I was diagnosed with borderline personality disorder (BPD) around three years ago. I’d had a particularly uncharacteristic outburst at a family member and finally decided to go to my GP, who referred me to a psychiatrist. He saw me for just two sessions before he diagnosed me.
As many BPD sufferers feel when they first receive a diagnosis, there’s a sense of relief because there’s a name for how you’re feeling, a concrete term that you can point to. But once my emotions had settled, I felt differently. I was hesitant to mention my diagnosis to my family or employer because – let’s face it – the phrase “emotionally unstable” does not inspire confidence. The description of me as borderline paints a specific, misleading picture of me being inherently dangerous – but the air needs clearing on the reality of BPD for many people.
