do?

Our objective is to better understand the struggles our child faces and to learn the skills to improve our relationship and provide a supportive environment and also improve on our own emotional responses, attitudes and effectiveness as a family leaders

[MammaMia]

srabsrab

Welcome to BPDF.  We are so glad you have found us.

With regard to diagnosing your daughter, is her psychiatrist not willing to do this?  Diagnosis is usually made by either a clinical psychiatrist or psychologist.

You may want to ask your dd's current therapist to recommend someone in the area who treats BPD and to make a formal referral for evaluation and treatment. 

Since early diagnosis is very important, I hope you find help soon. We will be here to help support you in any way we can.  Good luck.

[Turkish]

Hello srabsrab,

I would like to join MammaMia in welcoming you here!

It's good that her psychiatrist pointed you in the right direction. That gives you a place to start. What are your main concerns in Ecuador and your health care system, that she may not get proper treatment, or are your main concerns about getting a second opinion?

How are you specifically struggling with your daughter now? Something like self-harm? (Substance abuse, cutting, or anger issues)

Whatever her official diagnosis is or not, we can help. To start, you may benefit from going through the lessons in the right margin of this board. Here is also a link to the suggested reading for parents: Suggested Reading for members who are supporting a son or daughter with BPD

There are many wonderful parents here who are also here to find help and support for what you and your daughter are going through. I hope to hear more on how we can support you, srabsrab.

Take Care,

Turkish

[lbjnltx]

Hi srabsrab,

I'm glad that you are here looking for support and answers.  Many of us have children who are not formally diagnosed.  Whether she has traits of the disorder or a formal diagnoses the information, skills, and support here can help.

We have Lessons and Tools on the right side of the page to help you learn about the disorder, how to handle your relationship with your daughter, how to take care of yourself, and what to look for in a doctor or therapist for your daughter.

Many doctors and therapists will not give a formal diagnoses of BPD until the age of 18 or higher.  This is old school thinking and this thinking crosses the lines of nations, it is quite common.  To find a specialist in BPD you might google DBT.  Dialectical Behavior Therapy is a targeted form of CBT (Cognitive Behavior Therapy) and see if you can find a trained therapist who can see your daughter. If you find someone not near your area you can call them and ask for a referral in your area.  It is a place to start.

How are you doing?  Having a child w/BPD can drain us of energy and peace. My daughter is 18 yrs old now and was diagnosed at 12 with emerging BPD so I have walked this road too.



lbjnltx