A really difficult dual diagnosis.
So I was diagnosed with bipolar disorder 1 and anxiety at age 15. At age 23 the diagnosis of borderline personality disorder was added. It has led to so much confusion. I just recently learned how an episode can be told apart between bipolar and BPD. There are a lot of overlapping symptoms. Well, it all boils down to if emotions were the triggering force or not. Unfortunately, when one acts up the other seems to follow suit.
@TrueSight
@Jenna a big thing to cope and lessen some of the distress is to identify the specific emotions. Acknowledge them. It can be hard when your mind isn't thinking clearly. I'm a big reader so that helps serve as a distraction. I try to keep a well structured day. College classes don't start up again until the Fall semester. So, to structure my time I'm taking an Academy course, a creative writing course on Coursera, writing. When I'm going through a short story, I recreate it into a piece of short fiction and give it a solution. Which helps me in reality. If things are critical, I know when it's time to go to the hospital. I've been in nearly every psych unit in the area and hated and got no help at any of them except one. I know all the staff and they are familiar with me. The psychiatrist has a lot of respect for my intellect and knowledge of psychopathology and treatments which I appreciate. And they are the only inpatient in the psych facility in the area that provides a well structured day with breaks so you don't get overwhelmed. That's a last resort. I have other self care things I do. Aroma therapy with my oil diffuser is a big one. Lavender is so calming. There's a lot you can do for yourself but when there's that biological element you need the meds and you can't necessarily control certain things with neurobiology.