Not sure of Diagnosis

[chell]

l have been diagnosed with Severe Panic/Anxiety, PTSD, Agoraphobia, Insomnia, and just newly Mixed Personality Disorder (which l cannot find too much info on.)
l asked the Psychiatrist if l was Borderline Personality and she said no, but l had some different disorders from the different groups which made me who l am today, due to childhood abuse and my way of Surviving it, amongst other issues throughout my life.

She said most would have not turned out the same as l did and l turned out to be very lucky. Meaning l am very helpful to people, kind, considerate, but l have lack of trust in most everyone, episodes of paranoia, tend to isolate myself.

So l am not sure if she was trying to make something positve about a bad Diagnosis, but l would really like to know what it really is.

My Ex said that this Disorder meant that l distorted the truth and lied compulsively, (which l do not), and used that as part of the reason for breaking up with me saying he could not live with anyone with that condition and the Psychiatrist also said that is not true, so that is why l got very confused about what this Mixed Personality Disorder is.

 

[David Baxter PhD]

There is no "Mixed Personality Disorder".

There is "Personality Disorder NOS (Not Otherwise Specified)":

This designation abbreviated NOS can be used when the mental disorder appears to fall within the larger category but does not meet the criteria of any specific disorder within that category.

 

[chell]

Can you perhaps explain that a bit further to me? l am not sure l understand where l stand in Disorders, (NOS) meaning if there is no Mixed Personality Disorder, why then is the Dr. using that label for me?
That is where l am confused.

Thank you , Michelle

 

[Daniel E.]

You may have already seen this when searching the net:

"Mixed Personality Disorder" is a colloquial expression for Personality Disorder NOS (Not Otherwise Specified) that I hadn't heard in years.

What it means is that you (or the person who was diagnosed) are suffering from an array of symptoms that fit a variety of personality disorder criteria, but don't meet the complete criteria for a single pathology. That sounds kind of scary, but it's really a "1 from column A, 2 from column B" kind of thing. So, you may be experiencing the paranoia associated with Paranoid Personality Disorder, but not the delusions and morbid distrust, along with the impulsive emotionality of a Histrionic Personality Disorder and the object rage of the Borderline Personality or the reactive rage of Complex Post Traumatic Stress...but you don't meet enough of the other criteria for any of these to be a complete diagnosis.

more at: http://www.mhsanctuary.com/therapist/505.htm

 

[chell]

Yes, Thank you, l did read up on that site, which basically says the person (being me) is a bit off as the Dr. cannot fit me into a specific catagory so in telling the insurance company something, that is the NOS Diagnosis. (You know at some point in anyone's life can't we say they might fit into that category depending on the surrounding stressors or life events going on and how they are handling the situations?) Some people are better at coping than others.

l thought the way the Dr. was talking there was an actual true Disorder, because she did state, it was very much like Bi-Polar, with the mood swings and although it is very much like Bi Polar, it is much harder to treat because there are drugs that are made to treat Bi Polar but none made for Mixed Personality. She said my mood swings are worse so , that when l get upset l get much more depressed then BiPolar and when l am happy, l get too happy and there is no middle ground for me, so thus the medication changes all the time for mood stabilizers.

She did say it is a life long Disorder that will not go away but with the right cocktail of meds will be able to be handled. It is just finding the right ones now.

Given the problems this past Christmas with my Ex and all the stressors, l had a very rough go of it, but l am sure anyone would have under the circumstances, but along with the Panic/Anxiety Attacks apparently that was another reason for the Diagnosis. My sister is BiPolar, so l kept asking the Dr. to test me for that and she assured me l am not Bi Polar.

Both the Therapist and the Psychiatrist have assured me there is such a thing as Mixed Personality Disorder and when l told them l have not been able to find out any information on the internet about it, they told me to stop analyzing myself and leave that up to them.

l had taken Nursing years ago and had never heard of that myself and that is why for me , l like to be part of my careplan, and since l cannot find anything on it, that is why l have asked on here for any further info.

Thanks for all the info , Michelle