Published on 12, July, 2020
Hi,
i have a weird concoction of ASD and mental health disorders and I was hoping there was someone else who could relate to destructive stimming? I self harm severely and it comes in many different forms, driven through a combination of OCD and ASD. I know I use it to wipe out all other stimuli as overstimulation is a big problem for me, it is also ingrained as an obsessive compulsive cycle and is NOT impulsive as most people assume. Has anyone else experienced the destructive side of stimming? How did you deal with it?
Unfortunately Even my new care coordinator doesn't "believe" I have ASD (I am female and it's often confused with personality disorders despite having an ASD diagnosis, psych always seem to jump to the PD assumption), has anyone else found that no one listens to them when it's not 100% obvious they have ASD? And even if they do they seem to have no concept of what it means. So far the mental health professionals I have known have not had a clue what it means and how it effects my behaviour and interactions. I am always honest and straightforward but they seem to take this as manipulation , like I'm trying to get them to do something or say something through deception whereas I'm genuinely being flatly honest.
i don't know how to explain the mental distress that I'm in without either physically expressing it or telling someone that "i am feeling distressed" but both these approaches seem not to work. I get told I should tell someone if I'm not safe, if I don't then it's my fault cos I didn't tell anyone, if I do I get told I'm "trying to get admitted to hospital" and that I need to "take control and responsibility for myself". If I tell someone I'm feeling distressed they tell me I have to come up with what might help.
Essentially I am between a rock and a hard place, does anyone have any tips on how to communicate distress so that it won't be dismissed or analysed?
Im sorry this have been a bit of a moany post, any advice would be gratefully received.
smeghead out
I know what you are going through. I don't tend to think about self harm, I just spontaneously hurt myself when I have a strong overload. I'll be in a total state of overload and I'll grab something sharp or hard and jam it in my head or hit myself in the head. I had the same problem for about a 2 years with mental health services. I've had several breakdowns and mental health problems over about 20 odd years. I'd been under a clinic for about 2 years before I got my diagnosis. I told my psychiatrist at the time and he just said OK and went on as usual. My anxiety got worse over time and I got a new psychiatrist and I was explaining my experiences relating to ASD. She me she had worked with Autistic children for 3 years. Everytime I asked for help with my sensory problems I was told to ring multiple counselling services, none of which had experience with ASD. She even rang a homeless charity once! I s##t you not! I told the people around me she was totally inept but as she was a professional in their eyes they told me to let her sort something out. One day she said she had no experience with ASD after telling me she had 3 years experience with Autistic kids. She was basically a sociopath collecting a pay cheque. She eventually got fired and I got a new shrink. The first thing he said was that the last shrink wasn't even writing case notes for the last 9 months and that they had no idea I'd been diagnosed. He asked me for my diagnosis letter, I also got a letter from my AWM support worker to give him. Within a month he'd booked me in with a psychologist who fully understood ASD and put an action plan in place. She called my Autism support worker and they are now in liason with my mental health workers. I even got my synesthsia officially diagnosed too. I'd say make a copy of your diagnosis and take it to your next appointment and if you can get any other written evidence say from an Autism worker detailing your problems give them that too. If your psychiatrist follows up great. If not tell them that you have provided them with proof and they have a duty of care. I hope it works out for you. There are good people in the mental health system. Good luck.
That sounds ridiculous! I'm sorry you had to go through all that but I'm glad you're now getting better support.
I have shown my care coordinator the letter that contains my diagnoses and his response was "I don't agree with that". ??!!?! I've known him for less than two months! I've asked for an appointment with the psychiatrist but care coordinator seemed very reluctant stating that the doctors are very busy. I will definitely take the letters when (and if) I see the psychiatrist, and I'm going to contact the people who diagnosed me to see if they have any sway.
thank you so much for your response, I really appreciate hearing about someone who has got through to their team and I wish you all the best for the future
"I don't agree with that" WTF!?!? That guy sounds as irresponsible as he is arrogant! Hubris doesn't even explain that! Which MHT are you under? You could contact PALS, they would probably jump at the chance to take action. PALS are like a complaint department. Legally you are a customer, that's why in memo's people are classified as clients. I'd push because they will give you excuses and treat you like you are being unreasonable but they legally have a duty of care if you are under secondary mental heath care. They are breaking section 29 of the 2010 equalities act. I'd contact an advocacy service first to see if they can liase. I've been through years of jumping through hoops with them. I suffer serious sensory problems. The psychiatrist who lied about having experience with Autism kept asking me if I heard voices in my head and tried to put me on Seroquel, a strong anti-psychotic. Autism isn't psychosis! When I finally did get to see a psychologist I was diagnosed with synesthesia which she said was part of my Autism, that psychiatrist thought I was schizophrenic because she had no knowledge of Autism. I think it's imperative that your Autism is taken into account! Keep pushing on! If you would like me to look for some advocacy for you, pm me and I'll have a search for you. All the best!