To all who have been, or are in the process of, being diagnosed as an adult.

I have been reading the above comments and come to the conclusion that, since mental health is in disarray with money and departments shrinking, Drs do not want the expense of diagnosing adults.

I was treated for depression and anxiety for 20 years, until I decided to ditch the pills and find outif I could cope without, now that I am retired.

I worked part time,in a job well below my ability. I was bullied intermittantly and thought myself mad or bad, because of my inability to get on with people, and being condemed to the existance of a presciption drug zombie.

After dealing with a lifetime of bullying, which I had locked in my inner cupboard of things I couldn't cope with, I am now happy quite a lot. I obtained my medical history, and was horrified by the inacuracies and my failure to communicate over the years.

I contacted my gp to discuss what I recognised as misdiagnosis and was offered yet more antipsychotics and referred to the comunity psychiatric team. They interviewed me and later my long suffering husband, and I saw the penny drop. Suddenly things changed. I had written to them about Aspergers, but could not raise the subject verbally.

They eventually called me in and said that I did not currently need treatment, but offered me  a statement of wishes form to complete, so that I could recieve treatment I was happy with in the future.

This form asks questions about food and clothing prefferences as well as treatment, as though they were thinking I would have to be put in an institution.

I  no longer have any trust in the medical services locally, and have found more help and support here in the last  2 months, than I got in 20 years of treatment. I have found the answers myself and feel wholy let down by the nhs.

My hope for the future is that my new found understanding will help keep depression at bay and I can survive without going back to any Dr on mental health issues. I do think though that they may have eventually understood and maybe things would be different if I became ill again. I think, perhaps  my husband would speak for me, when I could not speak for myself in future.

I have been reading the above comments and come to the conclusion that, since mental health is in disarray with money and departments shrinking, Drs do not want the expense of diagnosing adults.

I was treated for depression and anxiety for 20 years, until I decided to ditch the pills and find outif I could cope without, now that I am retired.

I worked part time,in a job well below my ability. I was bullied intermittantly and thought myself mad or bad, because of my inability to get on with people, and being condemed to the existance of a presciption drug zombie.

After dealing with a lifetime of bullying, which I had locked in my inner cupboard of things I couldn't cope with, I am now happy quite a lot. I obtained my medical history, and was horrified by the inacuracies and my failure to communicate over the years.

I contacted my gp to discuss what I recognised as misdiagnosis and was offered yet more antipsychotics and referred to the comunity psychiatric team. They interviewed me and later my long suffering husband, and I saw the penny drop. Suddenly things changed. I had written to them about Aspergers, but could not raise the subject verbally.

They eventually called me in and said that I did not currently need treatment, but offered me  a statement of wishes form to complete, so that I could recieve treatment I was happy with in the future.

This form asks questions about food and clothing prefferences as well as treatment, as though they were thinking I would have to be put in an institution.

I  no longer have any trust in the medical services locally, and have found more help and support here in the last  2 months, than I got in 20 years of treatment. I have found the answers myself and feel wholy let down by the nhs.

My hope for the future is that my new found understanding will help keep depression at bay and I can survive without going back to any Dr on mental health issues. I do think though that they may have eventually understood and maybe things would be different if I became ill again. I think, perhaps  my husband would speak for me, when I could not speak for myself in future.