Possible misdiagnosis?

  1. Following my son's diagnosis I am looking into being assessed myself. I am 48 and was diagnosed over the phone in 2020 as having traits of Emotionally Unstable Personality Disorder, aka Borderline Personality Disorder. I struggle with change and things coming to an end. I struggle to maintain friendships and relationships, and I also have difficulty regulating my emotions. 
Parents
  • This was a typical diagnostic in the 80s/90s for females if you didn't fit the expected young male profile. Common misdiagnosis of BPD might actually be ADHD or Autism. ADHD individuals don't mind the chaos in their minds, Autistics tend to hate it. From my research, this internal hyper-active brain is due to higher Gamma waves, which accelerate in to anxiety. These can create stress and impact emotions. Both ADHD and Autism are a mismatch for modern society, which also effects one sense of well being. One's emotional state being most likely the result of a myriad of other causes including not being taught how to destress, problem solve or exit unfortunate situations.

    Both ADHD and Autism experience intense sensory impact, hyper-focus flow state & high attention to detail (not seeing the forest for the trees).

    Strictly ADHD individuals seem to be able to understand both autistic and non-autistic communication. Autistic individuals tend to be more introverted and accident prone if focusing on more than one thing at a time. 

    If you think perhaps you're autistic, look into these 2 main factors: https://monotropism.org

    https://autisticscienceperson.com/2021/11/28/why-social-skills-training-does-not-help-autistic-people/ 

  • You've mentioned the gamma waves before. I'm making a mental note to follow your links on this and research. Sounds very interesting.

Reply Children
  • Essentially, what we need is enough evidence to build a case for autistics to get the right care from NHS GPs. With therapists who can help give real, practical problem solving advice (cause we can't guess!) and anti-anxiety meds or THC/CDB in low dose. Plus a manual about sensory issues and access to human friendly lighting & clothing for school children. They need to make it financially sound. But first, relief. Everything else can follow. I think there's a strong enough case easily built for the need to Resolve a thing, not just medicate. 

    But I tend to be better at the research part...

  • I'll send a link! I first took note when someone mentioned the Gamma Knife as a way to lobotomise Autistics. This sounded absurd and unethical. While it has a seemingly positive use for tumors, it kicked off some digging. Monotropism.org has a theory about the Autistic brain, which I'd happened across a few years back. I have a feeling this is a result of Gamma wave activity and believe this is the link between ADHD and Autism, but am fascinated our ADHD friends don't mind the chaos! 

    The piece I don't quite know is if our issue with filtering incoming signals is specific to the autistic deign or if all humans infants are this way, only the non-autistic design learns to filter through language and semiotics with the brain-design / wiring they're born with, intaking these social "codes" like a download, which dates back to Freud/Lacan, who both noticed Autistics didn't seem to be able to create defence mechanisms. Jung broke away from this and really noticed differences between introverted types and extroverted types, and a few introverted types who didn't seem to mature through these defence mechanisms. All these chaps were on to something, even though at the time only the noticeable more 'eccentric' autistic with added needs would've been diagnosed. Looking into historic figures, I'd now reckon Kant was autistic. 

    I haven't watched this yet, but I bought his book https://thedividedbrain.com

    The next 2 links are biased for non-autistics, but I presume if they didn't, NTs might 'feel' less intelligent: https://www.huffpost.com/entry/autism-brain-symmetry_n_5841d0b1e4b0c68e0480b469/amp

    https://www.medicaldaily.com/kids-autism-have-hyperconnected-brain-areas-could-brain-imaging-one-day-diagnose-disorder-262261

    Add my own issue with this sometimes out of control mind which latches on to things, steadily accelerating and won't let me sleep, it is maddening

    I think this is one paper (it just downloads) https://mdpi-res.com/d_attachment/brainsci/brainsci-10-00423/article_deploy/brainsci-10-00423.pdf?version=1593769446 

  • Be wound up. Be very wound up. This is not the irrational anger they want to tell you is a symptom of EUPD, this is justifiable anger. The kind of anger that is absolutely rational and you deliberately round up, channel and convert to action; to defend yourself and your sisters.

    The good news through all this is that I have met with clinical psychologists skilled in both PDs and autism, who do like to recognise ND patients; good MH care hinges on holding that core to their treatment, but who don't like PD labels slapped on people. For one thing PDs and trauma conditions like PTSD are too easily confused, for another PDs (if they really exist) often emerge through trauma, so they take a don't stigmatise, just address the trauma approach. Sadly, such skilled and sensible people don't seem to stay in the NHS.

    I think most of this 'slap a diagnosis on file' attitude comes from male shrinks who want shove people quickly into boxes and dish out drugs according to the box.

    But yes, I think you're right. They say we are the classifiers, systemisers, and categorisers...and so we are, but we have too much compassion for people, even if we don't easily understand them, to be arrangant enough to shove them in made up boxes. We categorise things not people.

  • the damage bpd diagnosis and treatment has caused to people and still is causing is a scandal.  im just angry i guess that this is still happening and who was the idiot that thought up this disorder and why so many professionals taken in by it, it is based on someones opinon nothing else, sorry to be wound up by it.

  • They have cleared up my diagnostic position now, but only because I had the financial resources and research skills to get it disproved it by better qualified people.

    Not resting there though I'm going to fight my complaint about the circumstances of that misdiagnosis because so many women behind me are being placed in danger by the same mysogyeny. I am safe now. But not on my watch will my sisters go through the same. 

  • i think eupd/bpd is something mental health professionals seem to give the majority of female patients, me included and def wrong diagnosis for me.  i think it shows just how wrong and sexist the mental health diagnostic system is, nearly every female i know who has been under a mental health team has this diagnosis, its crazy