Janet Devlin 'almost relieved' with BPD diagnosis

Janet Devlin was “almost relieved” to be diagnosed with borderline personality disorder (BPD) as it helped her understand her actions.

Janet Devlin

Janet Devlin was “almost relieved” to be diagnosed with borderline personality disorder (BPD).

The 28-year-old singer – who shot to fame when she came fifth on ‘The X Factor’ in 2011 – was concerned getting a medical diagnosis would provide her with an “excuse” for bad behaviour, but she’s now happy she sought help because they have helped her to understand why she has behaved the way she has in the past and given her ways to make things more “manageable”.

She told BANG Showbiz: “Getting diagnosed with any medical condition can be tough. I always feared that if I found out what I had, I’d somehow play into it.

“Using the condition as an excuse for bad behaviour.

“That wasn’t the case. When I found out I had BPD, I was almost relieved. Relieved that I wasn’t just a bad person.

“That I actually had a mental health condition that don’t excuse my action but explain them.

“It allowed me to look up coping mechanisms for the condition and literature on therapeutic approaches to making it manageable.”

The ‘Emotional Rodeo’ singer credits “three simple actions” following her diagnosis for changing her life completely, and she’s thankful things are now “so much easier”.

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She said: “Starting medication, attending regular therapy and keeping in touch with my psychiatrist. Three simple actions have changed the trajectory of my life forever.

“I’m not the person I was two years ago. Thankfully. I can handle my emotions now. Where in the past they would dictate my every waking hour.

“I’m still not perfect but life is just so much easier than it once was - I never dreamed it could be like this.”

Janet’s new single, ‘Emotional Rodeo’ is out now ahead of the release of her album of the same name later this year.