Published on 12, July, 2020
My family had no previous awareness of ASD until our Daughter was referred to CAMHS, due to severe anxiety and school refusal. She has been assessed and is now diagnosed with Asperger's amongst other things.
The thing is I am diagnosed with BPD, GAD and Depression, yet the more my daughter and I learn about Asperger's in females, the more convinced we are that I actually have Asperger's and not BPD. Is this possible?
I doubt MH team would take me seriously in any case. But I can't help thinking about what my daughter said to me after her Psych and psychologist explained the traits of Asperger's to us in a meeting one day. We were walking out from the meeting and she said......"Mum I think you qualify as having ASD more than I do". I didn't tell her that I was already thinking the same thing.
My daughter reminds me so much of me from an early age, the crippling anxiety, learning to mimick and mask, amongst all other ASD traits.
I have finally recognisd most of my overload triggers just through learning more about ASD. I actually don't feel like such a stranger in a world of people who i could never fit in with. For once in my whole 38 years of life I feel as though can relate to other people, those who have ASD
Hi there,
I have a very good friend from group therapy days. She's now in her 40s and has never had paid employment. Highly-intelligent, she got into Cambridge and was heading for a double-first. Then she simply broke down... and has been in therapy ever since. She's always struggled with social situations and doesn't get on well around people. Anxiety is high on her list of conditions. She was initially diagnosed with BPD because of self-harming behaviour and an eating disorder - and this then became not just her diagnosis, but her life (if you know what I mean). She is now actually fully convinced that her true condition is ASC. She scores highly on the AQ. And talking about it to me over some time has given her a lot of insights.
But.... she can't get anywhere with trying to get a diagnosis. As far as they're all concerned, she has her diagnosis and that's it. It's terrible and tragic.
Sorry. I wish I could offer some other form of advice about challenging a diagnosis and medical opinion. There are some 'crossover' similarities with the conditions, and it would need someone with autism expertise to be able to make a proper determination.
You need to push hard and be insistent with these people, but it's never easy.
I wish you well.
Tom