I was diagnosed in late 2018 and I feel like I've made some progress. Even before I was diagnosed I feel like I had gotten a better handle on handling my emotions. Not perfectly mind you. I cried my eyes out over loneliness just a little while ago. It's a tough journey. For sure. But enjoy the small victories and be open to change.

I thought I had BPD since 2017 but wasn’t given a diagnosis until 2020 when I found someone who, like you said, knew what he was talking about. Other therapists told me I was too self aware so I couldn’t have it lol super invalidating. But my BPD got significantly worse in 2020, which is why I sought out a therapist that specialized in it. I have learned a lot through DBT but still struggle quite a bit and actually just feel like this disorder is becoming more unbearable every day. DBT helps though. It doesn’t really solve much at first until you master it though (I have not lol), but it’s better than nothing. Just takes dedication and practice