Posted by Dinah on February 2, 2004, at 22:04:27
In reply to How to tell someone about diagnosis, posted by gardenergirl on February 2, 2004, at 21:01:44
From personal experience I can tell you that it hurts like h*ll to be told you have a "personality disorder". The phrase sounds so unpleasant. Like people should avoid you because you have a bad personality.
On the other hand, Marsha Linehan's explanation of borderline personality disorder is wonderful, and quite destigmatizing.
My only suggestion would be to preface anything you say with lots of explanation about what personality disorders *aren't*. And how there are biological underpinnings (see my post to Scott about the physostigmine challenge research) and a lot about emotional reactivity and slow return to baseline. If you can somehow downplay the label "personality disorder" to emphasize the empathy and understanding of what it feels like, that's what I *wish* my therapist had done. Actually, my therapist didn't tell me, my pdoc did, and I'd love to tell you how, but I'm afraid to on an archived message board. :(
poster:Dinah
thread:308679
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/psycho/20040131/msgs/308699.html