Do you think you could possibly have BPD? Are you considering getting a diagnosis? There are a few things you might want to consider when deciding to take a psych eval. Could it be beneficial, yes but also no. Why wouldn't someone want a diagnosis?

1. Stigma: when people learn about your diagnosis they will treat you differently. I don't just mean the people you know, I'm talking about employers, law enforcement, children services, Court (divorce, criminal, or family), but this also includes all your healthcare providers. It will make you feel misunderstood, judged, rejected and marginalized.
2. Labels and stereotypes: when people consider you abusive, manipulative and less competent, it starts to affect your self perception, then your relationships.
3. Fear of Medication: some of us do not trust medicine, or just don't want to take it and some of us cannot tolerate the side effects.
4. Apprehensive about treatment: getting treatment for BPD takes a lot of commitment and dedication. If your goal is to become symptom free it could easily take 2 years and some people are not ready for the commitment or the work.
5. Fear of Losing Autonomy: BPD could very well affect your ability to work or even take care of yourself, and this causes you to feel powerless with no control.
6. Shame and Guilt: those with BPD already experience very intense shame and guilt and a diagnosis can exacerbate those feelings.
7. Fear Others Will Define you by Your Disorder, rather than as an individual. People may perceive you as manipulative, crazy or even a time bomb.
8. Ability to Access Care: will the proper treatment be available where you live? Do you have insurance or the ability to receive treatment?
9. Traumatic Encounters with Healthcare professionals: Many of us have been abandoned by our providers, not taken seriously or they just politely dismissed your concerns? This medical trauma makes many of us hesitant to seek treatment.
10. Things are no longer fair: Your whole life begins to feel like a timeliness of unfortunate events. Your feelings are no longer valid. Example: someone violates you. You get angry and defend yourself. Then, your reason for getting angry is no longer because you were violated, now, your just crazy and it's not them, it's your BPD. You even begin to question yourself, wondering if you really have a reason to be upset or if you're just having an episode. You will be told you're overreacting more than I'm sorry.

With all that considered, why would anyone get a psych eval? I can only think of a couple good reasons, however they are worth all the negative aspects. That is you can feel better, you don't have to feel this way. The main objective of getting a psych eval is so that you can receive the most effective treatment for your particular disorder. The benefits of receiving the most effective treatment, is the strong possibility that you never feel that way again. With dedication and determination during your treatment, there's up to a 98% chance you will become symptom free and no longer test positive for borderline. I think that's a Priceless Payoff, get the eval, but be very selective in who you share it with.