• Replies 7 replies
  • Subscribers 84 subscribers
  • Views 1202 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

Autism and schizoaffective bipolar Disorder

Dream

I've had schizoaffective bipolar disorder now for 11 years and I'm 100% sure the diagnosis is correct. My meds have helped a lot for the ups and downs and the paranoia. Before I got stable everything was put down to bipolar swings but now I am stable I know they are not because I feel fine and I still have certain issues. 

Don't like loud noise 

I like routine

I don't like change

Anxious about certain things

Can't do chit chat

Don't understand jokes

Don't know when people are joking or telling the truth

And more

But I'm so worried about my assessment, I don't want them to say it's autism but now you don't have schizoaffective Disorder. I need help with social skills, I need help to get a suitable job where people understand my needs and I really need help with managing my emotions and coping strategies. I feel having autism confirmed will hopefully enable me to have some help in these areas as these are not my mental illness.

Can they not diagnose autism because I have a mental illness?

Can they take away my mental illness diagnosis and replace with autism?

Parents

  • I have bipolar and have just been diagnosed with Autism this month, so one can be diagnosed together with the other - it's called a "comorbidity" if you haven't come across the term already.

    In fact there is a high instance of comorbidity with autism and bipolar. Having one does not "knock out" the other, so don't worry about that. What I would be wary of is "overshadowing" where professionals tend to ascribe symptoms, traits or concerns to one "main" diagnosis and overlook the potential for it to be related to a second/third/fourth condition etc. It sounds like that may have happened to you already with a diagnosis of Schizoaffective and no further investigation despite some of the traits not fitting with just the one diagnosis.

    Most of the questions in my assessment related to childhood, including birth complications, meeting developmental markers (talking, eye contact, pointing etc), interaction with other children at playgroup/nursery/infant school, how you played when young etc... Given bipolar is usually something that becomes apparent later in life it didn't come into a lot of what was discussed so I was comfortable my assessor wouldn't try to rescind my (accurate) bipolar diagnosis.

    On a side note: I'm interested that you describe it as Schizoaffective Bipolar Disorder. My partner has a schizoaffective diagnosis, which started as a bipolar diagnosis. However, he says he is "schizoaffective" without the mention of bipolar, or sometimes says "schizophrenic" when people don't know what schizoaffective is so look at him a little blankly (or even "paranoid schizophrenic" if he wasn't people to go away and stop badgering him). My understanding is that it is a distinct and separate diagnosis, but at the same time shares characteristics with both bipolar and schizophrenia. So I think you are both are right, but was just interested in the distinctions you and he make.

    I'm digressing...

    Neither my bipolar, nor my recently diagnosed autism, have stopped me having a long career and I have several "reasonable adjustments" under that diagnosis. It helps(!) that I also have migraines and tinnitus, which I have used for adjustments like needing to be near natural daylight and not in the middle of a busy section of office with a lot of background noise. Now I have a diagnosis of autism if feels like that is at the route of hatred of bright neon lights and too much noise, but migraines and tinnitus got me the adjustments.

    So, employers can be helpful, although it's useful if you have an idea what you want and that it is possible with the job you have. I am wary of professional help as I've had a history of extremely unhelpful "therapy" interventions, all of which made me worse not better. However, I'd suggest that input from a professional might be useful if you're looking solely at work focused adjustments: what you need and how your employer can provide it.

    ...finally, I just want to say that this is my first time posting, I've only just been diagnosed and I've only just joined this site. I'm trying to find some reassurance and acceptance here because, despite my own mum telling me repeatedly that I'm "on the spectrum" for years, I'm now getting pushback (or perceived pushback) from various people who doubt my diagnosis due to me having a successful career and a long term stable relationship. So: just a plea for some kindness from anyone who disagrees or doesn't like what I had to say :)

  • in reply to Tears_before_bedtime
    Tears_before_bedtime said:
    My understanding is that it is a distinct and separate diagnosis

    There is an interesting article here that explains the differences:

    https://www.healthline.com/health/bipolar-disorder/schizoaffective-disorder-vs-bipolar-disorder

    Some experts believe the significant overlap between these three conditions suggests they occur on something of a spectrum: Bipolar disorder at one end, schizophrenia at the other, and schizoaffective disorder representing a midpoint between the two.

Reply Children
No Data