#and I'm like... is it worth it to maybe seek out a diagnosis? idk

[glimblshanks]

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[myatuesday]

Idk who needs to see this, but

If you have BPD and find yourself having symptoms of other B-cluster personality disorders - GO GET HELP.

If you're experiencing more than just BPD symptoms, getting treated for BPD alone obviously isn't enough.

_

I'm very disturbed by something a lady in one of my BPD groups said today. Which is, that... despite being dx w BPD 2 years ago, she's has overlapping NPD and ASPD symptoms. And more growing volatility (violent rage outbursts) and less remorse.

Uhhhhh.

This individual literally said she feels capable of murder and is trying to project that onto everyone with BPD, claiming we "have a lot more in common with psychopaths/sociopaths than we realize".

Girl.

Maybe you do.

_

Idgaf what you have or haven't been diagnosed with,

If you are a violent and/or aggressive person and/or feel homicidal in any way, you need to seek professional help immediately.

_

And, no, NEWSFLASH:

That's not a symptom of BPD.

sigh.

_

Jesus Fucking Christ.

_

There was an entire thread on if BPD folks are sociopaths due to being a B-cluster personality disorder. 🤦‍♀️

The answer is NO.

No. No. No.

Oh my goodness. People are so ignorant and need to stop.

_

I don't know how to adequately explain exactly what a cluster is, but what I can say is this:

each individual disorder in any cluster (just like any disorder outside of that cluster) is it's own individual disorder.

Having 2 (or more) disorders inside (or outside) of any particular cluster is considered a dual diagnosis or comorbidity.

That being said, it is entirely possible and often common to have comorbidities.

If you feel like you're experiencing any symptoms outside of your initial or known diagnosis, discuss this with your mental healthcare provider.

And, in fairness, (based on my experience) if they seem dismissive, indifferent or set on dxing you with something you absolutely know is not correct, get a second or third or fourth opinion until you get the issue resolved.

Granted, this is nothing as grave as developing NPD or ASPD symptoms (or violent/homicidal tendencies for whatever fucking reason), but

It took a lot of work to get diagnosed with ADHD. I talked to at least 3+ different mental healthcare providers before talking to the 4th+ and finally getting properly and adequately diagnosed w ADHD.

Yes, this is in addition to my BPD. (Granted, the psychiatrist felt they are related, but that's a whole other conversation.)

And, even then, it took awhile to find a good prescriber and new mental health provider (since the others failed me so greatly).

It can be a pain, but don't give up. It's worth it.

_

If you have violent tendencies or homicidal thoughts, you have an ethical and moral obligation to seek treatment for those issues.

And FFS, don't lump that in w BPD and put that stigma on us. Smh.

_

[Sidenote:

As far as B-cluster personalities go, there can be some overlap with

NPD and ASPD

Or

BPD and HPD

But a combination of all 4 is rare. (Especially in females.)

That being said, again, no, BPD folks aren't sociopathic simply because, at this time, we happen to be in the B-cluster. 🙄]

_

If you don't know wtf you're talking about, just stfu.

If you have BPD and are feeling sociopathic, go get that shit checked out. That's not BPD.

All y'all need to get it together.

_______________________________________________

Update:

Wow. A few people are really going off in response to this post. I feel that some of those responses are reactionary and missed the point of my message and/or for who it was intended.

Overall, all I'm saying is...

1. If you're experiencing symptoms outside of your known diagnosis, talk to your a mental healthcare provider.

2. If you're having violent outburts/behaviors and/or homicidal thoughts and/or feeling a lack of remorse when you do violently act out, etc - SEEK HELP IMMEDIATELY.

That's it.

If you disagree with messages promoting maintaining/treating mental health and/or safeguarding oneself and/or others against potentially problematic or dangerous behaviors, than that's your problem, not mine.

[theprideful]

Hi :) can I ask about your diagnostic process for ADS? I just learned about inattentive ADHD this year...and I've been reading and researching lots about it and now that I know the symptoms I'm pretty sure I have ADS but I'm anxious that maybe the doctor isn't going to take me seriously because it took me so long to figure it out. I always thought I was just being overdramatic, oversensitive and depressed and just forgetful in general but things really add up. I want to get a diagnosis because I know smth is wrong with me and I want to be able to label it but I'm afraid I'm just making things up or that it's because of the pandemic and quarantine and idk. Do you have to get tested or is there no such thing? (although I imagine it's probably different in every country) thanks in advance!! And if you're not comfortable answering just ignore it haha :)

Hey! First of all, let me just say that your concerns are totally valid. A lot of us feel like we're just exaggerating, or that no one will take us seriously. Unfortunately, there is a lot of bias in the medical and psychological industries, especially against women and girls who are post-pubescent -- e.g., we're more likely to be diagnosed with a personality disorder or social anxiety instead of what's actually responsible. But, that doesn't mean there's no hope. It can take a few tries and several different meetings and "specialists", but try not to feel discouraged. My advice is to talk to your primary care physician or doctor. If you have a neurologist, seek them out first. Tell them your concerns, and if they're unable to diagnose you, ask for a referral, preferably to a qualified neuropsychologist. If you do not have access to a healthcare team/provider, you can also ask your school counselor.* This generally works better if you already have an IEP, but it can still be done without one. (*I'm not sure if this applies in other states/provinces. It's best to do your own research beforehand.) The counselor should have an idea of who to call, and they can give you a number or website for access.

Run-of-the-mill psychologists aren't terrible, but should only be used if necessary. If you are able, I recommend going to a neuropsychology clinic. They are more specialized and will be better suited to assess and diagnose you. Getting an actual appointment set may take a while (with an average waiting period of 4-6 months), so it's better to set one up sooner rather than later. The testing itself will most likely be a bit exhausting, and they may or may not offer you snacks during the process. It's best to get good sleep the night before and eat a good breakfast for good measure.

Before they do tests, they will most likely ask you about general background information. Why are you here today? What prompted you to set up an appointment? Are you here of your own accord, or was it your parent/guardian's idea? After those questions, they'll ask you more specific stuff. Like, When did you first notice odd behaviors? What were they? Did you play with other children when you were younger? Do you find it difficult to make friends? Was it always hard to form relationships, or did it get easier/harder over the years? Did you ever play pretend? Do you find it difficult to interpret facial expressions? Do you experience vocal or physical tics? They know it can be hard to remember stuff from early childhood, so they do their best to account for the margin of error. Just do your best and try to be as honest and clear as you can. The doctor will most likely take notes about what you tell them, as well as behaviors you exhibit.

After they ask you these questions, they will probably start doing performance assessments. These will most likely include a test for your attention/concentration abilities, word association, vocabulary breadth, memory strength, and other basic cognitive functions. After these, there will probably be a few questionnaires for you to fill out: for me, there was one to assess possible OCD, one for Autism Spectrum Disorder symptoms, and one long one that covers all their bases (e.g. schizophrenia, paranoid personality disorder, bipolar disorder, borderline personality disorder, autism, ADHD, depression, anxiety, OCD, etc.). Your parent or guardian will also have to fill out a questionnaire. Just be honest, and be yourself. Try to relax.

Remember, even after diagnosis, it's wise to seek out therapy for coping skills and just day-to-day functioning. It's a long journey -- I'm just starting mine -- but it'll be worth it. Hope this helps. Good luck!

[actuallyadhd]

I have been thinking for years of seeking a diagnosis. I think I have a good reason to and I'm afraid I won't be able to finish my studies unaided(who knows though, maybe I can). The thing Iis I recently found out my country requires written documents from your school from when you were under 12 and/or from the part of the health care system monitoring your development as a kid to prove you had symptoms prior to age 12. 1/2

I have no reason to think I didn’t have dymptoms prior to age 12 but I remember my teachers (for example) just laughing at my forgetfulness in some things and getting angry because of it (and other related stuff) in other situations, but no one ever seemed to consider there was something “wrong” with me. And I feel like if the health care people had picked up on it I would have been screened for ADHD back then (I wasn’t). Idk I just feel like this all is a mess and too complicated to even try.

Sent January 27, 2019

Do you know what these written documents are supposed to be from the school? I’m wondering if report cards count, because they are definitely written documentation of your development.

As for the health care system, it’s quite possible that symptoms were documented but nobody put it all together. A lot depends on who looked at your file and how familiar they were with how the different types of ADHD tend to present in kids at whatever age. It’s probably worth requesting your records to see if they might be helpful in your process.

-J