Skip to main content
Close Button
Donate
  • Replies 5 replies
  • Subscribers 98 subscribers
  • Views 411 views
  • Users 0 members are here
Options
Related
Hints and tips
  • To quote someone's message, first select/highlight the relevant text, and then use the Quote button that appears
  • To "mention" someone, type @ followed by the start of the forum name, and choose from the list; that person will get a notification of being mentioned

Scepticism in BPD and ASD diagnosis - looking fort certainty and closure

1970sCarbonUnit
4 months ago
I am a trans woman who has been diagnosed with complex PTSD and BPD. I have a long history of anxiety, depression, poor sleep patterns and general poor physical health due to the previous points, making good self-care an uphill struggle.
Since moving out of central London into the countryside, I have turned my life around by avoiding London, social situations, and anything that elicits strong emotional feelings.
Ever since the start of Covid lockdowns and an awareness of the autistic diagnosis of others close to my family, I have become more aware of some of my own autistic-type traits. I consequently sought a referral through my GP to be assessed for ASD. I continue to be on that waiting list a year later.
I have recently paid for and completed a private assessment, which has diagnosed me with ASD. Since that diagnosis, many past life experiences, situations and memories have started to make more sense in that context.
I am, however, sceptical of the diagnosis because I believe I may have unconsciously led the diagnosis towards a specific conclusion as a result of my BPD, despite my ASD diagnosis claiming that my BPD diagnosis may well have been a misdiagnosis.
I naturally distrust my own thought processes and motivations, just as I am naturally sceptical of an NHS ASD assessment (in my mind they're motivated to not contradict a previous NHS diagnosis of BPD, and are motivated to be more cautious with an ASD diagnosis), and similarly I imagine that any private ASD assessment would be motivated to provide whatever diagnosis they believe their client may be more receptive to.
Do I really have BPD? Do I really have ASD? Do I have one and not the other, neither, or both?
...and then the whole topic of "little" regression and dissociation comes into play, which is a whole other topic that has never been discussed in anything by isolation with any professionals. Never in the context of BPD or ASD.
I have quite a complex history, but I would really like to feel like I can truly trust and believe in a diagnosis, and know once and for all feel that my circumstances are reliably professionally understood so that I can get the more appropriate therapeutic help or self-learning so that I can manage day to day life better. I really wish that I could step into an episode of "House" and have some kind of conclusive closure and certainty.
I'm wondering if anybody else has or is experiencing any of these thoughts or complications. I feel sure that it can't just be me.
What's next? Do I shell out for another private assessment and just make sure I lay everything out again? Is that just a waste because I'll never get anybody to look at everything holistically, and regardless, the NHS will refuse to recognise any private assessment?
  • 4 months ago

    well... have you had relationships or partners?

    often bpd is more centered around relationships... if you had relationship and had troubles, then yes its likely bpd still stands correct.... also though it does contradict asd.... as often people with asd dont get relationships.... therefore it all hinges on relationships and how you handled them... ofcourse with bpd you may not even realise you was the problem in the relationship so its hard to diagnose that way as a person with bpd wouldnt see themselves as the problem and would likely not tell the full story

  • 4 months ago in reply to 1970sCarbonUnit

    I just read through the guide - it is really good and so much better than what they had before. It cannot cover every variant of autistic traits but it does seem to cover the most common ones and those that are practical to observe and/or handle.

    I doubt many police will read it and take in much info as there is so much in it. The police are so used to being incredibly sceptical about the "perps" when they grab them that they will think that they are faking it most of the time so won't use the recommended approach.

    This is an issue with the police and I doubt it will change unfortunately as they always look after their own, even for internal enquiries.

    Hats off to NAS for creating this.

  • 4 months ago

    Randomly started reading https://s3.chorus-mk.thirdlight.com/file/1573224908/63296026948/width=-1/height=-1/format=-1/fit=scale/t=446220/e=never/k=420e7a4a/NAS_Police_Guide_2020_17092020.pdf (the guide for police from the National Autistic Society), and it feels just like when I first watched this for the first time https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iraGmA7-9FA

    It is far too close to home for comfort and too relatable to past life experiences. How can I feel so intensely ambivalent (in the true dictionary definition of the word) to so many things at once?

  • 4 months ago
    1970sCarbonUnit said:
    I am, however, sceptical of the diagnosis because I believe I may have unconsciously led the diagnosis towards a specific conclusion as a result of my BPD, despite my ASD diagnosis claiming that my BPD diagnosis may well have been a misdiagnosis.

    There are a lot of shared traits between Bipolar and Autism so I would recommend looking at the graphic below and seeing if you have a reasonable number that are outside of the shared area - this would indicate you are both (called co-morbidity).

    1970sCarbonUnit said:
    What's next? Do I shell out for another private assessment and just make sure I lay everything out again?

    Unless you need the diagnisis for a specific reason then I wouldn't bother - just take a free online test ( eg https://www.mind-diagnostics.org/bipolar_disorder-test ) and if you meet the criteria then you know you are most probably with both.

    Stong swings in mood, serious depression or manic episodes are likely to need medication so speak to your GP if this is the case and I think this would merit a diagnosis being booked.

    Take the time to read up on your traits and ways to manage them. Take control of them as best you can and just live your life to the fullest.

    1970sCarbonUnit said:
    the NHS will refuse to recognise any private assessment?

    If you have a private diagnosis then present them with a copy to add to your medical records and you will be recognised with the condition of the diagnosis.

    If you need them to get a private diagnosis then ask the the Right To Choose and they will need to book one for you. It may not apply if you live outside of England however. This is likely to take a fraction of the time although I have heard the wait times are getting a lot longer.

  • 4 months ago

    OMG now I'm noticing the typos in my post and I don't see a way to correct them. AGH! Scream cat