Are Women Being Misdiagnosed with Borderline Personality and Bipolar?

There is a growing trend of women receiving diagnosis of borderline personality disorder or bipolar. The symptoms of which often arise from their experiences in abusive relationships.
Unfortunately, when these women seek help, they are frequently misdiagnosed. Instead of receiving appropriate support, they are often told to medicate and move on with their lives.
However, this approach is inadequate. Women in abusive relationships should be provided with the necessary help to break free from these situations. Furthermore, they should be supported in rebuilding their confidence and sense of self-worth.
In this episode, we delve into:
- Why women are being misdiagnosed with these conditions
- Why we need to rephrase ‘disorders’ and call them responses
- Understanding the root cause of why these behaviours show up
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[@isabelmcarthur7092]

One thing that makes me roll my eyes about the concept of a BPD diagnosis just handed over to an abuse victim: the statements about avoidance. 1. If they're coming out of the abusive relationship, of course they're avoiding the abuser. 2. If people are attacking them while they come out, of course they're avoiding those people. 3. If they're so overloaded with life, facing constant details of getting out the relationship, it's no different than a mom with a sick infant who has zero bandwidth left to hang out with others. Would we label the mom avoidant or would we have compassion that she has no space and time left to be with others? 4. When an abuse victim's entire world has been shattered by them facing the horrible-ness of the person or people they most trust, they have to have space to rebuild and learn how to trust their gut instinct again. That isn't "avoidant," but in fact is just wisdom. I hate these black and white labels for people who are choosing to heal.

[@Blacksquareable]

Another thing is there is a big difference from someone who is lacking confidence and self esteem because of past trauma and the missing identity of someone with BPD. Someone who lacks identity because of BPD has a tendency to latch onto people and may even look very confident but the relationship will turn on its head sooner or later but someone who lacks or has lost confidence honestly won't be putting themselves out there in the same way.

[@isabelmcarthur7092]

But "missing identity" is a very tricky thing. Abuse literally robs someone's identity. Abuse victims aren't simply lacking confidence and self-esteem. They're re-finding themselves separate from the labels someone put on them.

[@Blacksquareable]

@@isabelmcarthur7092 Yep, really good point. Abuse does rob someone's identity. But the point is there was an identity there in the first place or an some idea of who you are at your core even if it's lost or taken away. When someone is really lacking an internal identity to start with that's a very different thing. It's hard to describe from the outside but I guess I'll have to go away and think a bit about that one.

[@Blacksquareable]

I've worked with someone likely with BPD and it is very distinctive. It's not the same as a trauma response and the manipulation is out of this world. Someone who is traumatised would not be able to manipulate the same way - they wouldn't actually be traumatised in the first place if they could do that. The key difference I would say in say CPTSD and BPD is that with BPD people overread negatives into tone and expression and over react to that as in the brain going completely into overdrive. With autism you get everything wrong accross the board! With trauma people would be on red alert and checking for false positives but would be able to rationalise the situation to some degree ie. there would be some insight. Another difference would be that with BPD there is off the scale memory loss but only in emotionally stressful situations. For other people it would be across the board.

[@isabelmcarthur7092]

Manipulation is often pretty subconscious. People don't typically know they're doing it. They're just doing what their protectors scream to do in order to be safe and seen. Manipulation is everywhere, whether or not a person is traumatized. It's also pretty black and white to assume someone who is traumatized would be able to rationalize the situation. All I have to do is look around at the triggers of people in my life and notice that when they're triggered their brain goes offline. They can't rationalize their way out. This damages and ends relationships all the time across the board in life. Look at how people view politics alone. They're so triggered but will end relationships with people who disagree with them.

[@jb-ze1yh]

I’ve been diagnosed with both after dealing with my son’s father who is covertly narcissistic.. 8i also went through a spiritual awakening and because of his crap and my trauma response I am frayed at all edges all the time.

[@isabelmcarthur7092]

😢I'm so deeply sorry.

[@justinemaurice5434]

Exactly!! I work in emerge and see doctors say oh here comes another bpd case and basically just writing off certain people because of a diagnosis (or a belief they have). They only see the patient for 10 minutes I am with them for hours getting history. But it's just another bpd case and I am supposed to refer them to psychiatry...

[@johannamenczer9455]

And the system adds more trauma onto you once your labelled!!

[@lizzyworld007]

Same here 😢 I can't get belly treatments because they push it off as bipolar

[@johannamenczer9455]

That’s exactly my diagnosis 😮!!!