Can I Have Both Bipolar and the BPD?

Written by Dr. Leland Heller

QUESTION:

Was wondering if you could have both bipolar and borderline personality disorder? I have been in treatment for 8mos for BP and had been Dx when I was 15 with BPD and was wondering if I still had it along with the BP since I have symptoms of both. I am angry all the time and have rages over nothing, I self mutilate not often but when things get so bad, I've been in a depression for 18yrs and nothing they have tried seems to bring me any hope. Until 8mos

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ago, I would not get therapy stemming from when I was 15 and spent a year in psych hospitals for major depression and BPD. I had given up on it since I thought if I opened up to anyone about how I felt I would go back in and with having 2 children and being on my own that's not possible. I still can't tell them everything because of being so paranoid about the hospitalization. So is it possible to have both BP and BPD. My symptoms of BP are severe mood swings and having maniac episodes where I spend uncontrollably, very promiscuous. Thank you for any help you can give me on knowing if it can be both BP and BPD.

DR. HELLER'S ANSWER:

Many individuals have both bipolar and the BPD. The BPD is a chronic condition whereas bipolar is an intermittent condition. Most of my patients with both disorders do extremely well on the Prozac (fluoxetine) / Tegretol (carbamazepine) combination. Prozac stops the unprovoked mood swings, chronic anger and emptiness from the BPD. Tegretol markedly improves stress tolerance, depression and the severity of losing control when experiencing dysphoria (anxiety, rage, depression and despair). It's also an outstanding anti-manic drug. Periodically and sometimes chronically antipsychotic medications like Zyprexa or Abilify are needed for the combination.

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