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False Charge: BB Is Full of People with BPD


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I have a psych nurse friend who is convinced that online forums, such as BB, are full of people with borderline personality disorders implying that they (the forums) should be avoided.  She is a professor of nursing at a highly prestigious university's graduate school of nursing and has a Post Masters in Psych-Mental Health Nursing.  She teaches graduate and doctoral students in that same program.

 

She has also made statements such as, "You may need to be on psych meds the rest of your life like a diabetic needs insulin."  As we know, these are statements that those in the uninformed medical community make when they are not educated about the risks of psych meds, having drunk the Kool-Aid of Big Pharma.

 

Is there any information I can use to counter this claim of "forums are full of people with BPD"?

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Oh, good grief, she sounds a little paranoid.  :laugh:  There are people with borderline personalities everywhere.  They run rampant on social media.  We all need to be cautious and use good judgment online but also while walking to our cars in parking lots in the real world. 

 

Telling someone he or she needs a benzodiazepine for life like a diabetic needs insulin is ignorant and dangerous.  If she looked at the manufacturer's recommendations, she'll see that in fact they're recommended for no more than a couple of weeks ...for obvious reasons.

 

I did a couple of searches for 'forums and borderline personality' and came up with nothing except forums dedicated to such.  Can you ask her to back up her claims with proof?

 

;)

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I have a psych nurse friend who is convinced that online forums, such as BB, are full of people with borderline personality disorders ...

 

Do ya think she might be a teensy-weensy bit paranoid at all?!  :laugh:

 

Ask her what she knows about allosteric modulation and how she explains it to her students... ;)

 

 

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I have a psych nurse friend who is convinced that online forums, such as BB, are full of people with borderline personality disorders ...

 

Do ya think she might be a teensy-weensy bit paranoid at all?!  :laugh:

 

Ask her what she knows about allosteric modulation and how she explains it to her students... ;)

Sorry to be slow on the draw, but what does your last statement mean....I don't get it....but then I have benzo brain! 

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I have a psych nurse friend who is convinced that online forums, such as BB, are full of people with borderline personality disorders implying that they (the forums) should be avoided.  She is a professor of nursing at a highly prestigious university's graduate school of nursing and has a Post Masters in Psych-Mental Health Nursing.  She teaches graduate and doctoral students in that same program.

 

She has also made statements such as, "You may need to be on psych meds the rest of your life like a diabetic needs insulin."  As we know, these are statements that those in the uninformed medical community make when they are not educated about the risks of psych meds, having drunk the Kool-Aid of Big Pharma.

 

Is there any information I can use to counter this claim of "forums are full of people with BPD"?

 

I can sort of (sort of) understand why she thinks that. But as others have pointed out, people with BPD are everywhere and on every Internet forum of any appreciable size. The greater problem occurs when someone with BPD obtains a moderation position: I've witnessed this. Again, such things happen everywhere, not just online.

 

One other thing: people with BPD are people too, and some of them (just like the general population) will experience problems with benzodiazepines. We would not disallow membership to people who suffer from mental illness, just as we would deny access to people who suffer from particular physiological disorders. Although people with BPD can make for difficult members (at any group), and they do end up (of course) being banned far more regularly than the general population from forums, the idea that forums are just full of these people is plain ridiculous. No forum could survive if that was the case.

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I have a psych nurse friend who is convinced that online forums, such as BB, are full of people with borderline personality disorders ...

 

Do ya think she might be a teensy-weensy bit paranoid at all?!  :laugh:

 

Ask her what she knows about allosteric modulation and how she explains it to her students... ;)

Sorry to be slow on the draw, but what does your last statement mean....I don't get it....but then I have benzo brain!

 

An allosteric modulator (in general) is a substance that binds to a receptor and provokes an adaptation/change. A benzo is an allosteric modulator.

 

This is very common knowledge in medicine, biochemistry & pharmacology (and here on this forum!) - but an amazing number of "psychology" types (and a surprising number of doctors) don't want to go with that sorta nonsense, preferring instead to tout  "underlying anxiety" (or "borderline personality disorder") and the like, as a 'diagnosis' for almost everything benzo.

 

Gardenlady's psych-nurse friend seems to be one of those.

 

I think we need to know! ;)

 

 

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I have a psych nurse friend who is convinced that online forums, such as BB, are full of people with borderline personality disorders implying that they (the forums) should be avoided.  She is a professor of nursing at a highly prestigious university's graduate school of nursing and has a Post Masters in Psych-Mental Health Nursing.  She teaches graduate and doctoral students in that same program.

 

She has also made statements such as, "You may need to be on psych meds the rest of your life like a diabetic needs insulin."  As we know, these are statements that those in the uninformed medical community make when they are not educated about the risks of psych meds, having drunk the Kool-Aid of Big Pharma.

 

Is there any information I can use to counter this claim of "forums are full of people with BPD"?

 

Your "friend" should be arrested.  She's a nurse and has no business rendering medical advice without a medical license. "Mental health nurse' - who the h**l came up with such an intangible discipline?  What's next, flying a passenger jet without a pilot's license?  She hasn't gotten a clue as to what she's talking about.  Such unqualified and misinformed people can do a lot of damage and inflict a lot of harm.  When she gets an MD or PhD plus ten years of progressive research that's recognized by scientific community under her belt, then we'll talk.  What a pigeon!

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"I suppose it is tempting, if the only tool you have is a hammer, to treat everything as if it were a nail."

 

Is there any information I can use to counter this claim of "forums are full of people with BPD"?

 

You aren't going to convince an "authority" on medicine of anything. Not if this is the way they approach being presented with new information anyway.

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"BPD" - like so many other 'diagnostic' capital letter thingies, is a makey-uppy term (this one from the 1930s) descriptive of the outward appearances of someone in a recognisably upset state, but without any scientific backing, measurement or actual empirical testing.

 

It's a label, in other words.

 

I won't start! ;):)

 

 

 

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It sounds as if she's very ignorant about benzos. I wouldn't listen to her. It's unfortunate she's teaching people. I hope she doesn't spread the lie to them. I get so angry with the different diagnoses medical personnel dish out. If they only knew and could go through what we've been through...
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Biological psychiatry. Plain and simple. If you want to counter that, you have to change her attitude. But if that attitude serves her well, that´s not going to happen.

 

A bit like some doctors ´it´s all mental´ !

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If she's that concerned I'd tell her to go to med school and get back to us in 8 years. People are entitled to their own opinions and can be convinced about anything. For example, I'm convinced Wendy Williams is a dude but apparently she's not.

 

As far as BB goes, if your friend hasn't experienced benzo withdrawal herself who cares what she thinks. BB has helped many people over many years - yeah I'm sure some people have BPD - but that doesn't mean they can't contribute to this community. Nor does it negate the many members here who don't have BPDs. She might want to have more of an open mind. Otherwise it seems like she's doing a major disservice to her students, university, and profession.

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If she's including benzodiazaphines in that "need-to-be-on-it-for-the-rest-of-your-life" meds, print out a few of the technical  threads on this forum in full (I'm guessing hundreds of pages), and throw it into her lap.  I would fire her.
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My psych nurse friend is that.....a friend.  Actually a lifelong, dear friend whom I am very close to.  She's not treating me as a patient.  She once said I might need to be on an antidepressant the rest of my life "as diabetics need insulin."  I called her on it by reminding her that diabetes is a diagnosed and treated per blood tests, unlike depression.  She agreed.

 

She has a PhD in Nursing Education and is 65 years old so had decades of publishing and research under her belt as she is a professor of nursing in the graduate nursing program at a very prestigious university.  All of that to say that she isn't a fresh grad without much experience.  However, like most in the psych med field, she is uninformed about the dangers of benzos and ADs.  When I talk to her, she thinks I'm exaggerating as she's never witnessed it or seen data on the horrific suffering.  I'm trying to educate her, but she's not taking me seriously as I am not an academic in the field of science as she and her peers are.

 

She also won't read anything written from anyone on BB since she thinks most people on the forum have BPD.

 

At my urging, she is tapering off of .5 mg of Klonopin that she has been taking for insomnia.  She took Ambien for years and discontinued it with no problem.  The only withdrawal symptom she's having now is insomnia for which she's taking 100 mg of gabapentin.  However, she has no idea of the suffering that many experience when withdrawing from benzos.

 

She continues to tout ADs saying that they are perfectly safe and help many people.  I think I have to come to the realization that it's not my job to "straighten her out" and that if we are to remain friends, I'm going to have to drop it and just not talk about it. 

 

 

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"BPD" - like so many other 'diagnostic' capital letter thingies, is a makey-uppy term (this one from the 1930s) descriptive of the outward appearances of someone in a recognisably upset state, but without any scientific backing, measurement or actual empirical testing.

 

It's a label, in other words.

 

I won't start! ;):)

 

I hate the term borderline, you either have or have not got a personality disorder like you either are a murderer or you are not, you would never say some one was a borderline murderer would you?

It could also be said that everyone on here has a personality disorder brought on by benzos? I know I have done some things that are out of the norm for me over the course of my taper and withdrawal.

 

2trusting

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... When I talk to her, she thinks I'm exaggerating as she's never witnessed it or seen data on the horrific suffering.  I'm trying to educate her, but she's not taking me seriously as I am not an academic in the field of science as she and her peers are.

 

She also won't read anything written from anyone on BB since she thinks most people on the forum have BPD...

 

What a stunningly naive and blinkered worldview from somebody so apparently well-educated and experienced ;)

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"BPD" - like so many other 'diagnostic' capital letter thingies, is a makey-uppy term (this one from the 1930s) descriptive of the outward appearances of someone in a recognisably upset state, but without any scientific backing, measurement or actual empirical testing.

 

It's a label, in other words.

 

I won't start! ;):)

 

I hate the term borderline, you either have or have not got a personality disorder like you either are a murderer or you are not, you would never say some one was a borderline murderer would you?

It could also be said that everyone on here has a personality disorder brought on by benzos? I know I have done some things that are out of the norm for me over the course of my taper and withdrawal.

 

2trusting

 

The irony is that "borderline" is used, for the precise reason that they don't know what they are talking about.

 

So much of the terminology and jargon that is used simply screams the insecurity of its own origins, like "clinical" depression or "treatment resistant" whatever.

 

The Emperor, I'm afraid, has no clothes ;)

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... When I talk to her, she thinks I'm exaggerating as she's never witnessed it or seen data on the horrific suffering.  I'm trying to educate her, but she's not taking me seriously as I am not an academic in the field of science as she and her peers are.

 

She also won't read anything written from anyone on BB since she thinks most people on the forum have BPD...

 

What a stunningly naive and blinkered worldview from somebody so apparently well-educated and experienced ;)

 

Knock it off NightWatch. GardenLady has already explained that the Prof. of Nursing is a life-long friend. Many of our members feel friendless during their withdrawal and recovery and would kill for a good friend. Life is not black and white, where some people are clearly deserving friendship and others are neatly discarded.

 

Yes, GardenLaday, it is indeed not your job to educate your friend. Of course she is wrong about the character of BB (she has not even visited here), but there is little you do about that. It is sometimes better - as you have chosen to do - to just drop the subject.

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"BPD" - like so many other 'diagnostic' capital letter thingies, is a makey-uppy term (this one from the 1930s) descriptive of the outward appearances of someone in a recognisably upset state, but without any scientific backing, measurement or actual empirical testing.

 

It's a label, in other words.

 

I won't start! ;):)

 

I hate the term borderline, you either have or have not got a personality disorder like you either are a murderer or you are not, you would never say some one was a borderline murderer would you?

It could also be said that everyone on here has a personality disorder brought on by benzos? I know I have done some things that are out of the norm for me over the course of my taper and withdrawal.

 

2trusting

 

It is certainly an odd term. Reminds me of joke I made about it years ago:

 

http://www.benzobuddies.org/forum/index.php?topic=2535.msg28188#msg28188

 

Hardly a side-splitter, but there you have it.

 

The term was coined because the condition was (originally) thought to fall between psychosis and neurosis - hence, 'borderline'. These are descriptive terms (no tests) of course - in that context, they make more sense (at least at the time of coining).

 

https://www.psychologytoday.com/conditions/borderline-personality-disorder

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... When I talk to her, she thinks I'm exaggerating as she's never witnessed it or seen data on the horrific suffering.  I'm trying to educate her, but she's not taking me seriously as I am not an academic in the field of science as she and her peers are.

 

She also won't read anything written from anyone on BB since she thinks most people on the forum have BPD...

 

What a stunningly naive and blinkered worldview from somebody so apparently well-educated and experienced ;)

 

...Knock it off NightWatch...

 

Explain yourself Colin.

 

Are you saying that we ought not to give our views in support of the OP?

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... When I talk to her, she thinks I'm exaggerating as she's never witnessed it or seen data on the horrific suffering.  I'm trying to educate her, but she's not taking me seriously as I am not an academic in the field of science as she and her peers are.

 

She also won't read anything written from anyone on BB since she thinks most people on the forum have BPD...

 

What a stunningly naive and blinkered worldview from somebody so apparently well-educated and experienced ;)

 

...Knock it off NightWatch...

 

Explain yourself Colin.

 

Are you saying that we ought not to give our views in support of the OP?

 

I thought I had already done so. How, exactly, are your opinions 'supporting' the OP? You attempt to poison GardenLady's friendship with her Prof. friend. Why would you do that?

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... When I talk to her, she thinks I'm exaggerating as she's never witnessed it or seen data on the horrific suffering.  I'm trying to educate her, but she's not taking me seriously as I am not an academic in the field of science as she and her peers are.

 

She also won't read anything written from anyone on BB since she thinks most people on the forum have BPD...

 

What a stunningly naive and blinkered worldview from somebody so apparently well-educated and experienced ;)

 

...Knock it off NightWatch...

 

Explain yourself Colin.

 

Are you saying that we ought not to give our views in support of the OP?

 

I thought I had already done so. How, exactly, are your opinions 'supporting' the OP? You attempt to poison GardenLady's friendship with her Prof. friend. Why would you do that?

 

Here is the original question inviting opinion in the OP:

 

Is there any information I can use to counter this claim of "forums are full of people with BPD"?

 

It is quite clear that Gardenlady is nonplussed by the mindset of someone who is both her friend but who also happens to be operating at the sharp end in the "mental health" mainstream. Me too. I was agreeing - throughout -  and also giving my views, which were supportive of her contention.

 

How you can misintepret that as my being in any way cantankerous, with the rather bullying instruction to 'knock it off' is beyond me.

 

(and I should add that your "poisoning the relationship" notion is utterly misplaced and, in the circumstances, simply ludicrous)

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NightWatch,

 

You were responding to gardenlady's post were she was defending her friendship the Professor, after some rather sharp comments from other members about said friend. Your comments (on the face of it) was more of the same. Or, at least, that's how they came across:

 

... When I talk to her, she thinks I'm exaggerating as she's never witnessed it or seen data on the horrific suffering.  I'm trying to educate her, but she's not taking me seriously as I am not an academic in the field of science as she and her peers are.

 

She also won't read anything written from anyone on BB since she thinks most people on the forum have BPD...

 

What a stunningly naive and blinkered worldview from somebody so apparently well-educated and experienced ;)

 

The full quote from gardenlady:

 

My psych nurse friend is that.....a friend.  Actually a lifelong, dear friend whom I am very close to.  She's not treating me as a patient.  She once said I might need to be on an antidepressant the rest of my life "as diabetics need insulin."  I called her on it by reminding her that diabetes is a diagnosed and treated per blood tests, unlike depression.  She agreed.

 

She has a PhD in Nursing Education and is 65 years old so had decades of publishing and research under her belt as she is a professor of nursing in the graduate nursing program at a very prestigious university.  All of that to say that she isn't a fresh grad without much experience.  However, like most in the psych med field, she is uninformed about the dangers of benzos and ADs.  When I talk to her, she thinks I'm exaggerating as she's never witnessed it or seen data on the horrific suffering.  I'm trying to educate her, but she's not taking me seriously as I am not an academic in the field of science as she and her peers are.

 

She also won't read anything written from anyone on BB since she thinks most people on the forum have BPD.

 

At my urging, she is tapering off of .5 mg of Klonopin that she has been taking for insomnia.  She took Ambien for years and discontinued it with no problem.  The only withdrawal symptom she's having now is insomnia for which she's taking 100 mg of gabapentin.  However, she has no idea of the suffering that many experience when withdrawing from benzos.

 

She continues to tout ADs saying that they are perfectly safe and help many people.  I think I have to come to the realization that it's not my job to "straighten her out" and that if we are to remain friends, I'm going to have to drop it and just not talk about it.

 

If you state that you meant to imply no such thing, I will accept that and retract my criticism. But, again, that's how your words read to me. And in the context of the flow of the thread, I don't think I would be alone in reading it that way. Shall we chalk this up to cross-purposes?

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