Q. I am a 23 yr old female recently diagnosed with Major Depression and BPD. I've never self mutilated, nor am I violent. I find it very difficult to express dislike or anger, and I am sure I'm anorexic. As a child, I had "night terrors" (intense, vocal nightmares), and became oppositional and moody. In adolescence, I experienced extreme social anxiety (perfectionism). My friends and family are aware of this and are doing their best to help. I've read about BPD and I'd like to know how it affects anxiety specifically. I have frequent panic attacks; I'm overwhelmed in groups and crowds. I've also given up on college, for now, because, although my GPA was good, I could not relax. There is so much I want to do with my life yet my anxiety overrides my plans. I am not obsessive-compulsive. I am tired of worrying, and even more fed up with worrying the people who love me. I am taking Paxil 20 mg once a day and Trazodone 50 mg once at night (for one month now). Are my problems consistent with BPD? For as long as I've been aware, I've given my energy to controlling myself yet I think all I've done is turn this disorder loose on myself. How do I relinquish control, keep a steady job, and deal with all this? I am not as concerned with why I am this way-- I want to know how to do something about it.

A. Thank you for your recent inquiry regarding anxiety and bpd. Your description appears much more consistent with an Axis I anxiety disorder than an Axis II personality disorder. While the two can co-occur, the dominant symptoms that you described sound to be more anxiety-based than interpersonal in nature. Therefore, it would seem to fit that you would concentrate your treatment efforts on alleviating the anxiety via medication and therapy.

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