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Treatment Advice....

JTS

Hello everyone. I'm just after some advice as I don't know much about Autism and want to support a friend who has recently been diagnosed.

Since she was little she has always kept herself to herself but recently we discovered that she'd also been having vivid nightmares and hallucinations. After visiting GP, CAMS and NHS psychologists (psychiatrists maybe?) she was diagnosed as being on the specrum - I don't know the lingo but she said she's high functioning and doesn't have learning or behavioral problems. When she's stressed she has hallucinations and hears things too. This upsets her and she has suicidal thoughts. She was given some anti depresents to help but these aren't working and tbh the impression I get is that the Dr's don't really know what else can be done.

Does anyone know if there are any renowned specialists (private or NHS) that it's worth getting in touch with? She lives in the south but can travel. I hate to see her this way and as the suicidal thoughts take over it becomes increasingly distressing for all involved and I worry that the current support isn't enough/too slow paced.

Thanks,

JTS

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  • Former Member
    Former Member

    An autistic life can be very stressful due to the inability to communicate effectively with other people so we often end up in the mental distress that you can see in your friend.

    Drugs are often ineffective as the anxiety and depression is due to environmental influence. Some people get benefit but many people don't. Some drugs have side effects that, for example might lead to suicidal thoughts. Have the suicidal thoughts started since she started medication or was this a problem beforehand? The primary treatment should be cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) and the GP should be able to prescribe this. Your friend needs to be talked out of her current mental state and into a better frame of mind. 

    Hearing voices is actually fairly normal (for anyone, not just for people with autism). If the voices become very real and menacing and start to tell you to do bad things then you need treatment for psychosis.

    Help with psychiatric problems arising from autism can be obtained from private hospitals (e.g. Priory Group) but it sounds as though the problems are severe enough to warrant treatment under the NHS through the mental health trust in her area. The GP should refer her to them for therapy if she is having suicidal thoughts etc. If the GP is clueless then she may do well to look for another GP with a specific interest in MH problems.

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  • Former Member
    Former Member

    An autistic life can be very stressful due to the inability to communicate effectively with other people so we often end up in the mental distress that you can see in your friend.

    Drugs are often ineffective as the anxiety and depression is due to environmental influence. Some people get benefit but many people don't. Some drugs have side effects that, for example might lead to suicidal thoughts. Have the suicidal thoughts started since she started medication or was this a problem beforehand? The primary treatment should be cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) and the GP should be able to prescribe this. Your friend needs to be talked out of her current mental state and into a better frame of mind. 

    Hearing voices is actually fairly normal (for anyone, not just for people with autism). If the voices become very real and menacing and start to tell you to do bad things then you need treatment for psychosis.

    Help with psychiatric problems arising from autism can be obtained from private hospitals (e.g. Priory Group) but it sounds as though the problems are severe enough to warrant treatment under the NHS through the mental health trust in her area. The GP should refer her to them for therapy if she is having suicidal thoughts etc. If the GP is clueless then she may do well to look for another GP with a specific interest in MH problems.

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