Old with BPD

[Scared with BPD]

Hello

Is there anyone else on the forum who is suffering with BPD and also middle-aged?

I feel somewhat ashamed that I am in my mid-forties and still suffering with what I presume to be a young person's diagnosis!

I wasn't diagnosed until my late thirties but had lived through all the tell-tale signs, looking back, most of my life.

Amazingly, seeing as I have been treated by Psychologists, Psychiatrists and other experts the person who hit the nail on the head was the first Counsellor I ever saw at my local surgery in Camden who told me that she was shocked by my absolute lack of boundaries and my emotional immaturity. Sad to say, both those things are still prevalent.

Anyway, enough navel gazing, anyone in the same old place as me?!

Would love to hear from you

Claire

 

[keepsafe]

Jeez Claire - I don;t think in your forties is old! I think there are people on here diagnosed with BPD, I didn;t realise it was a young persons disorder??

Take it easy
KS

 

[Scared with BPD]

Age is all a state of mind ...

Thanks Keepsafe

You are quite right, why the bloody hell am I evaluating myself on the number of years I've been here. It's all quite irrelevant.

Hope you are doing well today. I am on a bit of a high, so although I am enjoying it, I am also prepared for the bump back down to earth soon.

Take care
Claire x

 

[unlucky]

It just means you've got a wealth of experiences to help us all with. And I certainly don't think 40's is old. I'm 33 and still think I'm 16 most of the time!! And I've got a toyboy so I always say you're only as old as the man you're feeling!!

 

[keepsafe]

Teehee unlucky me too - glad I am not still 16 though.

 

[rcc8128]

Hi Claire,

I was diagnosed with BPD last year when I was 52. I had spent all my adult life knowing I was different from other people and tried many ways to cover up what I saw as my faults.
I too was diagnosed by a counsellor, after years of being passed from one psychiatrist to another. When BPD was explained to me everything made sense at last and although I still find life difficult I no longer feel like a freak.
I have had CBT and DBT and they both helped but as soon as the sessions ended I returned to my destructive coping strategies.

I wish you well for the future, remember you are not alone.
Take care,
Rich x

 

[Scared with BPD]

Thanks Rich

This forum has been a God Send in making me realise that I am certainly not alone and it's lovely to hear from people in similar circumstances.

Hope that life is treating you well at the minute!

Claire

 

[quality factor]

Hi, I'm even older, feel like an old granny!! I'm 57 and was dx with BPD three years ago. I also have bipolar two.
Like the poster, looking back to my late teens I had all the signs too and struggled really badly at college.
I feel as if the BPD is mellowing a little bit now, but I still have my moments!

QF.

 

[dragonfly]

Hello Scared with BPD

I'm new to this group (only joined yesterday) and I just wanted to let you know that I am middle aged (42) with BPD. I've read that symptoms can ease as you get older but sometimes I feel as though they are getting worse; do you feel the same? Kind regards

 

[ann]

old with BPD?!?

well CLaire - it sounds like those of us older people who've only just been diagnosed (me 3 months ago at age 55) have always struggled but no-one's thought to stick the label on.

Mine only came about after years and years and years of counselling and oodles of interventions because I requested an assessment in case I had asperger's

Symptoms apparently mellow as we age - not sure if that's actually happening or whether eccentricity is tolerated more as we age?!?

it's great to know others here have similar tales.

Rich - interesting CBT and DBT only as good as they last. did you have the full DBT programme? I've had a smattering of CBT principles and have self managed sometimes (!) but not DBT

best wishes to all - we certainly deserve it!
ANn

 

[Wendy]

Hi there,I'm 42 and have bpd .
Just wanted to say you're not on your own and happy Christmas !
Wendy x

 

[Gail]

im 43 and have blpd so its definably not just a young persons thing
to the site
xxxxxxxxxxxxx

 

[Scared with BPD]

To the wiser and mature folk (hee hee)!

Sorry I haven't responded to any posts on the thread earlier, have been having a fairly shit Christmas - do hope that all of you have coped better and managed to have a good time.

Totally agree that I was also told that you should grow out of it, well I'm 45 in a few months time and I feel my mood swings are getting wilder and more severe all the time - so unsure how they have figured that out!

Lovely to hear from so many other people in my age bracket, makes me feel less crazy, (if that's not too un-pc to say these days!).

Best wishes to all of you and would be lovely if we could stay in touch?

Much love
Claire x

 

[Scared with BPD]

Sorry - I've let our older and wiser group down

Please read Claire's Chronicle (under journals) .......

feeling really low and tempted to behave very juvenile .....

Sorry once again folks
Claire x

 

[mad as a hatter]

u don,t want 2 be doing that i,ve found i get called attention seeker so i work a lot harder at it these days try stay calm please