Posted by dougie on December 23, 2002, at 22:01:02
In reply to For Snowden: light at the end of the tunnel, posted by Pfinstegg on October 17, 2002, at 16:55:24
Hi: saw this quote of yours and wondered if you could elaborate. I sometimes feel as if I am the blunt of my wifes repressed anger at her ather who whilst not abusive was incredibly cold and rigid and unsupportive of her growing up. How can i help in the process you described?
> Hi...When I had BPD I was in my twenties and early thirties, because of having had a neglectful, depressed mother and an alcoholic, physically and sexually abusive father. There weren't nearly as many medications available then as there are now, but I was always on the tricyclics, which helped some but not a lot. The main thing one could do then was go to a psychiatrist. I actually went to eight different ones over a period of 14 years; but I never felt I was getting better until I went to the 9th one, who gave me the right diagnosis (BPD) and helped me tremendously by enabling me to replace the very negative inner mental representations I had of my parents with healthier positive ones, first with him, and then gradually with other people I was able to add to my life. It made an amazing difference; I had previously been so depressed, anxious and isolated that I would start and stop school, avoid dating, etc., etc. Afterwards, I was able to complete graduate school, get the kind of job I had always wanted, marry, and raise a happy child. I was still on the anxious side,but not depressed, and really felt able to live a full, happy life.
>
> I'm on Psychobabble today because of a major depression which happened suddenly after three family members died close together in time, but, painful as this has been, it is not as painful as having BPD. I am grateful every day that I had that wonderful psychotherapy. It was so vital and important to me that I still think of it often.
>
> Today, though, I think the situation is brighter: it's easier to find a well-trained therapist, there are more medications available(although it sounds as though you have tried quite a few without much luck), and there are newer investigative areas when there's a lot of depression involved.
>
> There's one thing I feel I must ask you- do you think you have developed bulimia on top of all the other difficulties? If you have, maybe going to someone who is expert in that would be a good first step. On this board, you are in a really safe place; you are not alone, as lots of us have or have had BPD, and know just how terrible it is.
> It's a place where you can say what you truly feel, and there will be other people who will truly understand.
>
> I do hope you find the right answers for yourself, and that you will also keep posting to let us know how things are going..take good care of yourself.
>
> Pfinstegg
poster:dougie
thread:106027
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20021223/msgs/133040.html