BPD improving with age?

[Guest guest]

Hi

A lot of the posts I read here detail extreme behavior from the nada. Mine was

extreme to me when I was a child, but hasn't been that way in a long time. Part

of the problem with growing up with this is that you assume it's your fault

(especially when she tells you everything is your fault) and that you are the

crazy one.

Her behavior is relatively normal-ish now. Her issues still show up, but they

are much milder. Because of this I question even more, since I can't talk about

recent crazy-behavior. And BPD doesn't go away, right?

Then I found this, on the website of a Phd.

http://www.jwoodphd.com/borderline_personality_disorder.htm

" Borderline personality disorder is an illness of young people, and usually

begins in adolescence or youth. About 80% of patients are women. BPD is usually

chronic, and severe problems often continue to be present for many years. About

one out of ten patients eventually succeed in committing suicide. However, in

the 90% who do not kill themselves, borderline pathology tends to " burn out " in

middle age, and most patients function significantly better by the ages of

thirty-five to forty. The mechanism for this improvement is unknown. However,

other disorders associated with impulsivity, such as antisocial personality and

substance abuse, also tend to burn out around the same age. "

So, maybe that explains why she's better now, and doesn't invalidate my memories

of the past.

My nada is in her 60's. My sympathies to those of you who are still dealing with

it with an elderly parent. Probably the KO's whose nadas are better aren't on

this list as much, it's mostly lifers here. But anyway it was helpful to me to

read this, so I thought I'd post it.

Terri