Hi everyone

[brea]

Hi,

My name is Brea, I just found these forums yesterday(I actually searched for 'Christian Borderline Personality Disorder Message Boards' in google).

It's nice to have other Christians to talk to about BPD stuff. When I was going through DBT, it was helpful to hear the experiences of other people who had similar feelings to my own, but after a point, there's only so far you can go with non-Christian BPDs, you know? Our motivations and reasons for change were really divergent.

Does anyone else have trouble with Christians' attitudes toward medication? It seems like people are more enlightened as a whole these days, but I still run into people who feel that we should either a. not take medication at all because the 'joy of the Lord should be our strength' or b. should take it for a little while but eventually 'get to a place in our walk with the Lord' where we don't need it anymore.

No matter what I say, I can't convince some people that my depression does not necessarily reflect any actual thing that is going on(or any thought process, etc); it's biological. However, if I don't take my meds, the depression can skew things in my life and give me concrete reasons to feel the way I do, know what I mean?

I also have ADHD toward the more severe end, and Adderall is a big boogeyman to a lot of people. If I hear one more person tell me that ADHD drugs are just designed by teachers who don't want to deal with 'active kids'.....argh


I'm frustrated that I will never change, that I will always been incompatable with normal life. I don't want anything like I used to, I don't have these grandiose desires and plans to better the world and myself. I'm a psychology major, but to be painfully honest, I don't even care all that much about people somedays. I find God confusing and irrelevent much of the time, and am frustrated by Christians who think they understand, and then give me pat, simplistic answers and solutions and are offended when I don't take their advice.

Sorry, that developed into a long rant there, lol. Anyway, just wanted to say that it's nice to find a place where I have a feeling of belonging


Thanks,
brea

 

[ZiSunka]

Hi!

Did DBT work for you?

The medication thing is a leftover teaching from a bygone era, namely the 1970s and 80s, when psychiatric drugs were new and they didn't work very well. As time goes by, more and more Christians are open to meds for mental illnesses.

 

[brea]

Hi!

Did DBT work for you?

The medication thing is a leftover teaching from a bygone era, namely the 1970s and 80s, when psychiatric drugs were new and they didn't work very well. As time goes by, more and more Christians are open to meds for mental illnesses.

Hi,

I think that DBT helped me. I wish I'd been more receptive toward it and open-minded about it(I would have gotten a lot more out of it), but even still, I definitley found it helpful.

It's very good for giving practical suggestions to help with feelings/symptoms/coping mechanisms, etc. I think a lot of borderlines feel that our symptoms are so 'out there' and not common to the human experience that nothing 'normal' could possibly be of any help. DBT helped me realize that that wasn't true.

 

[madison1101]

I did not have trouble with Christians' attitudes toward medications. I had trouble with people in Alcoholics Anonymous. I am also an alcoholic and there are many in AA who believe that if you work the steps of the program, you don't need medication.

I would not try to convince ignorant Christians anything about medication. I would kindly say, "Well, when you have a medical degree, I will consider your advice on this matter." and then walk away.

Since being diagnosed, I have become a psychotherapist and I work part time in a psychiatric hospital. I understand the need for meds for all patients.

I have never been through DBT. I have been in psychotherapy non-stop since 1989. My therapist is a cognitive-behavioral therapist.

Hugs,
Trish

 

[cafegrrrlforever]

Hey Brea,
I, too, have BPD and it is nice to meet you. I have mixed feelings about church and my illness. When I was really sick, I had a lot of support and even had a pastor that told me that I should take meds and that mental illness was a chemical imbalance, in short, an illness. The current church doesn't want to talk about it or look at it. I am more inclined to my pastor from the first church; I agree that I have an illness, and am not in sin or undergoing spiritual warfare. I have also found comfort from scripture and verification that there is healing for mental illness in the Bible. There is a time when Elijah was depressed and God took care of him through diet, exercise, and sleep. Paul also told Timothy to have a little wine with his ailment, showing us that God allows us to take medication for our ailments. Lastly, God tells us that His grace is sufficient for us, his power is made strong in our weakness.
I am sorry if this message seems to preachy, but I just wanted to show to you biblical proofs that you are on the right path, that God thinks you are doing the right thing, and that someone thinks the same thing and supports you as a Christian with a mental illness.
Write back, my name is Julia.

 

[SumTinWong]

Hi,

My name is Brea, I just found these forums yesterday(I actually searched for 'Christian Borderline Personality Disorder Message Boards' in google).

Welcome

It's nice to have other Christians to talk to about BPD stuff. When I was going through DBT, it was helpful to hear the experiences of other people who had similar feelings to my own, but after a point, there's only so far you can go with non-Christian BPDs, you know? Our motivations and reasons for change were really divergent.

I think i agree with this. I know I am starting DBT in a week and a half and I am very hopeful that it will change me or at least aide in my changing. I have noticed that in therapy talk with people who were NOT Christian was harder because it was harder to say you are looking for grace, or praying without getting queer looks from people.

Does anyone else have trouble with Christians' attitudes toward medication? It seems like people are more enlightened as a whole these days, but I still run into people who feel that we should either a. not take medication at all because the 'joy of the Lord should be our strength' or b. should take it for a little while but eventually 'get to a place in our walk with the Lord' where we don't need it anymore.

Have you heard the whole : You just need to cheer up and have a positive mental attitude one yet? I don't know any of the Christians around here (where i live) that would be opposed to sustainable medications. in fact I think they would support them for sure. Anybody who says things like we should be able to be off our meds and walk with the Lord have not walked without the meds . . .

No matter what I say, I can't convince some people that my depression does not necessarily reflect any actual thing that is going on(or any thought process, etc); it's biological. However, if I don't take my meds, the depression can skew things in my life and give me concrete reasons to feel the way I do, know what I mean?

Yes I do. I had a talk with my sister one day and she said i have this that and the other thing and I don't have a reason to be depressed but I am. What does that tell you then? I am stupid. No it should tell you that it is BEYOND your control and something you need to talk to a doctor about. I don't know if she will be bothered with it, but I got tired of just living with the depression and as you say the impact of no meds.

I also have ADHD toward the more severe end, and Adderall is a big boogeyman to a lot of people. If I hear one more person tell me that ADHD drugs are just designed by teachers who don't want to deal with 'active kids'.....argh

LOL Yeah, I think people have this notion that because mama never did it, then i shouldn't have to, or I was a little hyper as a child but look at me I turned out okay . . . Well heck if you woulda had the chance to be better than you was back then than you was, wouldn't you have done it? I know I would have and am. At 42 I aint afraid to get help or a crutch anymore.

I'm frustrated that I will never change, that I will always been incompatable with normal life. I don't want anything like I used to, I don't have these grandiose desires and plans to better the world and myself. I'm a psychology major, but to be painfully honest, I don't even care all that much about people somedays. I find God confusing and irrelevent much of the time, and am frustrated by Christians who think they understand, and then give me pat, simplistic answers and solutions and are offended when I don't take their advice.

As people with BPD, we may never be compatible with normal life. But let me ask you this, what is normal? The normal we have in our head as what what WE think should be how it is or how it really is. I got this notion in my head that life should be fair even though it aint. I have found that there is no such thing as a normal life and I stopped looking for it. I look for a peaceful life at this point. one that i am not at odds with my own mind.

I don't have any huge plans for myself either and days go by so fast now and I wonder where they have gone.

It is easy to stop caring about people because you don't feel like you are one of them. Am I right? They cannot relate to you and you cannot be what the want you to be. At least that is how it has been with me.

And as far as some Christians go, they mean well, they just have no idea the depth of what ails us. Heck if people did or could live in our minds for one day i wonder what they would think of us then? Maybe they could care more?

Sorry, that developed into a long rant there, lol. Anyway, just wanted to say that it's nice to find a place where I have a feeling of belonging


Thanks,
brea

Welcome to the gang

 

[SumTinWong]

Hi,

I think that DBT helped me. I wish I'd been more receptive toward it and open-minded about it(I would have gotten a lot more out of it), but even still, I definitley found it helpful.

Since I am just starting it, what was your biggest hurdle?

It's very good for giving practical suggestions to help with feelings/symptoms/coping mechanisms, etc. I think a lot of borderlines feel that our symptoms are so 'out there' and not common to the human experience that nothing 'normal' could possibly be of any help. DBT helped me realize that that wasn't true.

I just noticed your signature had Zelda in it. What a story eh? Of course you know they think she was BPD as well, right?

My favorite quote that helps me explain BPD to people is:

"A borderline suffers a kind of emotional hemophilia; he lacks the clotting mechanism needed to moderate his spurts of feeling. Stimulate a passion, and the borderline emotionally bleeds to death.”
I hate you - don’t leave me by Kreisman & Straus