Good for you for trying to understand yourself better, but self-diagnosis might not be the best way to go. I know how tempting it is to look stuff up online. I do it all the time myself lol but the internet can be a tricky place when it comes to mental health. What you find might not always be accurate or apply to you. Self-diagnosis can be risky because it might lead you down the wrong path. You could end up thinking you have something you don't or miss something important that a doctor would catch
@dianaroberts.1960 yeah, you're totally right! I just saw your comment after I wrote mine. It's funny how we were thinking about the same thing! If you're interested, you can take a look at my perspective of this
I can't speak to BPD specifically, I've dealt with anxiety and depression for years. I also started with online research, and it can definitely be a double-edged sword. On one hand, it's great for initial understanding, but on the other, it can lead to self-diagnosis, which isn't always accurate
From my experience, seeing a psychiatrist was intimidating at first, but it turned out to be incredibly helpful. I wrote down my thoughts and concerns before the appointment, this made it easier to express myself when I was there
Please remind yourself that a psychiatrist is there to help, not to criticize or belittle your feelings. It's okay to take your time and go at your own pace. Maybe start by talking to your regular doctor about your concerns? They might be able to refer you to a mental health professional who specializes in what you're experiencing
Whatever you decide, good luck!
Look, I get it. Seeing a doctor can be scary. But you know what's scarier? Letting these feelings control your life. I put off getting help for years & I regret it. Don't make the same mistake
I've never been diagnosed with any mental health conditions, but I did see a therapist for a while to deal with some personal issues. It was definitely nerve-wracking at first, but it ended up being a really positive experience for me. One thing that might help is to remember that psychiatrists and therapists are there to support you, not judge you in ANY way. They've heard it all before, and their goal is to help you feel better. That being said, it's also okay if you're not ready for that step yet. Self-reflection and research can be valuable tools as welll. Just be careful not to self-diagnose based on what you find online. Everyone's experience is unique, and symptoms can overlap between different conditions. When did you start noticing these symptoms in yourself?
Yeah, I totally get where you're coming from. Self-diagnosis can be pretty risky, though. I've been down that road before, it's not as helpful as you might think. You start reading about stuff online, and suddenly everything seems to fit. Our brains are really good at making connections, even when they're not really there.
I remember when I was going through a tough time, I started looking up all sorts of things online. I was convinced I had like, five different conditions. It was scary, but also kinda comforting in a weird way? Like, at least I had a name for what I was feeling. But man, was I wrong
The problem is, when you start treating yourself for something you don't actually have, it can really mess things up. You might be focusing on the wrong things or even making your real issues worse. Plus, you're not getting help for what's really going on. It's like putting a band-aid on your knee when you've actually got a headache (if that makes sense)
I ended up wasting so much time and energy on stuff that wasn't even relevant to me. And the whole time, my actual problems were just getting worse because I wasn't dealing with them properly. It's frustrating to look back on now, because I could've gotten help so much sooner if I hadn't been so sure I knew what was up
The thing is, mental health stuff is super complicated. Even doctors and therapists who've studied for years sometimes have trouble figuring it out. So us trying to do it on our own? I say there's no way
So yeah, I'd say try not to get too caught up in diagnosing yourself. Good thing that you're trying to understand what's going on, but think about talking to a professional instead
@dianaroberts.1960 Absolutely! Your niece's story really hits home. It's wild how our minds can latch onto an idea and refuse to let go, even when it's not accurate. I'm glad she eventually got the right help. It's stories like these that really drive home why professional help is so important
I've been thinking about this a lot lately, and I wonder if part of the problem is how we approach mental health in general. Like, we're so used to quick fixes and instant solutions in other areas of our lives, maybe we expect the same when it comes to our minds?
Another thing I've noticed is how easy it is to get caught up in labels. When I was going through my self-diagnosis, I was almost desperate to find a name for what I was experiencing. I thought if I could just slap a label on it, everything would magically make sense
@dianaroberts.1960 Well yes, trying to fit everyone into the same size shoe - it just doesn't work! Each person's mental health journey is as unique as their fingerprint, and what works for one person might not work for another
@2_bridges.12 Oh wow, I really appreciate you sharing your personal experience with self-diagnosis. It's so easy to fall into that trap, isn't it? I remember when my niece went through something similar. She was convinced she had a rare condition she read about online, it took months for her to finally see a doctor. Turns out, it was a completely different thing and easily treatable. It's scary to think how much unnecessary stress and anxiety she put herself through during that time
@2_bridges.12 You know, your point about labels really resonates with me. I remember when my son was younger, he was having some troubles at school. The teachers were quick to suggest all sorts of labels, and for a while, we got caught up in trying to find the "right" one. But in the end, what helped most wasn't a label, but understanding him as an individual and finding what worked for him specifically. We forget that behind every diagnosis is a unique person with their own experiences and needs
@2_bridges.12 @dianaroberts.1960 agree with both of you!! i've been wondering lately if our society puts too much emphasis on diagnosing and not enough on overall mental wellness. like, instead of waiting until there's a problem and then trying to label it, what if we focused more on maintaining good mental health in the first place? kind of like how we're encouraged to exercise and eat well for our physical health, even when we're not sick
just wanted to chime in. i went down the rabbit hole of online research too, convinced i had everything from adhd to bpd to bipolar. turns out, i was dealing with complex ptsd and some related anxiety issues. a psychiatrist helped me figure that out, and it made a world of difference in my treatment. that said, ashley, i get that seeing a psychiatrist is a big step. if you're not ready for that, maybe consider starting with a counselor? might help you feel more comfortable with the idea of psychiatric help if you need it later. take care 💟
@Sensitive happens to the best of us ig. I think it's great that we're all becoming more aware of mental health issues these days. But sometimes I worry that all this information at our fingertips can be dangerous. It's like giving someone a medical textbook and expecting them to perform surgery. We might recognize some symptoms, but without the proper training, we could easily misinterpret them or miss crucial details.
And let's not even get started on how the internet can sometimes make everything sound way scarier than it actually is!
@Sensitive the internet opened up a pandora's box of potential misinformation and self-misdiagnosis. There's the whole issue of confirmation bias, once we think we might have a certain condition, it's all too easy to start seeing evidence of it everywhere, even if it's not really there. I wonder if part of the solution might be better mental health education in schools, so people have a solid foundation of knowledge before they start googling symptoms.
@Jessie Graham i've definitely fallen into that trap before, and it can be both enlightening and terrifying 🫣 having access to all this information can help us recognize when something might be off and encourage us to seek help. but it's so easy to spiral into worst-case scenarios or convince ourselves we have conditions we don't actually have. what looks like one condition in one person might be something entirely different in another
I've been down that road of self-diagnosis and YouTube research as well, but it's all not a substitute for professional help. I remember feeling exactly like you, scared, confused, and unsure about seeing a psychiatrist. But psychiatrists are trained professionals who can provide you with an accurate diagnosis and proper treatment. My experience was far less scary than I imagined. The psychiatrist I saw was patient and kind, and she helped me understand myself better. It was 100% worth it. Seeking help is a sign of strength, not weakness!
It is understandable if you feel scared and overwhelmed right now. It is okie to initially feel scared as there could be lot of misconceptions running in your mind, there could be many questions, doubts which you don't know should be asked or not or are you assuming too much.It is better you write down how you feel, what you feel in details as you are scared to talk to someone about it. you should write down what all you have understood about yourself. when you would write down it will give you a sense of understanding in depth about your feelings and explain it to a psychiatrist. Psychiatrist would not judge you and give you a safe space to speak up.
Each one may have a distinctive set of symptoms so it is best you approach a psychiatrist who will give you a better clarity if it is BPD or any other underlying issues. When you write down in detail it would help you and the psychiatrist to enable you to learn skills and strategies to regulate yourself better. Through therapy and medication it just gets better.