Posted by laima on January 31, 2007, at 7:57:56
In reply to Re: I have a BPD, posted by Deneb on January 29, 2007, at 15:35:59
I agree with the people who have written here that a label like 'borderline...' doesn't mean much, if anything at all, about you as a person. A lot of psychiatric labels are most useful for quickly describing symptom clusters for doctors, and especially for insurance companies. A lot of experts are questioning the usefulness of such labels at all- and a lot of experts will assign a different label to the very same patient because they will group the very same symptoms into different clusters! There was a story in the New York Times about just that late last fall. I wouldn't dwell too much on it if I were you.
Deneb, a good therapy program, like DBT, can still help solidify your improvements. You can think of it as mentorship, if that is a nicer way to think of it. In the group section, you can share your successes with others in the group, inspire them, celebrate what you've accomplished. In your private sessions, you can identify if there are any shadowy areas that you'd still like to work on. I know you've recently written about thinking occcasionally about hurting yourself. I hope you can move away from that, for your own peace of mind. That one day, such thoughts are distant, distant fuzzy memories. It sounds like things are moving along for you, you are making choices, like about school, and I trust you are considering the positive and constructive aspects of what is changing. I hope that continues to be true. Please continue framing what happens for you in positive ways- that's helped me personally tons. Ie, not "I almost flunked my classes", but, "I am reconsidering what I want out of my academic career, and am taking a breather so I can sort it out. I dropped the classes which weren't right for me and my concerns, so that I can use the time and energy to focus better on working out what I want in the greater picture." Yay Deneb! I hope you see the kind concern of your mom regarding the lion blanket, and can see some compassionate humour in it. If you wrote a book, that could be a funny little chapter. I hope you continue to feel better, and think of your better moments when your mood isn't up to snuff.
Something I like out of DBT is the notion of "self-soothing"- finding ways to soothe yourself in healthy ways when things aren't feeling so well- bubble bath, walk in nature- whatever makes you feel nicer. Mine include excersise with peppy music, bath with nice smelly stuff, guormet hot chocolate, walk to favorite lunch spot for a treat, movie at the theater. Develop an "arsenal" of helpful self-soothing methods that you can dip in to when needed. Distraction rather than dwelling, and doing opposite to how one feels sometimes. Ie- feel like curling up in bed in middle of day? Force a walk outside. Mood usually follows.
> My pdoc told me I had a BPD a while ago. I thought I outgrew it, but I haven't. I still have it. I'm not upset about having it because I already knew I had it for a long time.
>
> Deneb*
poster:laima
thread:727241
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/social/20070130/msgs/728382.html