Trish,

That is absolutely wonderfull. congrads!! 60 days is a long time and with many substance problems, including medication and alcohol and food abuse, the first couple of months are the toughest as far as getting rid of the old habits.

I was on and off this board for a while when i wasconcernec that my drinking was getting out of contol andbeyond what was healthy/social. As some of you may remember, it culminated in a long and rambling post a few months ago where i decribed in not so plesant datail how i ended up binge-drnking for 3 days in a row in mid february and ended up suffering through almost a week of extremely uncomfortable alcohol withdrawal symptoms.

I am still embasarred about letting myself be so stupid and careless but have to say that since then i have completely stopped self-destructive/excessive drinking...i guess it was a very scary wake-up call as to how irresponsible i was.

my case is a little diferent in that i never went to A.A. etc. because my personal philosophy/approach to dealing with my own past drinking problem was somewhat different from theirs in that my goal was not to comepletly and pemanently abstain from wine, champagne, etc. unless medically necessary for some reason but, rather, to fast re-learn the golden rule that moderation is the key before i did real damage to my body. i have to say that the first couple of months i still had to resist an occasional urge to drink in excess as a means of emotional escape but now, a few months later, i am much happier and healthier having gotten rid of alcoholic-like tendencies and not having to worry about the consequences of alcohol abuse so the effort was more than worth it.

as a disclaimer, i do still happily and occasionally indulge in an occasional glass of wine or a ****tail socially (i know that many on this board would disagree with that and recommend total abtinence,etc.) but, the bottom line is, despite different approaches, our goal has always been to not have alcohol be a negative factor/problem/addiction andi am very happy to report that i feel much happier and healthier since i put excessive drinking issue behind me and that i am very glad that i finally came to my senses about drowning my problems in booze. whether complete absinence or moderation is your goal, it is achievable and the result is worth it.

again,congrads on two months-in my experience fighting old bad habits gets much easier as the time passes. you've been a strong and supportive influence to people on this board and i am confident that you will be sucessfull in maintaining your goals.

hugs, Nat

Please refer to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders IV-R. You can look up the diagnostic criteria for each of the disorders you have asked about. I respectfully disagree with the previous posters description of borderline personality d/o. 
  Here is a brief description:

Borderline Personality Disorder

A pervasive pattern of instability of interpersonal relationships, self-image, and affects, and marked impulsivity beginning by early adulthood and present in a variety of contexts, as indicated by five (or more) of the following:

(1) frantic efforts to avoid real or imagined abandonment. Note: Do not include suicidal or self-mutilating behavior covered in Criterion 5.

(2) a pattern of unstable and intense interpersonal relationships characterized by alternating between extremes of idealization or devaluation

(3) identity disturbance: markedly and persistently unstable self-image or sense of self

(4) impulsivity in at least 2 areas that are potentially self-damaging (e.g., spending, sex, substance abuse, reckless driving, binge eating). Note: Do not include suicidal or self-mutilating behavior covered in Criterion 5.

(5) recurrent suicidal behavior, gestures, or threats, or self-mutilating behavior

(6) affective instability due to a marked reactivity of mood (e.g., intense episodic dysphoria, irritability, or anxiety usually lasting a few hours and only rarely more than a few days)

(7) chronic feelings of emptiness

(8) inappropriate, intense anger or difficulty controlling anger (e.g., frequent displays of temper, constant anger, recurrent physical fights)

(9) transient, stress-related paranoid ideation or severe dissociative symptoms

Bipolar d/o is an axis one (Clinical disorder)
Borderline Personality d/o is an axis two (personality d/o's and mental retardation)

An expert working with "borderlines" is Marsha Linnehan, from University of Washington. Quite a bit of research with Dialectical Behavioral Therapy.

FIND OUT WHAT CRITERIA YOU MET FOR AN AXIS 2 DX. Don't  take it lightly....

Best of luck to ya-and sorry I wrote so much...but it's kinda "my thang!"

Kathy

idk where to start, i guess w/ i am 3 months out rny gastric bypass. i was previously diognosed with bi polar disorder and bpd. when going for surgery i had stoped my meds about a few weeks befor hand. now i think i mite be needing medication again. only problem is the clinic i go to the doc dosent really know much about my surgery. i need medication but i dont want to gain weight while i am still working on loosing. i didnt have this surgery to go backwards. previously i was on seraqul and lexapro. but now like i said i need to find a medication that dosent effect my weight. if anyone knows of any please let me know.

I am sorry for continually posting about my mental health illnesses, I have been newly diagnosed with bipolar and borderline personality  disorder.


I do not know if I quite believe I have either of these so I am hoping someone with borderline personality disorder might PM with their symptoms or how they understand what BPD is to them?


I am joining a support group here in my town and then I will stop posting ,

Ramon,
I am so glad to hear you are sober again.  Congratulations on three weeks.  That is awesome.  

Keep working the program.  Remember that God is doing for us what we cannot do for ourselves.

Hugs,
Trish