Lived Experience Forum

[asdfge]

Somebody told me that BPD doesn't really exist and that mental health symptoms are better described by other "real" disorders, like cognitive impairment. They explained to me that diagnoses are only there to serve one purpose, which is to prevent people from hurting others unnecessarily. Is it wrong to believe that mental health diagnoses do exist? I truely believe that it is not wrong to assume this, because I have noticed the gestures that differentiate those who do experience intense and overwhelming emotions from those who present as confident and independant. Why is it that others cannot see that many people are struggling more than most?

[Fluttershy1]

Heya @asdfge, 

I have BPD and many other MH issues and I have came across many people who don't understand MH at all. 

BPD has a lot of stigma around it and it doesn't get taken seriously, I'm currently having issues with my family understanding BPD and they are judging me and telling me I'm faking it when I'm not, they think they know it all. BPD doesn't have much education around it. It's sucks at times when you need help the most and they just turn you away and be like your okay when your really not. So I understand where you coming from. I've been in your situation many times. I'll only open up to certain people in my support team because I don't trust other people. Even hospitals have pushed me away and told me that I was okay when I wasn't I was just faking it all. When I wasn't. A lot of people don't understand what BPD is. It's hurtful trust me....  when people don't understand why the way you are. 

Candydipper1

[asdfge]

Hey Candydipper1,

I did not realise that a part of BPD stigma involved others not taking the diagnosis seriously, but what you have pointed out makes a lot of sense. And the ways in which things have changed during adulthood have been unexpected, regarding having to avoid disclosing many topics in relation to mental health stuff. People can be judgmental to say the least. But also, I think that a lot of those nurses assume that people are okay if they do not present with a drug problem, or have not recently suffered a loss in their social status or reputation due to harrassment and alike. It is unfortunate. I had a friend who died because of this kind of issue. I keep my fingers crossed that one day I will meet people who share the same beliefs and hold the same values as I do, but I hope that you do as well. 🙂

- asdfge.

[BPDSurvivor]

@asdfge , 

Makes me laugh.... if BPD doesn't exist, then I am non-existant. But from what I know, BPD is only all too real.

I am not a sum of my label. I am NOT my label. I am NOT BPD. I am a person with BPD challenges. The BPD label was merely to help me find the therapy I needed. 

Just because 'doctors' or other 'specialists' don't have a 'quick-fix' answer, does that mean it is not real? How about they acknowledge their lack of understanding about the BPD diagnosis and say they are not adept nor equipped with the skills to meet the challenge of supporting someone with BPD traits?

BPDSurvivor - I'm a survivour of BPD - I did not make it up!

[asdfge]

@ BPDSurvivor,

It is true that even some clinicians don't understand that these diagnoses exist. It is something that I think should motivate somebody to find a new psychologist or psychiatrist if present psych is stuck with this rigid and narrow mindset. It is as if they were not able to take enough general information about mental illnesses into consideration as they formed their own broad opinion about it (e.g. the view that first comes to mind when people make references to m.h. in conversations). It is not an obstacle you would expect to come accross, but it happens all too often.

[Bow]

I think BPD is very misunderstood, thus people with BPD are misunderstood and I think because a lot of the presenting issues that people with it have, some people place a negative stigma on it, especially because they frequently present to the ed with si and sh. 
And while yes it is just a label, proper diagnosis are important because treatment is dependent upon a correct diagnosis. Not sure if it's the way with BPD, but having a correct diagnosis for an eating disorder enables far more treatment options than just a mental health plan. 
I've said it before and I'll say it again, there needs to be much education in the health system.. and general population around mental health issues. People don't understand. People judge. People stigmatise. It's engrained in society that if your not like everyone else, that if your not 'normal', then there is something wrong and that opens the flood gates  for judgment, criticism and I think in ways confirms to someone already struggling that there indeed is something incredibly wrong with them. It adds another layer to an already complicated situation. 
Rambling sorry. I have an BPD diagnosis also.