Diagnosing BPD

[Steezie]

I have done a great deal of reading and studying of BPD in the last several years.

On the DSM criteria, I fulfill all critera except for the manipulation. Then again I know it's not a good idea to self-diagnose but reading accounts of people with BPD and deeper clinical descriptions...its like looking into a mirror.

I know I should see a psychologist about this but I cant afford it, my income is stretched rather thin at the moment.

So I guess my question is, how do you know you have BPD?

 

[Akathist]

Only a qualified mental health worker can give you that diagnosis.

I think it is really not appropriate for you to try to figure out if this is some label you should have. The purpose of a diagnosis is to help establish a treatment plan for a professional.

I think that you might look for free or income based services in your community for counseling. BPD is a very serious problem that usually needs some intensive professional help.

At CF no one is allowed to offer you any form of professional counseling (and that includes not being able to diagnose you). This is a new rule of the forum.

If you need some referrals to some hotlines some have been posted in a sticky in this forum and I am willing to try to help you find some too. Hotlines often know of resources in your area that are either free or based on income.

 

[JoyforJESUS]

I have done a great deal of reading and studying of BPD in the last several years.

On the DSM criteria, I fulfill all critera except for the manipulation. Then again I know it's not a good idea to self-diagnose but reading accounts of people with BPD and deeper clinical descriptions...its like looking into a mirror.

I know I should see a psychologist about this but I cant afford it, my income is stretched rather thin at the moment.

So I guess my question is, how do you know you have BPD?

Seek out a pastor and perhaps they can guide you to where help is available to you.

 

[Steezie]

Seek out a pastor and perhaps they can guide you to where help is available to you.

I dont know if you've checked my faith icon, but I dont think I'd exactly be welcome.

Besides the last time I tried something like that I got set up with a Christian counselor who basically said my problems stemmed from the fact that I hadnt accepted Jesus

 

[ZiSunka]

Actually, a pastor would welcome you for counselling no matter what your faith icon, even pagan, but most pastors are licensed to do family counselling but not psychiatric care.

If you have health insurance, your insurance will cover the cost of diagnosis and meds for BPD. Call your insurance company or go to their website to see if you need a referal or if you have to go to a doctor in their network. They can even refer you to a specialist in your area.

 

[madison1101]

Actually, a pastor would welcome you for counselling no matter what your faith icon, even pagan, but most pastors are licensed to do family counselling but not psychiatric care.

If you have health insurance, your insurance will cover the cost of diagnosis and meds for BPD. Call your insurance company or go to their website to see if you need a referal or if you have to go to a doctor in their network. They can even refer you to a specialist in your area.

I know of no pastors who are licensed to do any counseling or therapy. They receive training in it, but none I have known are licensed in it.

I recommend seeking a licensed therapist. Call your insurance company, or local mental health agency for a referral.

 

[ZiSunka]

I know of no pastors who are licensed to do any counseling or therapy. They receive training in it, but none I have known are licensed in it.

I recommend seeking a licensed therapist. Call your insurance company, or local mental health agency for a referral.

I know numerous pastors who are licensed to do family and child counselling. That is quite different from therapy. Check with your state licensing board and you might be very surprised at how many pastors are indeed licensed counsellors.

Please, in cases where someone is asking for help with a serious problem, check your facts. People's lives are affected by what people post here. It's better for the OP to go to a pastor for help than to not get any help at all.

A pastor, as the very least, could listen to steezie's concerns and refer him to an appropriate place to get help at a price he can afford. Almost all pastors have referals for people whose problems are of a medical or mental nature. Plus, at least half a dozen pastors who post here at CF are licensed psychologists, and if they are, many more are that don't post here. Don't assume that your local pastor is unequipped to help people with mental illness.

 

[madison1101]

I know numerous pastors who are licensed to do family and child counselling. That is quite different from therapy. Check with your state licensing board and you might be very surprised at how many pastors are indeed licensed counsellors.

Other than that, you've only repeated what I said.

Please, in cases where someone is asking for help with a serious problem, check your facts and only reply if you are giving true information that hasn't already been given.

I gave the information I had. I know of NO pastors that are licensed. I did not say that it did not happen, just that I no of none personally.

Please do not tell me how to post. I shared my experience, nothing more. Are you a moderator that you can correct me for how I post? If so, please PM me to tell me what I did wrong. If not, please refrain from correctiing how I post.

 

[RenewedbyFaith]

I have done a great deal of reading and studying of BPD in the last several years.

On the DSM criteria, I fulfill all critera except for the manipulation. Then again I know it's not a good idea to self-diagnose but reading accounts of people with BPD and deeper clinical descriptions...its like looking into a mirror.

I know I should see a psychologist about this but I cant afford it, my income is stretched rather thin at the moment.

So I guess my question is, how do you know you have BPD?

When I was studying medicine, I had symptoms of every disease I studied. Seriously. In a single week, I had 34 different diseases.

If you have been studying this disorder for two years, it's human nature that you are going to be convince you have it. But then again, you may actually have it.

The only way to know for sure is to see a doctor. Seeing your own family doctor is better than not doing anything. Your doctor can refer you to a clinic that charges on a sliding scale, if you need one.

My mom died when I was in college, and I was able to find a clinic within walking distance of my home that charged me just $2 per visit.

Also, if you live near a medical school or school of counselling, you may be able to consult with a knowledgable senior student for very little money. There may even be a free clinic or city mission in your area that offers free or low cost mental health care.

And regardless of what some others have advised, many pastors are also licensed counsellors. My best friends Bekky and Tim are a psychologist and a psychiatrist respectively, and are also pastors in a local church. Any pastor can refer you to a clinic or pastor who is licensed to help you.

I think it's great that you are willing to work on this. Most people with BPD are reluctant to see their illness, because in their eyes it makes them profoundly and hopelessly flawed. People do recover from BPD if they work at it.

God bless you!

 

[RenewedbyFaith]

I gave the information I had. I know of NO pastors that are licensed. I did not say that it did not happen, just that I no of none personally.

Please do not tell me how to post. I shared my experience, nothing more. Are you a moderator that you can correct me for how I post? If so, please PM me to tell me what I did wrong. If not, please refrain from correctiing how I post.

Madison, I understand how easy it is for people to get hypersensitive to the criticisms of others. However, I think you are overreacting to the criticism given to you. Yes, maybe Ashes was a little direct, but your reaction to it is greater than warranted.

Each of us, no matter who we are, has his own issues. I would hope that you will remember that when you respond to someone. Give the consideration you would want to receive, even if the other person wasn't considerate or kind first. The Bible says that hostility breeds hostility, but kindness calms things down.



And I went to medical school with half a dozen guys who are also pastors, two of them have started residencies in psych now. Both of them have undergrad degrees in psychology and are licensed in their states. It's not a good idea to steer someone away from a potential resource especially if they have said they can't afford traditional therapy services. They may need to get help wherever they can. And secular counselling isn't appropriate for everyone.

 

[madison1101]

Madison, I understand how easy it is for people to get hypersensitive to the criticisms of others. However, I think you are overreacting to the criticism given to you. Yes, maybe Ashes was a little direct, but your reaction to it is greater than warranted.

Each of us, no matter who we are, has his own issues. I would hope that you will remember that when you respond to someone. Give the consideration you would want to receive, even if the other person wasn't considerate or kind first. The Bible says that hostility breeds hostility, but kindness calms things down.



And I went to medical school with half a dozen guys who are also pastors, two of them have started residencies in psych now. Both of them have undergrad degrees in psychology and are licensed in their states. It's not a good idea to steer someone away from a potential resource especially if they have said they can't afford traditional therapy services. They may need to get help wherever they can. And secular counselling isn't appropriate for everyone.

My only issue was being told how to post. It is a control thing. I don't like being told how to post on this forum. I speak from my personal experience and education.

I am sure there are plenty of pastors who are licensed to counsel. I am also certain there are plenty of pastors who are not licensed to counsel or do therapy. My experience tells me to encourage people wtih BPD to seek a licensed psychotherapist, pastor or not. If a person with BPD just goes to a pastor, they may end up with someone who is not licensed and is incompetent to do therapy or counseling, and could end up worse than when they started. That happened to me at one time before I got therapy.

 

[RenewedbyFaith]

Did you see only one therapist or did you try a couple before you found the right one to help you?

 

[madison1101]

I was fortunate. The first therapist I saw for individual therapy was competent and experienced and has helped me tremendously since day one. The pastors I went to for help did not help me with the core issues that were driving my BPD.

 

[RenewedbyFaith]

I was fortunate. The first therapist I saw for individual therapy was competent and experienced and has helped me tremendously since day one. The pastors I went to for help did not help me with the core issues that were driving my BPD.

Statistically, the average patient sees 6 counsellors before they settle into a therapeutic relationship with one. Your answer gives me a clue about the source of your aversion to pastoral counselling.

I would assume the OP has the intelligence to know if a therapy relationship isn't working and would be able to end the sessions and move on to another. I think you underestimate a person's intelligence when you demand that they avoid all counsellors besides the one you think they should have.

I'm sorry you had bad experiences with pastors, but it doesn't mean a pastor couldn't be a competent starting point for a person with limited means and perhaps limited options. Your personal experience can be helpful, but you should not tell someone to refuse counselling when they are earnestly seeking it.

Surely you would never say that a person who can only go to a competent, licensed pastor should not get any help just because you don't like pastors?

 

[madison1101]

I never said I did not like pastors. While I was married, we were counseled by pastors on more than one occassion and they were very helpful. I have also gone to pastors for spiritual counseling off and on over the past 35 years.

I have also never said that a person should not go to a pastor for counseling. I have encouraged people to seek, if possible, a licensed therapist, as their first choice. I know of ministries that are geared for Pastoral Counseling, with the emphasis on counseling. And I personally know a counselor who used to be a pastor.

Please don't put words in my mouth. I know what I have said, and I have never said a person should refuse counseling. I just know that the majority of the pastors I have met with were not adequately trained to work with the complexities of a person with BPD, especially the acting out, the black and white thinking and the transference and counter-transference that takes place.

 

[RenewedbyFaith]

Whatever you say.

 

[Erica81]

I think that a lot of this bickering back and forth is ridiculous. This is a forum to help people and not a daytime soap opera. People are entitled to their own opiniions. They may be wrong and you may not agree with them, but thats why they are called opinions and not facts.

I, too have struggled on the idea of whether to go to a licensed therapist or to go to a pastor. The reason t hat I have had this confusion, is not because my pastor isn't l icensed to treat BPD, but that my pastor is annointed by God. BPD is nothing more than a mindset and if you renew your mind according to Gods Word and have faith that God will heal, paying a therapist is pointless.

Everyone has their own ideas and people know whats best for them. I suggest that people be given the freedom to voice their own opinions and not get reprimanded for sharing an opinion that doesn't line up with what you believe. However one seeks treatment is their choice and we as Christians need to trust that the God leads you in the right direction.

Erica

PS) and don't tell people how to post. We are all adults in here and we all have the right to speak our minds.

 

[RenewedbyFaith]

This is a forum to help people and not a daytime soap opera.

Unfortunately, soap opera-like interactions are part of the BPD profile.

If you are adverse to conversations like this, the BPD forum will not make you happy.

 

[Antari]

I have done a great deal of reading and studying of BPD in the last several years.

On the DSM criteria, I fulfill all critera except for the manipulation. Then again I know it's not a good idea to self-diagnose but reading accounts of people with BPD and deeper clinical descriptions...its like looking into a mirror.

I know I should see a psychologist about this but I cant afford it, my income is stretched rather thin at the moment.

So I guess my question is, how do you know you have BPD?

Easy. I self-diagnosed, and then later was diagnosed by a psychologist. The best way to tell if you have it is to ask yourself about each symptom, and answer logically and truthfully. You only need to match 5 of the symptoms.

Another way is to ask "is it a tiring and utterly disappointing task to try to live?" If yes, then you are likely a sufferer. =P

 

[Antari]

Unfortunately, soap opera-like interactions are part of the BPD profile.

If you are adverse to conversations like this, the BPD forum will not make you happy.

Well put. The soap opera drama parades of BPD-sufferers (I have BPD, so know that I am not insulting anyone purposely =P ) is exactly what drives all of our relationships, friendships, etc., into the ground.