Antisocial Personality Disorder and Borderline Personality Disorder

Hello @jimhd and @mattrix169

I'm finding your discussion interesting. As I am somewhat familiar with Bipolar Disorder, however, I wasn't familiar with personality disorders. I did look at Mayo's website and found this information. Here is the link,
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/personality-disorders/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20354468
I would be interested in knowing how you both describe your symptoms and if the treatment suggested fits the description given in this article.

@hopeful33250 For me it is very difficult to explain but ill try. Where both are cluster b personalities they are very co-morbid with each other they do share some similar triats but with borderline there are a possible 256 combinations for it with my symptoms I have extreme anger and aggression and with the antisocial it is the same I do have a tendency to find ways to break laws and violate social norms I am currently enrolled in mental health councelling and on medication to help me out I take clonazopam to keep me calm and it seems to work every day is very difficult because i can go from 0-100 in a matter of seconds

@hopeful33250 Thanks for the link, Teresa. I could see myself several times, reading through the numerous personality disorders and their signs. I'll write more when I can revive my dead phone.

@hopeful33250 yes i agree thank you it will def something I look at forsure

It took me awhile to think of what I could offer. I have a number of friends and a family member who are driven by a variety of disorders that are incredibly difficult for them and for their family members. I spent many years in therapy myself. Difficult years and well worth all of them. I'm sober and clean for 35 years. It has taken all of this and failure after failure for me to learn one simple thing. When my son rages and he rages often we both are better served if I will allow him to exhaust himself and his rage without comment or reaction. Often we can talk with some degree of reason at that point. Our relationship is not an easy one. He had a closed head injury which created issues causing rage and he has explosive rage with a personality disorder. I love him more than I love my life yet it requires a great deal of energy and desire to be in his life. I fully believe long term therapy and an appropriate medication would improve his life dramatically. Like so many of us he cannot accept that option. This is a long post. Disorders require long and exhaustive therapy if a change is to be gained. I cannot imagine having rage that consumes me. I admire every effort anyone spends trying to manage it. Suggestions I have offered my son: walk away when he feels the first hint of rage, exercise to exhaustion when he feels rage controlling him, get outside help, feel free to delete this post if it is not helpful. I am officially sheltering in place close to the coast of North Carolina. Stay well, friends.

@anncgrl I understand the rage aspect very well seeing as i go through it at least once or twice a week I have a friend in Toronto Canada I talk to and he helps me make sense of things such as saying there is no reason to be that way it will only raise your blood pressure I try to explain to him that it can come out of no where and for no reason Im glad that this site exists to at least help and advise hope you have a great day

@hopeful33250

Looking at the signs of the various personality disorders, I see some in myself under:

Borderline PD - unstable or fragile self-image, up and down mood, suicidal thoughts, fear of being abandoned, ongoing feelings of emptiness;

APD - Avoidant pd - sensitive to criticism or rejection, feeling inadequate, inferior or unattractive, socially timid, avoiding new activities or greeting strangers, shyness in social situations and personal relationships, fear of failure, fear of disapproval, embarrassment or ridicule;

Dependent pd - lack of self-confidence, difficulty making even small decisions, difficulty disagreeing with others because of fear of disapproval, tolerance of poor or abusive treatment;

Obsessive-compulsive pd - (not the same as OCD) preoccupation with details, orderliness or rules, perfectionism resulting in dysfunction or distress when it's not achieved, inability to delegate tasks, difficulty discarding broken or worthless items. Interesting, no?

I never saw all of these character traits as indicators of a personality disorder. I just think of them as my quirks. (Quirks - that's a kind of weird word)

Matt, @mattrix169 anger hasn't been a problem with me, though I know that I'm more easily irritated and frustrated than I've ever been. I've been a consistent, patient, kind and gentle person. It seems to have changed when I began experiencing depression and suicidal ideation and anxiety disorder and PTSD 20 years ago.

It's time to set the table for supper, so I'll end this self inventory.

Jim

Your willingness to reach out says to me that you are experiencing a great deal of suffering as a result of rage and, almost miraculously, are seeing yourself as a part of the equation and reaching out for help. You are already at the heart of what must happen for any of us to change. I cannot fix other people...ever. I can take them hostage resulting in an empty and unfulfilling result. Or, I can seek change in my own self, humble myself to accept help and. as time passes, begin to experience a bit of freedom of bondage to self. In the long term a truly amazing change can occur in us. Bravo, matrix169.