Lash away. You posted a topic for discussion, and I responded based on my experience and knowledge base. No, I am not a social worker. I am a Licensed Mental Health Counselor, and work closely with psychiatrists and psychiatric nurse practitioner's (ARNP'S) for over  years. Part of the course work, and requirements IS knowledge of psychopharmacology, particularly because of the testing, assessing, and monitoring of medications in an inpatient and outpatient setting.  I am not representing myself as a M.D., which of course a psychiatrist is, again, just posting to your topic.

First of all, never feel like you are monopolizing the Mental Health Forum with your questions, that is what we are here for.

I have both BPD and Bipolar, and totally agree with Kathy.  I have been in therapy for almost 20 years, with the same therapist, and have successfully been able to eliminate most of the behaviors and feelings that go with the disorder, except the abandonment thing.  When first diagnosed, I had all but one of the criterion. 

What has helped me is being on medications for symptom management, like depression and anxiety, and hard work in cognitive behavioral therapy.  My therapist is the best I could possibly have. 

Feel free to PM me if you have specific questions you want me to answer personally.

Hugs,
Trish

06/07 REFLECTION FOR THE DAY
Few of us are entirely free from a sense of guilt.  We may feel guilty because of our words or actions, or for things left undone.  We may even feel guilty because of irrational or false accusations by others.  When I'm troubled by a gnawing feeling of guilt, obviously I can't put into my day all I'm capable of.  So I must rid myself of guilt -- not by pushing it aside, or ignoring it, but by identifying it and correcting the cause.  HAVE I FINALLY BEGUN TO LEARN TO "KEEP IT SIMPLE.." ?

TODAY I PRAY
May I learn not to let myself be "guilted," made to feel guilty when I don't consider that I am.  Since I doubtless have the dregs of guilt left over from my addictive behavior, I do not need the extra burden of unreasonable blame laid on me.  I count on God to help me sort out and get rid of these twinges and pangs of guilt, which whether justified or not, need to be recognized and unloaded.

TODAY I WILL REMEMBER
The verdict of guilty is not for life.

Trish,

That is absolutely wonderfull. congrads!! 60 days is a long time and with many substance problems, including medication and alcohol and food abuse, the first couple of months are the toughest as far as getting rid of the old habits.

I was on and off this board for a while when i wasconcernec that my drinking was getting out of contol andbeyond what was healthy/social. As some of you may remember, it culminated in a long and rambling post a few months ago where i decribed in not so plesant datail how i ended up binge-drnking for 3 days in a row in mid february and ended up suffering through almost a week of extremely uncomfortable alcohol withdrawal symptoms.

I am still embasarred about letting myself be so stupid and careless but have to say that since then i have completely stopped self-destructive/excessive drinking...i guess it was a very scary wake-up call as to how irresponsible i was.

my case is a little diferent in that i never went to A.A. etc. because my personal philosophy/approach to dealing with my own past drinking problem was somewhat different from theirs in that my goal was not to comepletly and pemanently abstain from wine, champagne, etc. unless medically necessary for some reason but, rather, to fast re-learn the golden rule that moderation is the key before i did real damage to my body. i have to say that the first couple of months i still had to resist an occasional urge to drink in excess as a means of emotional escape but now, a few months later, i am much happier and healthier having gotten rid of alcoholic-like tendencies and not having to worry about the consequences of alcohol abuse so the effort was more than worth it.

as a disclaimer, i do still happily and occasionally indulge in an occasional glass of wine or a ****tail socially (i know that many on this board would disagree with that and recommend total abtinence,etc.) but, the bottom line is, despite different approaches, our goal has always been to not have alcohol be a negative factor/problem/addiction andi am very happy to report that i feel much happier and healthier since i put excessive drinking issue behind me and that i am very glad that i finally came to my senses about drowning my problems in booze. whether complete absinence or moderation is your goal, it is achievable and the result is worth it.

again,congrads on two months-in my experience fighting old bad habits gets much easier as the time passes. you've been a strong and supportive influence to people on this board and i am confident that you will be sucessfull in maintaining your goals.

hugs, Nat

Please refer to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders IV-R. You can look up the diagnostic criteria for each of the disorders you have asked about. I respectfully disagree with the previous posters description of borderline personality d/o. 
  Here is a brief description:

Borderline Personality Disorder

A pervasive pattern of instability of interpersonal relationships, self-image, and affects, and marked impulsivity beginning by early adulthood and present in a variety of contexts, as indicated by five (or more) of the following:

(1) frantic efforts to avoid real or imagined abandonment. Note: Do not include suicidal or self-mutilating behavior covered in Criterion 5.

(2) a pattern of unstable and intense interpersonal relationships characterized by alternating between extremes of idealization or devaluation

(3) identity disturbance: markedly and persistently unstable self-image or sense of self

(4) impulsivity in at least 2 areas that are potentially self-damaging (e.g., spending, sex, substance abuse, reckless driving, binge eating). Note: Do not include suicidal or self-mutilating behavior covered in Criterion 5.

(5) recurrent suicidal behavior, gestures, or threats, or self-mutilating behavior

(6) affective instability due to a marked reactivity of mood (e.g., intense episodic dysphoria, irritability, or anxiety usually lasting a few hours and only rarely more than a few days)

(7) chronic feelings of emptiness

(8) inappropriate, intense anger or difficulty controlling anger (e.g., frequent displays of temper, constant anger, recurrent physical fights)

(9) transient, stress-related paranoid ideation or severe dissociative symptoms

Bipolar d/o is an axis one (Clinical disorder)
Borderline Personality d/o is an axis two (personality d/o's and mental retardation)

An expert working with "borderlines" is Marsha Linnehan, from University of Washington. Quite a bit of research with Dialectical Behavioral Therapy.

FIND OUT WHAT CRITERIA YOU MET FOR AN AXIS 2 DX. Don't  take it lightly....

Best of luck to ya-and sorry I wrote so much...but it's kinda "my thang!"

Kathy