Personality Disorders and Coping

[Principessa]

Quote:
Originally Posted by cyrus

Roses are red
Violets are blue
*snipped*

Cyrus,

Posting your 'rhyme' after someone made this disclosure here, is one of the most vile and abusive things I've ever seen. Your behavior is truly appalling. I'm sickened by your cruelty. As I and others have been for days now.

I didnt see it until it was in Freddie's message because you are on my ignore list.
[/quote]

Cyrus was finally banned! :smile: He has been trolling the boards since he joined a scant week ago. I wouldn't be surprised if he was sent here to see how long it would take to be banned from BD's site.

 

[Principessa]

Venus, I agree with you, but please please please post in a font larger than "1". The microscopic font, plus the italics, is really really really difficult for some of us to read.

AGREED!

Would you be so kind as to bump your posts up to a size 3 or 4? A two is simply too small to read even with my glasses. :redface: <----Requoted and bolded for emphasis.

 

[BurningVenus]

Cyrus,

Posting your 'rhyme' after someone made this disclosure here, is one of the most vile and abusive things I've ever seen. Your behavior is truly appalling. I'm sickened by your cruelty.

I didnt see it until it was in Freddie's message because you are on my ignore list.

Venus, I agree with you, but please please please post in a font larger than "1". The microscopic font, plus the italics, is really really really difficult for some of us to read.[/quote]


Oh sorry, i don't like small type either. it wasnt intentional. My multi-quote function isn't working -- so I suspect that cutting and pasting is messing up my posts???

 

[Man-thango]

Back in h.s. I was required to go to a therapist as part of my attending a school out of my district. I have seen therapists and psychiatrists who put label upon label on me and even put me on Prozac when it first came out. I wasn't depressed, I was going through the motions of being an adolescent with hidden talents and social inadequacies. Lately, my bf (who's not a shrink but has plenty of experience) has continued to unofficially diasgnosed me with a personality disorder because of recent trauma that has happened and continues to effect our relationship. I think all these labels are just window dressing for what is really happening in society. American peoples being assholes to one another with little to no thought about the repercussions. Truthfully this society is not conducive to developing "normal", healthy individuals who want to become productive members. That situation is ideal for a bee colony, not human beings. I could site a few well-known examples but I feel that would be unnecessary. Many people react to stress in different ways and depending on your childhood/upbringing that could mean different responses to stimuli. For someone it's drinking or drugs, for others it's threatening to harm themselves to get someone to listen to them. When I was a crappy job where I was getting harrassed and spoken down to on a daily basis I had no way to resolve the situation for fear of losing my job and livelihood. As a result I shut down and allowed my bosses and co-workers to run me out of my job which was toxic the moment I stepped in there. As a result of this experience I'm very selective of where I seek work and with whom. Sometimes I see those that want to challenge me as a threat to be taken very seriously and put in their place even if it means losing me job. My feeling is clearly you don't want me to complete my duties and lose my reputation (and job) so I have to shut you down to get my point across. I experienced alot of this when I was growing up in urban areas of CT because people don't take you seriously unless you threaten physical harm and that's just sad. Demands from bosses and spouses coupled with the pursuit of financial stability in an nation where we have rampant unemployment, inflation, outsourcing and illegal immigration makes this possible. And I don't see it going away. It's all going to be too much for certain people to deal with because there's alot on the line. Why do you think some people gravitate to extreme behavior? Because they feel they are being exploited and are not being heard and acknowledged even if it is in the proper forum. After reading the NYPD report on terrorist cells we should all fear pissing anyone off because alot of people are frustrated with their lives and have no way of coping or are not interested in even trying to do so. That's my two cents.

 

[Principessa]

Sorry Tink, As usual I went off on a tangent and never answered your questions. :redface: I almost didn't post because I have been attacked quite a bit in the threads lately. But also because I knew I couldn't deal with a cyber attack by someone like Cyrus. Fortunately he has just been banned.:tongue:

As I talk to people it is becoming more and more clear that many people have been diagnosed with a Personality Disorder. I myself have one, it is interesting for me to cope daily.

Has anyone else been diagnosed? Yes, in April of 2004 I was diagnosed as having a textbook case of Borderline Personality Disorder. I had been seeing that particular psychiatrist for medication management and talk/psychotherapy for 3 years. It is not an easy diagnosis to make and for many years it was sort of a trashcan diagnosis. By this I mean anything the allegedly trained professional couldn't understand or deal with got dumped into the category of a Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) I have been in therapy. Do they wish to share which one, and what type of coping mechanisms they use?

When I am physically able I like to do yoga and swim. When the weather cools down a bit I look forward to biking again and skiing. I LOVE to ski! Being at the top of a run looking down is one of few times I know I will always feel pure joy.

I have done some reading on mindfullness. For me a combination of group and individual therapy seem to work best. This book is worth the money. Full Catastrophe Living: Using the Wisdom of Your Body and Mind to Face Stress, Pain and Illness.

I am a high-functioning BPD. Therapists often say I "present well" In laymens terms this means that I never appear crazy enough to get the help I so desperately need. I am neither homocidal nor suicidal so many mental health clinics show me the door. Do you have any idea how friggin' frustrating it is to know that you need help and be unable to obtain it?

The Mental Health Care system in the USA is a woefully pathetic excuse for . . . I don't know what. The system is so badly broken at this point I think what it needs is a match and a gas can. They need to start a new.

For those who don't know, the sole purpose of a psychiatrist in the USA is to provide medication management. They do not provide therapy. You see them once every 1-3 months for 15 minutes to get your Prozac, Paxil, or Lithium prescriptions etc. refilled. In order to receive therapy you have to find someone with a L.C.S.W., M.S.W. or M.S. or Ph.D in psychology or clinical psychology. Then within those parameters you need to find someone who specializes in your disorder/diagnosis. There are many therapists who only treat couples, families, children & adolescents, or gays & lesbians. Some focus on eating disorders or basic depression and anxiety. Choosing a good therapist is like pulling a needle out of a haystack. I have had some good and some bad.

 

[Principessa]

Back in h.s. I was required to go to a therapist as part of my attending a school out of my district. I have seen therapists and psychiatrists who put label upon label on me and even put me on Prozac when it first came out. I wasn't depressed, I was going through the motions of being an adolescent with hidden talents and social inadequacies. Okay . . . and . . . Lately, my bf (who's not a shrink but has plenty of experience) has continued to unofficially diagnose me with a personality disorder because of recent trauma that has happened and continues to effect our relationship.Statistically speaking there is usually is a traumatic event which triggers a personality disorder. For me it was the death of my 16 yr. old half sister on my first birthday. It was 1967 and there was little to no grief counseling available. My mom went nuts with grief and never quite came all the way back. Added to this she has a Narcisisstic Personality and severe OCD. The fact I function at all is pretty much a miracle of God. I think all these labels are just window dressing for what is really happening in society.

I am going to risk your wrath and disagree.

This thread is not about whether ("Personality Disorders," "Anxiety Disorders," "Depressive Disorders," even "Schizophrenic Disorders" are all a crock of shit.) is or is not true. The OP started this thread for people who have been diagnosed with this to share. If you wish to discuss whether or not these disorders are or are not a "crock of shit," please start you own thread. You post is way of topic.

Thanks,
Freddie

Thank You Freddie!

 

[Principessa]

In order to receive a diagnosis of BPD you must meet 5 out of the 10 criteria. On any given day over a 3 month period my therapist found that I would meet 7 of the criteria. smile: I am such an over achiever!:tongue: ) The ones in red are the criteria I usually meet.


DSM-IV Definition of BPD
1. A pervasive pattern of instability of interpersonal relationships, self-image, and affects, and marked impulsivity beginning by early adulthood and present in a variety of contexts, as indicated by five (or more) of the following:
2. Frantic efforts to avoid real or imagined abandonment. Note: Do not include suicidal or self-mutilating behavior covered in (5).
3. A pattern of unstable and intense interpersonal relationships characterized by alternating between extremes of idealization and devaluation. This is called "splitting."
4. Identity disturbance: markedly and persistently unstable self-image or sense of self.
5. Impulsivity in at least two areas that are potentially self-damaging (e.g., spending, sex, substance abuse, reckless driving, binge eating). Note: Do not include suicidal or self-mutilating behavior covered in (5). We won't discuss the accident I had on the way to a bootycall years ago. :tongue:
6. Recurrent suicidal behavior, gestures, or threats, or self-mutilating behavior.
7. Affective instability due to a marked reactivity of mood (e.g., intense episodic dysphoria, irritability, or anxiety usually lasting a few hours and only rarely more than a few days).
8. Chronic feelings of emptiness.
9. Inappropriate, intense anger or difficulty controlling anger (e.g., frequent displays of temper, constant anger, recurrent physical fights).
10. Transient, stress-related paranoid ideation or severe dissociative symptoms.

Dissociation is the state in which, on some level or another, one becomes somewhat removed from "reality," whether this be daydreaming, performing actions without being fully connected to their performance ("running on automatic"), or other, more disconnected actions. It is the opposite of "association" and involves the lack of association, usually of one's identity, with the rest of the world.

There is no "pure" BPD; it coexists with other illnesses. These are the most common. BPD may coexist with:
· Post traumatic stress disorder
· Mood disorders
· Panic/anxiety disorders
· Substance abuse (54% of BPs also have a problem with substance abuse)
· Gender identity disorder
· Attention deficit disorder
· Eating disorders
· Multiple personality disorder
· Obsessive-compulsive disorder

 

[BurningVenus]

Quote:
Originally Posted by cyrus

Roses are red
Violets are blue
*snipped*

Cyrus,

Posting your 'rhyme' after someone made this disclosure here, is one of the most vile and abusive things I've ever seen. Your behavior is truly appalling. I'm sickened by your cruelty.

As I and others have been for days now.

I didnt see it until it was in Freddie's message because you are on my ignore list.

Cyrus was finally banned! :smile: .[/quote]


[/quote]


Banned? Good. He certainly earned it today with this hateful, hideous venom.

 

[B_Think_Kink]

This thread is not about whether ("Personality Disorders," "Anxiety Disorders," "Depressive Disorders," even "Schizophrenic Disorders" are all a crock of shit.) is or is not true. The OP started this thread for people who have been diagnosed with this to share. If you wish to discuss whether or not these disorders are or are not a "crock of shit," please start you own thread. You post is way of topic.

Thanks,
Freddie

Thank you so much Freddie.​

 

[D_Tintagel_Demondong]

Anxious depression and HADD here. SSRIs don't work for me (as of yet) so I'm taking Welbutrin (anti-depressent) and clonazepam (anxiolitic). They really don't work that well. It seems that SSRIs work for everyone except me.

 

[Principessa]

Anxious depression and HADD here. SSRIs don't work for me (as of yet) so I'm taking Welbutrin (anti-depressent) and clonazepam (anxiolitic). They really don't work that well. It seems that SSRIs work for everyone except me.

Have you tried tricylics or MAOI's?

I lasted almost 2 weeks on Wellbutrin. Once it kicked in it made me agitated depressed, and I felt like I wanted to claw off my skin. Apparently the shrink didn't read my entire file or he would have realized that. Grrrrr

Clonazepam aka Klonapin worked well until it didn't. :tongue: Basically after 3 or 4 years my dose needed to be increased which led to excessive daytime sleepiness and mild addiction; even though I only took it at night or when flying. I haven't had an anti-anxiety med before or since that worked as well. :frown1:

 

[Act2_Begins_Now]

My ex was on his way to being diagnosed. He never stuck with any one professional long enough to be 'confirmed' as either BPD, NPD and DID. All I know is that the years I spent with him stripped me of a lot. He was covertly abusive and caculated in every action and I was his only target. No I am not bitter, I am really happy with who I have become in the over two years he has been out of my life.

But I will tell you, run as fast as you can from a partner (friend, coworker, relative, etc.) with anyone of these or combo of these disorders if they won't admit to them and actively seek treatment for their condition.

 

[whatireallywant]

My mom was on Wellbutrin for a while but not for depression. It's also prescribed for people who are trying to quit smoking, and the doctor prescribed it for her for that. She had to quit taking it because of the side effects - I think she said it made her very irritable (this was after I'd moved out so I didn't notice it so much.)

I cannot take any of the antidepressants I tried (Paxil, Prozac, Effexor) ESPECIALLY Paxil! Effexor was just about as bad - on both of these I would sleep and/or be in a brain fuzz for 20 hours a day! I could function a bit better on Prozac but I still had too much brain fuzz for my liking.

I actually have more social anxiety rather than depression. I have depressive episodes sometimes like after I got fired from work. But I don't think taking something that makes me too sleepy to function is going to help any. I need to have a clear brain so I can do my job better. Problem is, I'm a perfectionist (see the "schema" thread), and I feel that I have put 100% into my jobs before and got fired anyway for not being good enough. And I have the trust/abuse issues (also in the "schema") that is the root of my social anxiety. I do go out of my comfort zone though and do activities with clubs and organizations. Unfortunately at too many places, people comment on how quiet I am, which makes me clam up even more because I'm put on the spot! I wish they would realize that that is the exact WRONG thing to do to a shy person with social anxiety!

 

[8dot75]

I guess I have nothing to really hold back at this point.
I have mainly Avoidant Personality Disorder, with also borderline Borderline Personality Disorder.

The criteria for diagnosis are:

1. Avoids occupational activities that involve significant interpersonal contact, because of fears of criticism, disapproval, or rejection
2. Is unwilling to get involved with people unless certain of being liked
3. Shows restraint within intimate relationships because of the fear of being shamed or ridiculed
4. Is preoccupied with being criticized or rejected in social situations
5. Is inhibited in new interpersonal situations because of feelings of inadequacy
6. Views self as socially inept, personally unappealing, or inferior to others
7. Is unusually reluctant to take personal risks or to engage in any new activities because they may prove embarrassing

I actually suffer from every aspect of Avoidant PD. With the Borderline there are fewer that I suffer from.

1. Frantic efforts to avoid real or imagined abandonment. [Not including suicidal or self-mutilating behavior covered in Criterion 5]
2. A pattern of unstable and intense interpersonal relationships characterized by alternating between extremes of idealization and devaluation.
3. Identity disturbance: markedly and persistently unstable self-image or sense of self.
4. Impulsivity in at least two areas that are potentially self-damaging (e.g., spending, promiscuous sex, eating disorders, substance abuse, reckless driving, binge eating). [Again, not including suicidal or self-mutilating behavior covered in Criterion 5]
5. Recurrent suicidal behavior, gestures, threats, or self-mutilating behavior.
6. Affective instability due to a marked reactivity of mood (e.g., intense episodic dysphoria, irritability, or anxiety usually lasting a few hours and only rarely more than a few days).
7. Chronic feelings of emptiness.
8. Inappropriate, intense anger or difficulty controlling anger (e.g., frequent displays of temper, constant anger, recurrent physical fights).
9. Transient, stress-related paranoid ideation or severe dissociative symptoms.

They said that my sypmtoms for Borderline were not strong enough or pronounced enough at this point in time to diagnose it as a serious thing. There is nothing that they can do for me either. The psyciatrist basically told me I would have to learn to cope. The took me off Olanzapine becuase the risk of Diabetes for me was too high. For soothing techniques I used Satsuma Body Butter from The Body Shop, sleep relaxation music on my iPod, and my computer. Most of my time spent online is destressing. I work in a grocery store and that helps a lot, I can practice talking to people and holding conversation.

So let me get this straight-
In the BORDERLINE PD symptoms:
1, 2, 3 seem to fit my situation-

in the Avoidant, scarily, numbers 2,3,4,6,7, amd 8 fit....

And I will admit to the Dreaded Criteria 5- at points across my life (though not currently:smile.

I love to joke with my friends that I'm not cut out for relatioinships
as I snore, hog the blankets, toss and turn, so sharing a bed is not an option:smile: .
On the serious side, I'm often moody, fatalistic, brooding.
I avoid relationships because I know that they're doomed.
I've been told by numerous people I that they must walk on eggshells when dealing with me- To be exact, My ex-wife, 3 ex-lovers, and a current buddy have told me this.

I can be a hot-head, and I frequently go head-on with my managers at work.
I seldom smile
I don't date, but I detest being alone.
I have a hard time with interpesonal relationships, and have REALLY strained relationships with even my mother and 2 remaining siblings.

The rest of my family (nieces, cousins, in-laws) Avoid me-
they say I scare them.

If I WERE to become suicidal , I have a surefire way of terminating my life - a Desert Eagle pistol, but refuse to do so- people would probably hate me for leaving a mess.

I do at times feel as though my life is spinning (or has spun) out of control, and, as I recently quit smoking, seem to have a better grasp on my life, but the melancholia kicks in, and I will do practically anything to stop it- be it pulling childish pranks, to drinking myself to sleep (not ofetn, but it helps),and , in the past, a few lines of coke would be sufficient, but I don't do that anymore.

All of that said (thank you for bearing with me, by the way), I don't know HOW I made it to 40, but , as sad as I feel-primarily from being self-hateful,or that I have NEVER had a relationship REALLY last (friendly, romantic, or otherwise), I'm not just going to jump out there and say everything will be rosy- sure, I MAY need professional help, but I'm NOT ready to go cordless Bungee Jumping just yet :biggrin1:.

I just take it one day at a time:
That's all we're promised .

Now, can someone in Minnesota suggest a good therapist ??

BTW, I'm not on any medication.
And I'd pefer to stay that way.

 

[Man-thango]

Anyways. I found this article very timely.

When Sadness Is a Good Thing - TIME

 

[Principessa]

Anyways. I found this article very timely. When Sadness Is a Good Thing - TIME

That is an interesting article. I agree with the last paragraph.

We might want to return to a simple definition of mental illness offered by Aristotle: "If fear or sadness lasts for a long time, it is melancholia." In that case, see a doctor. But if your boyfriend just left you and you can barely get out of bed, don't assume you're ill. Your brain is probably doing exactly what it was designed to do.
​

But that is not what the OP is talking about. We know from whence we speak. I humbly request that you re-read Freddie53's post.

This thread is not about whether ("Personality Disorders," "Anxiety Disorders," "Depressive Disorders," even "Schizophrenic Disorders" are all a crock of shit.) is or is not true. The OP started this thread for people who have been diagnosed with this to share. If you wish to discuss whether or not these disorders are or are not a "crock of shit," please start you own thread. Your post is way off topic.

Thanks,
Freddie

 

[ZOS23xy]

I had some of these symptoms, caused by sibling and parential abuse, and it took years of trying to find the words that made sense. I'd burst into tears for no reason, for what I felt later, was a stress boiling up point.

My family was in the armed forces, and moving once a year was the norm. The family turned inward, and I was the target for any stress anyone else felt.

You'd realise, you're family was important and you shoulds love them, but love doesn't need to be with a fist or a belt or tearing you apart verbally.

I recieved it for years. It was all I knew.

It took years to look for ways to unlock the symptoms.

 

[B_Think_Kink]

So let me get this straight-
In the BORDERLINE PD symptoms:
1, 2, 3 seem to fit my situation-

in the Avoidant, scarily, numbers 2,3,4,6,7, amd 8 fit....

And I will admit to the Dreaded Criteria 5- at points across my life (though not currently:smile.

I love to joke with my friends that I'm not cut out for relatioinships
as I snore, hog the blankets, toss and turn, so sharing a bed is not an option:smile: .
On the serious side, I'm often moody, fatalistic, brooding.
I avoid relationships because I know that they're doomed.
I've been told by numerous people I that they must walk on eggshells when dealing with me- To be exact, My ex-wife, 3 ex-lovers, and a current buddy have told me this.

I can be a hot-head, and I frequently go head-on with my managers at work.
I seldom smile
I don't date, but I detest being alone.
I have a hard time with interpesonal relationships, and have REALLY strained relationships with even my mother and 2 remaining siblings.

The rest of my family (nieces, cousins, in-laws) Avoid me-
they say I scare them.

If I WERE to become suicidal , I have a surefire way of terminating my life - a Desert Eagle pistol, but refuse to do so- people would probably hate me for leaving a mess.

I do at times feel as though my life is spinning (or has spun) out of control, and, as I recently quit smoking, seem to have a better grasp on my life, but the melancholia kicks in, and I will do practically anything to stop it- be it pulling childish pranks, to drinking myself to sleep (not ofetn, but it helps),and , in the past, a few lines of coke would be sufficient, but I don't do that anymore.

All of that said (thank you for bearing with me, by the way), I don't know HOW I made it to 40, but , as sad as I feel-primarily from being self-hateful,or that I have NEVER had a relationship REALLY last (friendly, romantic, or otherwise), I'm not just going to jump out there and say everything will be rosy- sure, I MAY need professional help, but I'm NOT ready to go cordless Bungee Jumping just yet :biggrin1:.

I just take it one day at a time:
That's all we're promised .

Now, can someone in Minnesota suggest a good therapist ??

BTW, I'm not on any medication.
And I'd pefer to stay that way.

Wow, you ever sound like me. I can identify with most of the things you said. Thank you for posting.Rolldown

I had some of these symptoms, caused by sibling and parential abuse, and it took years of trying to find the words that made sense. I'd burst into tears for no reason, for what I felt later, was a stress boiling up point.

My family was in the armed forces, and moving once a year was the norm. The family turned inward, and I was the target for any stress anyone else felt.

You'd realise, you're family was important and you shoulds love them, but love doesn't need to be with a fist or a belt or tearing you apart verbally.

I recieved it for years. It was all I knew.

It took years to look for ways to unlock the symptoms.

I'm very sorry to hear that, I can only imagine how hard it has been for you to try and cope.

 

[B_Think_Kink]

I'm Bumping this thread.

 

[D_Chaumbrelayne_Copprehead]

I have a great therapist and I am almost fully recovered from a Dissociative Disorder. I am open to any questions you might have.