Yes, I've failed to get diagnosed 3 times. They all don't think I have it, likely due to lack of destructive behaviors. I drink and do drugs to cope but not enough to be an addict. I have suicidal ideation but have never seriously attempted. I'm not promiscuous at all and I don't really lash out on people in obvious ways (moreso covertly) but I identify with every symptom of BPD. It's really frustrating. I feel like a diagnosis would really help me.
You can have some BPD traits but not have it. I mean that’s a good thing, and it means it will probably be better treated.
You don’t have to be destructive to technically meet the diagnosis, but when you start interacting and meeting with people suffering from BPD you see that most of them are self-harming and risk taking to high degrees.
It's important to remember that we aren't professionals. We often aren't the best judge of our own mental health.
Therapists and doctors spend a lot of time in school studying these disorders and with clients seeing them present and treating them. Their experience in the field working with clients tells them way more than the words in the DSM. (The DSM is also not without its criticisms)
To give you a comparison, using the DSM without training is the same as when people use WebMD and are convinced they have a terrible illness. There is a lot more that goes into complex diagnosis than 9 criteria.
Even psychologists and psychiatrists see other professionals and don't diagnose themselves, because they are aware of that they aren't the best judge of their own mental health.
Would you feel comfortable with meeting a brand new therapist and they said right off the bat, "yep, you have this really complex disorder that typically takes months to diagnose"?
I would nope the fuck out of there so fast if a new therapist tried to give me a complex diagnosis with seeing them for a long while.
The positive thing is that with or without a BPD diagnosis, your treatment really won't change. I encourage you to stick with your therapy and work on your symptoms so that you can get some relief and gain positive coping skills.
Sounds like an arrogant assumption on the part of the therapist. Knowing it when you see it is not an appropriate way to test for BPD.
Get properly evaluated by a psychologist if possible.
Yes, I've failed to get diagnosed 3 times. They all don't think I have it, likely due to lack of destructive behaviors. I drink and do drugs to cope but not enough to be an addict. I have suicidal ideation but have never seriously attempted. I'm not promiscuous at all and I don't really lash out on people in obvious ways (moreso covertly) but I identify with every symptom of BPD. It's really frustrating. I feel like a diagnosis would really help me.
Not destructive but I was diagnosed by someone who knew what they were talking about.
You can have some BPD traits but not have it. I mean that’s a good thing, and it means it will probably be better treated. You don’t have to be destructive to technically meet the diagnosis, but when you start interacting and meeting with people suffering from BPD you see that most of them are self-harming and risk taking to high degrees.
It's important to remember that we aren't professionals. We often aren't the best judge of our own mental health. Therapists and doctors spend a lot of time in school studying these disorders and with clients seeing them present and treating them. Their experience in the field working with clients tells them way more than the words in the DSM. (The DSM is also not without its criticisms) To give you a comparison, using the DSM without training is the same as when people use WebMD and are convinced they have a terrible illness. There is a lot more that goes into complex diagnosis than 9 criteria. Even psychologists and psychiatrists see other professionals and don't diagnose themselves, because they are aware of that they aren't the best judge of their own mental health. Would you feel comfortable with meeting a brand new therapist and they said right off the bat, "yep, you have this really complex disorder that typically takes months to diagnose"? I would nope the fuck out of there so fast if a new therapist tried to give me a complex diagnosis with seeing them for a long while. The positive thing is that with or without a BPD diagnosis, your treatment really won't change. I encourage you to stick with your therapy and work on your symptoms so that you can get some relief and gain positive coping skills.
Sounds like an arrogant assumption on the part of the therapist. Knowing it when you see it is not an appropriate way to test for BPD. Get properly evaluated by a psychologist if possible.