If you don't mind me asking, what's the difference between the two?
So I have Bipolar II and NPD, which is a part of the same cluster of personality disorders as BPD. I can only describe the difference between Bipolar and BPD from my point of view since I'm not a doctor or anything. Bear in mind I have a lot of issues, though... lol (Also this is long and I am so sorry
)
For Bipolar Disorder:
My mood swings happen in large, broad strokes across long periods of time. I notice them by looking at the trend in my thinking and behavior. When I notice I'm sleeping more ('oops I woke up after a solid 12 hours and I'm still tired!') and speak softer, slower, etc, I can tell I'm probably having a depressive flareup. Also, in those moments, my capacity to feel happy is brief, like a spark that fizzles out as compared to a campfire. So I could be feeling good, or laughing / having a good time, but if I wait long enough (10-20 minutes) the good feelings fade and I feel depressed, tired, numb again. It feels as if I was never happy.
There doesn't seem to be an outward 'trigger' for me losing the 'afterglow' of joy, and half the time there isn't even a 'reason' I can point to that would justify my depression.
But I also have hypomanic episodes, which involve me wanting to spend an inordinate amount of money on whatever I'm excited about and sign myself up for a dozen responsibilities (like taking a class, joining a club, scheduling a bunch of social events, etc). I drive faster, sing a lot, go places and make tons of plans that are way outside my capacity. I also can't get much sleep: I know I'm manic when the max amount of time I spend in bed is about 4 hours or less. If that happens for a week straight, I'm having a hypomanic episode. Full blown mania is also characterized by hallucinations, but I have Bipolar II which isn't characterized by full-blown mania. If you're manic (and that can be independent of bipolar disorder, because ADHD folx have this too) you'll find yourself talking fast, ridiculously energized, and sometimes fidgety / unable to sit still. I'm also incredibly easy to agitate, but that's my baseline so it's hard to tell the difference lol.
For BPD
Personality disorders are more a developmental thing, in that your personality has changed due to a traumatic experience in childhood, and you've learned to cope by changing who you are. Identity disturbance in BPD is (from what I understand) similar to what I experience with NPD, which is that I find it difficult to separate who you are from who you believe you need to be (or how you think you need to act) to receive the love you really, really want.
Folx with BPD might look for sympathy, for example, by talking up their bad experiences or trauma to different people. It's gratifying to do so, because it feels like they're 'seen', and that validation is critical to their mental health. But if someone fails to rise to that challenge (IE: isn't giving that validation), the behaviors the person with BPD displays become more severe, to get the affection they're lookin for. At least, that's how I understand it.
Folx I've talked to have said they have these times where they meet someone and are instantly in love with them... like, in a single day. But should that relationship not work out (because the 'love' is 'infatuation', and built on expectations, not reality), thus enters the mood swings. I'm talking outbursts, depression, rage, etc. Or they have a 'favorite person' from whom they need attention and love, and if that person can't spend time with them or something, they're heartbroken and feel rejected / abandoned / etc., which leads to severe emotional distress. Fear of abandonment is a big one.
BPD and NPD are considered incredibly similar compared to the other Cluster B personality disorders. I also did a
lot of research on both of them which is why I felt confident enough to share what I know. There's obviously a lot more nuance to it though!
