Can bipolar disorder be confused with borderline personality disorder?

Hi

Wondering if BPD and bipolarity are both classified as personality disorders and wondering how easy a psychiatrist might confuse the two.... My friend is bipolar... and he thinks I am also... I know I have some problem, but my doctor has diagnosed me as BPD... I looked into it, and I dont fit the traits of BPD....no impulsivity, no extreme mood swings.....no recurrent suicide gestures, no frequent displays of temper, no intolerance of being alone. You have to be impulsive in at least two areas: money, substance abuse, sexual relationships, reckless driving, binge eating, and shoplifting. I am not any of thos eat all.. closest I came to it was when I was a teenager, and young, stupid, and experimenting with marijuana. Many years has passed wince that and now I am a cop. Now,  my job is on the line because of this psychiatrist who I think has misdiagnosed me. Sometimes I have inappropiate anger, or rather I should say, sometimes I get angry at the wrong time, but for the right reasons, and never, never ever has any of this interfered with my job. I am not homicidal / suicidal but I do get depressed, escpescially as of late, but there are reasons, it isnt for no reason. Is it possible I have bipolar? Or am I just depressed? Is the doc wrong? I sometimes do get bored easy, but I stopped most of mmy hobbies....arg! I dont know what to do here... let me know. Thanks.J

[HFHS.MD-AJ]

TJ,

I can understand your concerns of uncertainty about your diagnosis and your job. Borderline Personality Disorder and Bipolar Disorder are separate diagnoses, which share some similarities, but also have differences. It is not uncommon for both disorders to co-exist. Bipolar disorder is not a Personality disorder. For more information on these disorders, which have been dealt with extensively in our forum in the past, please search through our archives, and refer to "Borderline Personality Disorder Vs Bipolar disorder" posted by Kenneth on 9/9/99, with response dated 9/11/99 by HFHS.MD-SW. A second opinion may also be helpful in terms of your diagnosis and treatment.