(no subject)

[adrienmundi]

Talking with New Therapist today about borderline personality disorder, I pointed out that while I thought many of the traits applied to me, one that was required by the APA was self harm. I said I didn't have that one, which meant I could only have borderline like traits, still useful for a tool for understanding. NT said she definitely thought I engaged in self harm, just psychologically instead of physically. Not sure what to do with that.

Comments

[fairyhead.livejournal.com]

I think that is an interesting and valid point. I'd probably try and let that soak in for a little while, then see whether or not that would change your approach. I would think your therapist would have some ideas.

[adrienmundi]

Yeah. I don't think I have suicidal ideation, another "required" trait for diagnosis, but I'm not looking for that. I'm looking for tools for understanding, so maybe this becomes a useful filter, until it doesn't work any more.

[k-navit.livejournal.com]

first off, I'm surprised you didn't beat her to this one :-) I seem to recall a few conversations you and I have had where you've virtually made this point, yourself, before.

As for BPD.... I guess I can see this as a useful set of vocabulary words, but something about this also feels "off" to me as a diagnostic category in your case. But I doubt you need to hear anything from me about "take this only so far as useful and then ditch if needed" - you seem to be ahead of me on being able to do that -- but I would reiterate it anyway. Because I have a strong feeling you will find the utility of this vocab limited sooner rather than later.

(As someone who's been in (more than one) relationship/s with folks with BPD, I gotta tell you, on the "personal radar" end of things too, you are not ringing my BPD bells.)

But I think this self-harm thing might be worth looking into, pausing longer to focus on, despite my caveats. I am fully aware of how big a hypocrite I am in saying this, too - or maybe I'm not fully aware and only partially aware, which kind of makes it worse... but let me just note I'm really good at dishing out advice I can't take! But this part of the BPD-vocab thing does, at least, seem like a useful tool/perspective.

Have you decided on what to do Therapist's comment?