Molto Matta
I am no longer convinced that it is of any true help to be treated by a therapist for a particular diagnosis. However, I don't understand why you would not have simply asked your therapist(s). I am very curious to know how you think it will help to have a therapist to say h/she THINKS you have a BP Disorder? Frankly, the HMOs all seem to have jumped on the Linehan band wagon, and although her cognitive behavioral program was initially designed for the BPDs of the world, they put every person with a behaviorally ineffective pattern into the program. So, if you think you're a BP Disordered person, sign up for DBT (Linehan's program) and see if that is helpful. If it isn't, well it doesn't help everyone. Try some- thing else. I suppose there IS one more reason a therapist might not diagnose a patient with a BPD and that is because, thus far, the experts agree that long-term therapy is indicated. NO HMO will provide long-term therapy without one very convincing petition put together by a very dedicated therapist. (If your therapist is willing to write a petition to the HMO for additional coverage, you might tell him/her to read a VERY good article by James Sabin, M.D. Your therapist can find him at http://www.harvardvanguard.org. He's a psychiatrist -- a VERY good one in Boston.) The article explains how your therapist should put together a petition and it's worth reading, because you do not want to have to appeal the HMO's denial of your petition. You and your therapist will be happy if you win on the first shot. Good luck!