Bipolar diagnosis overturned at last

Some good news which might encourage others …

I was diagnosed with bipolar affective disorder in 1998, four suicide attempts later, an inpatient in a psych ward last November, it was appreciated at last by one of the team that my problems might actually be autism, not serious mental illness. They screened me on the the ward then soon after returning home I received the full assessment and was diagnosed ASC in early January. It felt so absolutely right, all those years they’d mis interpreted my meltdowns as psychosis/mania, and my shutdowns as depression, the treatment with anti psychotics and anti depressants consequential from the mis diagnosis being little short of abuse. So I set about getting the incorrect bipolar dx overturned, and just this August I succeeded. It’s a huge weight off my shoulders, truly validating and has revolutionised my treatments, I’m off all psychotropic meds and at last getting the correct interventions for several physical health conditions which had been swept under the carpet. It is also important legally as there can now be no question over my capacity regarding legal and financial decisions  

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Parents Reply Children
  • I had the short Cambridge screening on the ward then only weeks later the full eight hour assessment. I learnt this week chatting with someone in the autism team that the reason the two year assessment wait was circumvented was because whilst on a psych ward it is considered to be part of my ward treatment. Unfortunately it took my most serious suicide attempt of the four to find myself there.