Introduction to discussion-thread

I am 19, trans male (he/they) from the UK. I have several mental health and physical health issues that can affect my mental wellbeing.

My current diagnoses include Borderline Personality Disorder, although I disagree with this diagnosis since it was made at age 16. Adult mental health professionals are considering removing the BPD label if further evidence shows it might not be accurate. Given that I am nearly two years into remission and have shown stability, a reassessment should take place by the end of this year. They also believe my symptoms may align more with bipolar disorder due to prolonged manic and depressive episodes.

I've been under adult mental health care since turning 18, but they lack concrete evidence to confirm bipolar over BPD. My previous care from CAMHS shows some indicators of bipolar, even before the BPD diagnosis, although multiple traumas and being in foster care since age five have complicated my condition. I was moved through twelve different placements within a year, which led to frequent hospitalizations.

Two weeks before receiving my BPD diagnosis on May 16, 2021, I spent three weeks in general custody due to an incident that left me in the hospital for liver failure. Afetr this, placements refused to take me back, so I stayed in general care until a stable placement could be found.

I also struggle with depression, major depressive disorder (MDD), anxiety, OCD, possible PTSD, ADHD, and autism.

My goal is to work in healthcare as a paramedic when I'm older because I want to help others or share my experiences. However, recently, I've been dealing with physical health issues following heart surgery six days ago, where they addressed one issue but found another problem. This has made coping particularly challenging, especially since it's the first anniversary of losing both my friend and my grandfather this year.

My friend took their life on March 3, 2023, and shortly after, I lost my grandfather to brain tumors on July 19, 2023. Losing them for the first time has been extremely difficult, particularly since my grandad was like a father figure and a close friend. My friend was also diagnosed with BPD and had been fighting through it all as best they could; we even ended up on the same ward in general care at times.