Do I have a personality disorder?

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorders » OCD Symptoms » Do I have a personality disorder?

Question:

Hi, I have been diagnosed as having Obsessional Compulsive Disorders (OCD), anxiety and depression ’set against features of Schizotypal Personality Disorder’. This is the wording at the bottom of the pile of paper I received after an assessment. What exactly does ’set against features of Schizotypal personality disorder’ mean, do I have a personality disorder or just bits of one? I suppose at the end of the day it’s just about words and labels but I have been try hard, with therapy, to try and sort myself out and it would help me to know which bits of me are ‘real’ and which can be attributed to other things (if that makes sense). Sorry if it’s a bit garbled. Thanks, Hobbit

Response:

"Hobbit" <the_hob…@i12.com> wrote in news:bjqjqu$id8$1 @sparta.btinternet.com: > What exactly does ’set against features of Schizotypal > personality disorder’

that means you don’t have the schizotypal dx. However, this person thinks you are showing some traits associated with schizotypal pd (search on google and you will probably find the list.. I’m too lazy to type those in the dsm). So the answer would be just "bits" of schizotypal If you would have more "bits", you would have had the dx schizotypal. First you need to know what those features are (Ask him or her). If you think it’s correct. Then, you could try to "remove" those features one at a time. :) Sometimes it begins with a few "bits" (just features) .. then it gets worse.

Response:

HI I’m Frenchie. I have Borderline Personality Disorder. I can’t diagnose or confirm a diagnosis….but just a tip….before you get hung up on the idea of having a disorder, please don’t de-humanize yourself….you are not a disorder, you’re a person. I think so many of us who get diagosed with something so serious as a Personality Disorder end up "becoming our disorder". My doctors never told me that some of me was okay. They said "this is what’s wrong with you and you can’t be a good person until you fix it". My diagnosis actually made things worse for me….so don’t let it do the same to you. I know that being diagnosed can be a mixed blessing…."finally I have a name, a reason for feeling this way" and "oh my god, this is serious, my life is over" Don’t let it overcome you. Just because you have a disorder doesn’t mean that your feelings opinions, reactions etc. are not real….they are very real…. At the same token, try not to fragment yourself into "this is right and this is wrong, this is well, and this is diseased", you’ll probably feel even worse, rather, decide which behaviors are causing the most trouble. Concentrate on those. Sometimes you can learn to change things yourself. Streamline things little. There may be in fact, things you can’t change yourself, that you may need medication for, but that’s ok too. Just because you have a disorder, that does not have to mean that you "ARE" your disorder…I think that’s the one thing that sets therapy back quite a bit. Love yourself, take care of yourself, but the best advice I can give, is try to UNDERSTAND yourself…learn about yourself and I promise it will help you get better (at least a little)….also, maybe if you don’t already, you should keep a journal…..write in it every day and be VERY honest with yourself. Also, talk to people. Talking to people who know first hand how it feels to be diagnosed and suffer through what you’re suffering through is some of the best therapy there is. People in this group are probably more than willing to listen and give advice if you need them to…..just remember….you are still a person…..all of you…..treat yourself like one! I don’t know if it helps any, but there’s my 2 cents…..take it for what it’s worth to you! Frenchie

Enter TheMadhouse

Response:

[delurk] would appreciate a warning in subject if there will be sound in post. thanx. [/delurk] "Frenchie" <Tuesd…@webtv.net> wrote in message

news:22322-3F60E071-240@storefull-2271.public.lawson.webtv.net… HI I’m Frenchie. I have Borderline Personality Disorder. I can’t diagnose or confirm a diagnosis….but just a tip….before you get hung up on the idea of having a disorder, please don’t de-humanize yourself….you are not a disorder, you’re a person. I think so many of us who get diagosed with something so serious as a Personality Disorder end up "becoming our disorder". My doctors never told me that some of me was okay. They said "this is what’s wrong with you and you can’t be a good person until you fix it". My diagnosis actually made things worse for me….so don’t let it do the same to you. I know that being diagnosed can be a mixed blessing…."finally I have a name, a reason for feeling this way" and "oh my god, this is serious, my life is over" Don’t let it overcome you. Just because you have a disorder doesn’t mean that your feelings opinions, reactions etc. are not real….they are very real…. At the same token, try not to fragment yourself into "this is right and this is wrong, this is well, and this is diseased", you’ll probably feel even worse, rather, decide which behaviors are causing the most trouble. Concentrate on those. Sometimes you can learn to change things yourself. Streamline things little. There may be in fact, things you can’t change yourself, that you may need medication for, but that’s ok too. Just because you have a disorder, that does not have to mean that you "ARE" your disorder…I think that’s the one thing that sets therapy back quite a bit. Love yourself, take care of yourself, but the best advice I can give, is try to UNDERSTAND yourself…learn about yourself and I promise it will help you get better (at least a little)….also, maybe if you don’t already, you should keep a journal…..write in it every day and be VERY honest with yourself. Also, talk to people. Talking to people who know first hand how it feels to be diagnosed and suffer through what you’re suffering through is some of the best therapy there is. People in this group are probably more than willing to listen and give advice if you need them to…..just remember….you are still a person…..all of you…..treat yourself like one! I don’t know if it helps any, but there’s my 2 cents…..take it for what it’s worth to you! Frenchie Enter The Madhouse

Response:

>I have been diagnosed as having Obsessional Compulsive Disorders (OCD), >anxiety and depression ’set against features of Schizotypal Personality >Disorder’. This is the wording at the bottom of the pile of paper I received >after an assessment. What exactly does ’set against features of Schizotypal >personality disorder’ mean, do I have a personality disorder or just bits of >one?

Hi. Hobbit. This one is definitely Vaipen’s milieu. He is a veritable font of knowledge on the subject of schizotypal personality d/o. But I don’t know if he reads all the posts. (Maybe he does, I don’t know.) But just in case, if I were you I would repost this and put "Schizotypal PD" in the subject field. Vaipen will open it immediately and probably tell you anything you need to know. Cheers, Diana "Of the Moon"

Response:

Thanks everyone. Warm Regards, Hobbit

Response:

Thank you!

Response:

>Anyway… That is what you are dx’ed with. Now, you also seem to show >signs of StPD, which btw, is also what I have so be very welcome here >my mad friend for now we are double in strength and can turn this >newsgroup to our hand.

Please do. I would like nothing more! ) >Now, please do tell me what sort of Hobbit you are and what your mind >is like! I show you mine if you show me yours? Can pick your brain? >You can study me too!

Wait a minute. What happened to "I’m a very private person"? :-p Diana "Of the Moon"

Response:

Hi, thanks for your reply. I have various types of OCD symptoms but mostly intrusive thoughts. One type of thought that is present at the moment suggests to me that terrible harm will come to people unless I repeat certain actions to make it safe, this is not uncommon with OCD but may also be strengthened by the ‘magical thinking’ aspect of StPD. Some thoughts leave me thinking that I may be a danger to others and suggest alsorts of other unpleasant possibilities. I also have lots of other OCD symptoms too and the associated anxiety. I received my diagnosies later in life so have 30 years of living where I believed I was bad and evil and missed a lot of formative social contact etc. I’m trying to find the real me (and afraid that I won’t like myself when I do), what bits really are me, what bits come about because of year of thinking I was bad and what might be StPD. I’m sure I’ll get there in the end. Thanks again Hobbit.

Response:

>From: "Hobbit" the_hob…@i12.com >Date: 9/13/2003 1:57 PM Eastern Standard Time >so have 30 years of living where I >believed I was bad and evil and missed a lot of formative social contact

I missed a lot of that too. And I don’t really know how to go back and learn what I missed. But anyway, I can relate. >I’m sure I’ll get there in the end.