Personality disorder assessment tomorrow. What to expect?

[fedduppity]

Have an appointment tomorrow morning with a psychologist to see if I have a personality disorder and not sure what to expect.

I really need the help and support and am hoping to get onto a group programme, but am worried I may not get any because I am paying to see a therapist. I can't afford to see the therapist often enough though.

If I get diagnosed over these initial sessions and it goes on my medical records is there any disadvantage to this?

Quite worried. Posted in chat without thinking so have re-posted here.

[creamhearts]

It can take more than one assessment to be diagnosed so be prepared for that. They will ask you some questions and maybe ask you to fill out some questionnaires about how you feel or react to things.

PD can have a stigma but on a day to day basis it has not affected my treatment by doctors or medical professionals.

Good luck.

[Peaceloveandbiscuits]

I've heard of people who feel that being diagnosed with PD can be disadvantageous and feel stigmatised because of this label being applied to them, but personally, I found it very liberating. I'd spent around fifteen years without a diagnosis ("chronic depression" didn't cut it at all) so to finally have a "label" that explained why and how I struggled (because I found it impossible to describe the way I felt when I was in a crisis) with my emotions.
I was initially diagnosed with borderline personality disorder by my psychiatrist, but after being referred to the specialist PD clinic and spending quite a few sessions being assessed, I was given a much more detailed and personalised diagnosis of PTSD, avoidant PD and dependant PD with traits of borderline PD. The assessments involved a lot of discussion, which was extremely difficult at times, and I also completed a Millon test, which is a very detailed questionnaire on how you react and feel in certain situations.
I was offered a place on an ACT (acceptance and commitment therapy) course which meant I had to spend time considering my values and what I wanted from my recovery, and what recovery meant to me. I struggled with this the most, because I had never considered what was really important to me in life - not what I felt should be important to me. Be prepared for this! ACT is for people who are coming to the end of their recovery, but STEPPS is another PD-centric therapy.
Best best best of luck. I think diagnosis is a big step forward in your journey to recovery, and I hope it liberates you the way it did me :) take care.

[JaneAHersey]

I was lucky enough to spend time in a psychotherapeutic community when I was in my early thirties to deal with the severe emotional issues I carried from my childhood. from the age of six I was the sole carer of a mother suffering clinical depression, diabetes and eating disorders. I was forced to watch my mother endure a slow death. She died when I was 13. I lived in a closed community and because my abusive father had left the family and community did not help us.

In psychotherapy you were not labelled and the entrenched problems or should I say coping strategies that had developed over the years were destroying me and my relationships. The emotional and behavioural problems were seen as perfectly normal reactions to abnormal situations.

The point I am trying to make is that so often we have unresolved issues from our past which are medicalised I don't have a problem with labelling if people are incapacitated by their emotional problems, which I know from experience can happen and they need to gain financial support from agencies.

Having been labelled in the past I would not encourage any person to put themselves in that position, if possible.

[fedduppity]

Thank you.

I'm not desperate to be labelled, but unfortunately it seems to be the only way to get appropriate help. Dbt, or mbt which I know less about but seems to have some positive results too.

I'm worried because I'm so motivated to help myself, and to gladly learn new skills that could be really helpful and it's frustrating to think a beaurocratic system where I don't tick enough boxes might prevent me getting help.

[Peaceloveandbiscuits]

How did it go fedd?