Anyone been diagnosed with personality disorder?

[Laura N]

I was reading a lot about schzoid personality disorder and there is a preoccupation with fantasy and disconnect from reality as a big aspect of this. Just curious if anyone talks to a therapist openly and if there has been other diagnoses?

[Dee Wards]

I’ve seen a therapist a couple of times, but not for MD.  The only issue I had was anxiety with my fiance who had substance abuse issues.  And, when I had panic attacks. I’ve always been quite social, had good friends and loving relationships.  I would be curious as to whether DD would constitute a personality disorder.  Interesting idea.  Is it even taught in school?  

[Jessica Ballantyne]

I grew up believing I can do anything and be anybody I wanted to be, and that was never true. In reality, I have disabilities in places and can't do everything right. In fact, many found me so weird and hopeless. All I've ever been good at is painting and drawing. I've met people in real life who reacted on me, like they felt I do have a personality disorder, probably because I wasn't mindfully in this world. This has been going on since I was a kid. 

[Patti Hamilton]

Yes. Actually I think I've had several PD diagnoses, but only two that were actually given a name. (At least ones that I know about.) The first, decades ago, was Paranoid Personality Disorder. This therapist did vaguely mention that he thought I might have "mixed" personality disorders--whatever that means lol--but he wouldn't get specific. The other diagnosis, which I received years later, was Borderline Personality Disorder. As far as I know, I've never had a diagnosis of anything like Schizoid or Schizotypal PD, but I can see how either of these might relate to excessive use of fantasy and, I guess, "magical thinking". Another PD which might kind of fit IMHO is Avoidant Personality Disorder. BTW, if it matters, while both schizoid and schizotypal PD have a lot in common, it's generally believed that ppl with Schizoid PD have very little desire to interact with other people. Ppl with Schizotypal PD, however, might desire to be close to others, but their interpersonal difficulties and fear of intimacy make it extremely difficult for them to form close relationships with people outside their families. Sorry, didn't mean to turn this into a lecture, but I never do know when to shut up!

[Jessica Ballantyne]

I never thought I had a personality disorder. With how everybody used to react towards me, I can't deny that I have some form of a personality problem. I do have Asperger syndrome, and it effected my life and how people looked at me. I can come across as rude, selfish, thoughtless, unfriendly, no smart, ill-mannered, clumsy, unliable etc.

At first I give people the impression that I'm a relatively normal person. Just when they start to learn more about me, they might get skeptical, curious, give twitchy expressions and start making remarks. Maybe give a false smile and doubt-worthy eyes. And then, after they got to know me for a while, they might get impatient, critical, emotional, or even start to get angry. They'll approach me aggressively, want to pick at my brains, get sarcastic, and even start shouting at me. Altogether, I will get the impression they don't like me anymore. I've nearly gave a person an emotional collapse at work, because of something stupid I did. My family tried to warn me in advance of what people will think. I think it's because I don't socialize...

And yet, I look at my MD life, and it looks so dreamy. Everybody is so pleasant and likes me just the way I am. Even though I'm perfectly they are a fantasy.  At one time I thought my MD was going to come to fulfillment in real life...I never realized the whole time I dreamed—I was screwing myself. Things did not come true, because I didn't wake up. Now what I did come with a cost. I got absolutely nothing in the end. Just nothing.