Re:What to Do When Diagnoses Conflict?!

Psychiatric diagnoses often change -- it's not uncommon for someone who has been in treatment for a long time to have had numerous diagnoses. Diagnosis is not an exact science. Psychiatric diagnosis is "clinical" in nature, meaning that the diagnosis is based on symptoms as described by the patient/client. There are no lab tests, no x-rays or ct-scans to help us clarify diagnoses.

Also, symptoms sometimes overlap.

Borderline Personality Disorder is just that, a personality disorder. These disorders are described as "persisting traits" of personality, rather than an acute illness. Major Depressive Disorder and PTSD are "Axis I" diagnoses, i.e., not personality disorders.

Were I you, I would try not to dwell very much on the particular diagnosis, as it is a "work in progress." Instead, work with your therapist on whatever cognitive or insight-oriented interventions he or she utilizes. A diagnosis is just a label professionals use to classify persons for the purpose of choosing treatments. It is not who you are.

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