I’m a mental health nurse specialising in EUPD, ask me anything

[Pinkplatter]

If you so wish 🙂

No longer have a personality disorder.

Do you know of any support groups for family members of those with EUPD? I'm aware of groups in the US (e.g., family connections), but don't know of any UK based groups. It can be extremely difficult to know how best to support a family member with EUPD (who is not receiving any form of professional treatment/support), whilst also looking after yourself.

Do you have any advice for maintaining/rebuilding a (family) relationship with someone with EUPD, when communication has completely broken down?

Would you describe your colleagues as aggressive and taking advantage of their position of power over patients?

How safe are patients with regards to violent and SA from other patients? How often do attacks break out within venues between patients?

Do you think that sometimes health staff within the mental health services often water down the deteriorating health of the public because "they've seen worse"?

do you think a lot of the time bpd and adhd/autism lap or can be misdiagnosed with one another.

firstly thank you it’s a challenging job. How long have you been a RMN and what aspect? Inpatient, community, secure etc?

are you glad you chose MH as your career?

Please can you say more about what an invalidating childhood is, what characterises it?

Do you also have EUPD yourself? (I have found a lot of MH workers would very easily fit within the Cluster A-type.)

My DH has it, I'm presuming it's the same thing as borderline pd? It was bc his parents emotionally neglected him. Also I think he's got depressive genes. He had what looked like a nice suburban life, with holidays and nice things etc. but his parents were very cold towards him.
I'm quite good at giving him space and also reassuring him when needed. We've been together now 18 years.

Question being- what would you say are the traits you see most in a couple who are happy, where one is a sufferer, and the other has other MH but not that?

Sorry if that's garbled, I just want to be as supportive as possible.

You both beat me to it!

Why is it such a stigmatised disorder?

Was coming on to say undiagnosed ADHD add in the associated trauma and bingo - EUPD

I have a relative - clearly autistic, undiagnosed, likely sexual abuse - her diagnosis - EUPD

My question, why are so few men diagnosed with EUPD?

The men one was asked and answered above already.

If a young male had already been diagnosed with ADHD and ODD at the age of 13 but exhibits more intense behaviours often, and some of the symptoms you mentioned above and part symptoms mentioned on the NHS page for this condition, how would you then seek a diagnosis for EUPD? Would you need to insist that there is something else and that behaviour often feels much more intense than typical symptoms of ADHD/ODD? ODD can be quite intense as it is so where does it crosses the line to PD? For example showing antisocial behaviour in public with no comprehension of the impact on others around you. How would you go about seeking accurate diagnosis?

It may be regional but my local carers centre has a relatives support group.

Do you work in a hospital or in the community?

Does good therapy help long-term? A friend of mine has had anxiety and depression for years and has recently been sectioned. The psychiatrist suggested she might have BPD but she hasn't had a formal diagnosis. Also suggested bipolar. No abusive childhood. Whether or not she gets a diagnosis I hope she will get the help and support she needs after leaving hospital.

Hi, do you think it can ever be misdiagnosed as Bipolar? Or that someone could have both, with EUPD undiagnosed?

I'm an adult field nurse. I often get a mix of personality disorder patients in. We only get training in anxiety and depression. What books do you recommend so I can have a better insight into PD so I can help those I look after.

Thanks. I particularly wanted to know if the OP and their colleagues perceived a connection between undiagnosed neurodiversity in women and the diagnosis of EUPD which is much higher in women.

Perhaps I should have been clearer. There's increasing skepticism in the ND community and sections of psychology about the validity of EUPD as a diagnosis. It's perceived by some as another example of medical misogyny, tarnishing 'difficult' women with a label that's little understood, impossible to escape and invalidates them and their experiences of trauma.

That's not to discredit the wonderful work done by people like the OP. Care is required whatever the diagnosis.

I am also very interested in this. Also to what extent to people with EUPD know/accept that's what it is? How does diagnosis usually happen?

I knew I shouldn't have clicked on this one. You are just giving people an open goal to make detrimental comments on EUPD.

One of my DC was diagnosed with ADHD as a child.
As an adult, they are also diagnosed as having EUPD.

Their dad (and some of his family) have been abusive to them in the past. His family treat our DC very differently, and he is now withdrawing financial support for the DC with EUPD - largely because DC has gone NC as a result of his ongoing emotional abuse.

I believe my DC is showing immense strength in this. They have found counselling of no help, and they constantly relive events. They can't move on.

I am trying to get them specialist help, but at times I am sinking under the effect on myself and our other DC. Is there any help for us?

It's also horrible to see the effect her dad and his family's behaviour have on her. I protect her as much as I can. It's hard when his family call or text her saying that her experience isn't real, when DC and I experienced the DV.

Yes, I am EUPD. I went through physical, emotional and sexual abuse at the hands of my father. AMA. Yes I am 'insufferable' and 'tiresome', not as much as people that make those comments though. I find people like that insufferable and avoid as much as I can. Thank God my Mental Health nurse is professional enough not to make a post on this subject.

Interesting thread. I don't think I've read one from a diagnosed person yet, though? Forgive me if I've missed it!

I've been diagnosed with EUPD. Also GAD, depression, CPTSD, ADHD and psychosis. I've been under EIP for 3yrs and am being handed over to community mental health services next week.

The PP saying people with EUPD are insufferable (or words to that extent), I think, is a bit short sighted. Not everyone gets on with everyone. It's a person thing, not a label thing.

OP, this is a lifetime condition (I believe). Years ago, it would have been called 'her nerves' or something similar. I'm medicated, had decades of therapy, but I'm still exactly the same. Do you think it's something that can be 'fixed' or can we just go about life without finger pointing?

Aha! Posts made whilst I was writing this. I'm encouraged.