Lived Experience Forum

[Billamba]

Do people think they will 'recover' from BPD or do you see it as a lifelong condition? What do you see as recovery? 

I am am in two minds about this and would be interested to know what others think....

[NikNik]

Oh! Great question! To add another complexity to the question - what do people classify as "recovery". I think other members will be a bit sick of me using this image - but I really think it represents what I believe 'recovery' looks like 🙂

[Billamba]

I like your point NikNak and your image is a good one, frustrating but very true, It does as you say, add complexity to my question but also I believe a very important aspect. 

I see a lot on the internet that recovery from BPD is possible... I do wonder what exactly they mean by that? 

To try and act 'normal' is the hardest thing. My moods fluctuate constantly and I feel like I'm constantly on a roller coaster (and I know others around me feel like they are on it too). Recovery intrigues me, is there light at the end of the tunnel? 

[AlienBP2]

Yes they are convinced that BP is life long
disorder however if "you self monitor" for following conditions

For highs>>>>

Fast excessive talking
Racing thoughts in the mind
Restlessness
Impulsive actions
Like " spending sprees "
Feeling like everything is possible

Downs>>>>>

Tired
Lethargic
Depressed
Feel you just want to withdraw and be left alone
Don't want to socialise or see friends

I make sure if low taking recommended antidepressant dose.
And I decrease one of my mood stabilisers
By 50%

Just take your medication
I adjust mine a little when feeling high reduce antidepresent 50%
When I feel hyper increase my mood stabiliser to recommended dose
I keep my Dr informed about this and he's ok with it..,.
This allows me to have a fairly normal life
However still don't cope with stress very well
Regardless....
This should be used as a guide as we are
all different in our body chemistry
Hope this helps Allan

[Shimmer]

Hi @Billamba,

I'm sure many other people experiencing BPD also wonder about the possibility of recovery, thanks for starting this discussion!

I recently heard a talk by a psychologist who works with people experiencing BPD, who said that the recovery period is shorter than that of Major Depressive Disorder - that was a huge surprise for me!

@NikNik I love that image every time you use it, it's so true! Recovery is generally not a straight line. I'd also add that it doesn't always have to end up in the same place - people can decide for themselves what they're aiming for, whether this means overcoming all symptoms or learning to manage them so that they can live the life they want to.

@Billamba, do you have an idea of what recovery might look like for you?

I'm curious, does anyone feel a sense of pressure about getting recovery "right"?

@AlienBP2, it sounds like you are describing Bipolar Disorder, is that right? Regardless, I think you make a good point about tuning in to signs of how you're going and adjusting your treatment plan accordingly.

Interested to hear more of your thoughts @Billamba and others!

Shimmer

[Mazarita]

I like the positive message behind the idea of recovery but in my case (diagnosed with bipolar) I can't really think of a moment in life where I have really 'recovered' from mental health problems. They seem to always be a part of my day to day life in some way or other, to varying degrees. I like the idea that someone else on the forum mentioned of recovery as an ongoing journey, like life is a journey for all of us. 

[AlienBP2]

For a BPD that is true and the same for ADHD though my GAD has had a " rest" for sometime now and I'm very happy about that just maybe I'm rid of that ( though there's a danger it could come back sometime if stressed out again.

[MockingJay]

I was born with BPD so I expect to die with BPD. That may sound morbid to all the hopefuls but it frees me. It frees me from unrealistic expectations which if you think about it works in favour to one of the symptoms of BPD being living in fear of the unrealistic expectations I perceive of others having in me. 

[bpdnotfun]

I'm coming to terms that I've been born with BPD and most likely will die with it. I completely understand what you mean by accepting this and it actually be 'freeing' now I can instead stop focussing on being 'normal' hardcore therapy with a side of rage and guilt and start thinking "ok this is just how life is going to be, how do I make the best of it"

[Former-Member]

I am a little confused as to BPD in this case (Borderline Personality Disorder or Bi-polar Disorder). As someone who can relate to the personality disorder I see that recovery is a 'journey' ( sorry for the use of that word) rather than an end product. For now I see every time I do something that doesn't make things worse as a step in recovery. For me right now at the very beginning, it's about learning about myself and finding out how to predict patterns and learns skills to combat the unhelpful patterns. I am very new to this and am still totally messing this up but after reading lots of stories on the forums it feels like recovery is about finding the things that make living worthwhile and working towards that one step/day/week/year at a time. I don't believe that I will ever be rid of my disorders because biologically I have a predisposition to them but I hope to manage everything better in the future.