EUPD/BPD

[Hopel]

Please be gentle with me, I’m feeling fragile.
I am fairly sure I have BPD and feel like I would benefit from a diagnosis (or not). Out of the 9 criteria, I definitely tick 4, 5 if I ‘expand’ the definition within the context of my life (hence not being very sure). Do I just go to the GP and suggest that BPD is a concern for me?

Background info - I have struggled with bouts of anxiety and depression for my whole adult life (18-33yo), each episode leading to feeling almost like a breakdown and accepting SSRIs each time (this is currently the 5th time - I’ve taken them for far longer this time though and they seem to be working well)
I have also had therapy through the NHS which brought me to the conclusion that I experienced a traumatic childhood (but not through abuse).

The main thing putting me off speaking to the GP about my mental health again is that I’ve never felt that anxiety and depression totally fit my symptoms totally - and before I learned about BPD I thought I had OCD but my GP dismissed it because I didn’t have any obvious physical compulsions. I’m worried I’ll be dismissed again and feel really embarrassed and stupid.

Hi OP,

I think you do initially have to go to the GP to ask for a referral to a Psychiatrist or Clinical Psychologist for a formal diagnosis.

The GP will only consider the referral if you highlight how you are experiencing functional limitations; distressing symptoms or symptoms that are affecting several areas of your life or for several hours each day. So just make sure to provide as much detail as possible.

It's most likely that you'll be referred to your local CMHT and from there you can ask to be formally assessed. If you do have BPD then Dialectal Behaviour Therapy might help!

One word of warning - having a diagnosis of EUPD/BPD on your medical records can often work against you. I'm speaking from experience. Also - my mental health trust (huge inner London borough) does not offer DBT. The problem then becomes that they will not refer you for certain other therapies, rather to the personality disorder team, which might not be set up to offer the correct support. I wish my MH team had not added this dx as it hasn't helped me access therapeutic support at all.