Published on 12, July, 2020
Hi guys
Wondering if anyone can help. A psychiatrist saw me and said she believed I was in the autistic spectrum and wrote a detailed letter to my doctor saying this and also that I should self refer to integrated autism services for support. I believed this to be my diagnosis but after two years of telling people I had autism I found out recently that it wasn't a diagnosis
I was told this by my mental health team and that I could only get a full diagnosis from integrated autism services. They have said that it's not them but my mental health team that need to do the assessment as I am under their care for depression and anxiety .
I'm really overwhelmed by all this and don't know where to turn . I've spent the last few years coming to terms with the fact I've got autism and making sense of my past. I don't know who I am anymore.
Thanks
Fi
From what I understand the diagnosis needs to come from a dedicated team who specialize in diagnosing Autism. I wonder if each department is asking for the other to refer you rather than diagnose you. Generally a mental health team specializing in depression and anxiety won't have access or the ability to give you a full assessment. They may recognize traits and advise you to look further into a particular area but they won't be able to give you the assessment. I wonder if there has been some confusion around this?
It could be the fact you took advice to be literal could well mean you are going to end up somewhere in the spectrum. It's no big thing just go back to your G.P and ask them to work through the letters each department has sent them about you and hopefully this can clear up things and get you referred to the right people.