I wanted to write this because I scrolled down and it seemed like almost every post was an expression of struggle. I'm hoping to offer up some of my experience and provide some hope for my fellow borderliners. 

I'm slowly evolving. I honestly didn't believe, when I first got my diagnosis (relatively recently - I am 32, only received formal diagnosis a couple of years ago) that I would be able to function like a normal adult. 

I still don't function like a "normal" adult, but "normal" can mean a billion different things. I still have trouble with daily tasks (my bathroom is filthy, I haven't showered in 3 days, there is more cat litter under the box than in it, etc.) but mentally and emotionally... that's where the evolution has been.

When I was first diagnosed, suddenly my behavioral patterns through childhood, adolescence, and early adulthood made *tons* of sense. It was fundamentally helpful to understand that 1. I am not the only person who has ever experienced this existence, and 2. heaps of professionals have been working on treatment options for this disorder. It's not a hopeless situation. It feels hopeless, but as a point of fact, it is not hopeless. 

Combined with getting on the right medication to help with mood regulation (this was one hell of a process, but so worth it), I am now at a point where I can wise-mind the fuck out of very stressful situations. In the moment, there's a 99% chance I will cry (no matter which way the pendulum swings), and in the moment, it feels like I have made zero progress and I'm still a mess. But soon afterward, I can get back to regulation, analyze the situation and my response to it, and try to patch up the damage PDQ. It's the getting-back-on-the-horse that's gotten easier. I will still fall off the horse, but I've got awareness of that and some protective gear, so the injuries are going to be recoverable. 

At work, it gets a tame label of "anxiety," but I have made it clear to my employer that I do have a disability. I am at a significant disadvantage in certain aspects, but that isn't going to stop me from playing to my strengths and doing my level best.

TL;DR: It's hard, but you CAN function. It takes work, but you can totally do it. Chin up. &lt;3