Anyone Else Feel Like They Have Asperger Syndrome?

[Hear Again]

Surveys are but one diagnostic tool. Diagnosis is not made based on the results of one diagnostic tool alone, as I am certain you already know. And self report is actually fairly accurrate when determining subjective distress resulting from the disorder. Why? Because of the subjective nature. In fact, someone who is exhibiting behavioral symtoms and cognitive symptoms that should be causing distress, but the indvidual is not distressed by the symtoms, is indication of a loss of connection to reality.

Thanks for answering my question, Jillio.

Something I'd like to add is the fact that psychiatrists also ask their clients about specifics regarding their manic and depressive symptoms (i.e. "How long does your mania last?," "Do you have thoughts of granduer? If so, what are they?," "Do you quickly alternate between feelings of intense anger and euphoria/rapid cycle?") in order to make a final diagnosis of bipolar.

As for the last sentence of your post, I can identify with that. Before I was hospitalized, I was in complete denial as to what was going on. I had several people plead with me to go to the ER, but I refused. One of my family members finally had to call 911 after I ran down the street in a hallucinatory and paranoid state on a frigid winter day without a coat. After I arrived at the hospital by ambulance, I fought against 6 people who had to hold me down and literally carry me into the hospital. Once I was there, I kept denying that anything was wrong. It wasn't until my medication started to take effect that I began to understand what happened to me.

Oh...and as far as diagnostic surveys are concerned, why would anyone want to lie about their symptoms when this would result in regular psychiatric visits and being placed on medication? I'm sure there have been cases where people have lied, but this doesn't represent the majority -- especially when you're talking about a life-long disorder such as bipolar.

 

[jillio]

Thanks for answering my question, Jillio.

Something I'd like to add is the fact that psychiatrists also ask their clients about specifics regarding their manic and depressive symptoms (i.e. "How long does your mania last?," "Do you have thoughts of granduer? If so, what are they?," "Do you quickly alternate between feelings of intense anger and euphoria/rapid cycle?") in order to make a final diagnosis of bipolar.

As for the last sentence of your post, I can identify with that. Before I was hospitalized, I was in complete denial as to what was going on. I had several people plead with me to go to the ER, but I refused. One of my family members finally had to call 911 after I ran down the street in a hallucinatory and paranoid state on a frigid winter day without a coat. After I arrived at the hospital by ambulance, I fought against 6 people who had to hold me down and literally carry me into the hospital. Once I was there, I kept denying that anything was wrong. It wasn't until my medication started to take effect that I began to understand what happened to me.

Oh...and as far as diagnostic surveys are concerned, why would anyone want to lie about their symptoms when this would result in regular psychiatric visits and being placed on medication? I'm sure there have been cases where people have lied, but this doesn't represent the majority -- especially when you're talking about a life-long disorder such as bipolar.

YW. And you are also correct that most people do not lie on a diagnostic survey. The exception might be someone with paranoid schizophrenia, but their dishonest is easy to detect. Their behavior is not consistent with their answers. Most people think their behavioral symptoms and their mood swings are normal. They don't see any reason to lie, because they don't see anything wrong with the way they are acting. Until they start to improve, they can't see how sick they were.

 

[euclidean_lake]

A few corrections - believe it or not, the "lingering symptoms" which the psychiatrists had thought were associated with Bipolar II actually turned out to be part of an acute anxiety condition. Mostly, they were just mood swings and panic attacks. Since then, I was re-evaluated for Bipolar II, and tests confirmed that what I had was in fact an anxiety disorder. I still have suicidal depression from time to time, and have seriously considered taking my life. Lately, I had felt inclined to do so, but I am receiving treatment, and I can anticipate when the panic attacks and the suicidal ideations are emerging and can rationally talk myself out of doing something destructive. And I'm enourmously comforted by the fact that I have a friend who lives three blocks away from me who actually went through the exact same experience - she has severe anxiety attacks and was misdiagnosed as Bipolar. The psychiatrist she went to diagnosed her largely on the basis that she, like myself, has a family history of it: both her brother and uncle have it. And in my situation, my uncle and his son (my 18-year-old cousin) have it. The funny thing is that both our psychiatrists made an error in terms of gender, as the condition only affects MALES in both of our families. So our psychiatrists had no earthly idea what they were doing :roll:

It was very comforting to find out that my friend could share her experiences with me, and that we had gone through very much the same thing. It was wonderful to find someone to relate to, and I felt immediate comfort in telling her my experiences. She said that at 20, she had been misdiagnosed, and then finally at 22, she was re-evaluated for Bipolar (I was re-evaluated at 21) and her results also came out negative.

However, I really can sympathize with people who do have Bipolar, because many of my friends do. And believe me, I have very similar characteristics - I still have persistent suicidal ideations and cutting, and I still have anxiety attacks. So I honestly can relate to a lot of the experiences that my friends go through, and I am not in denial of the fact that I need help. I am actively working with my psychiatrist on coping mechanisms which I can use whenever I get anxious, and I have made substantial progress. Also, the anti-anxiety medications have helped me significantly.

Oh, and yes, mental disorders are not contagious. I was writing extremely fast, so happened to write "contagion" instead of criterion - I apologise for the confusion, there. And I would have to agree that biologically-based disorders such as acute autism, schizophrenia, and bipolar disorder cannot be outgrown. However, the milder cases of bipolar and high-functioning autism CAN be greatly improved through cognitive/behavioral therapy. My greatest concern, though, is that so many people these days are being misdiagnosed with things like ADHD, Asperger Syndrome, and even milder forms of Bipolar, when the underlying cause could be situational or simply behavioral. As a counsellor myself, I have seen many cases where people who merely had behavioral impediments such as OCD and poor social skills were misdiagnosed with AS, and they eventually overcame their repetitive behaviors and Obsessive-Compulsive rituals while making enourmous behavioral and social adjustments. They are now very socially-adjusted individuals. Likewise, I have seen many people who have an Autism Spectrum Disorder overcome their behaviors and function in reality. Of course, it is much easier for those who are not as severely affected, or who were simply misdiagnosed due to behavioral similarities to autism, to overcome their behaviors than for someone with a genuine, pronounced case, but in either situation, a person's cognitive perceptions and behaviors can be ramified. Unless someone has a pervasive, debilitating mental illness which affects multi-dimensional aspects of their functioning, behavior, and their cognitive perception, there really is no reason to think that a person cannot change who they are and how they interact with the world. We can all become better people, and we can all change our behaviors and methodologies. In fact, we all HAVE to change in order to adapt. This is what adaptability effectively IS.

 

[jillio]

A few corrections - believe it or not, the "lingering symptoms" which the psychiatrists had thought were associated with Bipolar II actually turned out to be part of an acute anxiety condition. Mostly, they were just mood swings and panic attacks. Since then, I was re-evaluated for Bipolar II, and tests confirmed that what I had was in fact an anxiety disorder. I still have suicidal depression from time to time, and have seriously considered taking my life. Lately, I had felt inclined to do so, but I am receiving treatment, and I can anticipate when the panic attacks and the suicidal ideations are emerging and can rationally talk myself out of doing something destructive. And I'm enourmously comforted by the fact that I have a friend who lives three blocks away from me who actually went through the exact same experience - she has severe anxiety attacks and was misdiagnosed as Bipolar. The psychiatrist she went to diagnosed her largely on the basis that she, like myself, has a family history of it: both her brother and uncle have it. And in my situation, my uncle and his son (my 18-year-old cousin) have it. The funny thing is that both our psychiatrists made an error in terms of gender, as the condition only affects MALES in both of our families. So our psychiatrists had no earthly idea what they were doing :roll:

It was very comforting to find out that my friend could share her experiences with me, and that we had gone through very much the same thing. It was wonderful to find someone to relate to, and I felt immediate comfort in telling her my experiences. She said that at 20, she had been misdiagnosed, and then finally at 22, she was re-evaluated for Bipolar (I was re-evaluated at 21) and her results also came out negative.

However, I really can sympathize with people who do have Bipolar, because many of my friends do. And believe me, I have very similar characteristics - I still have persistent suicidal ideations and cutting, and I still have anxiety attacks. So I honestly can relate to a lot of the experiences that my friends go through, and I am not in denial of the fact that I need help. I am actively working with my psychiatrist on coping mechanisms which I can use whenever I get anxious, and I have made substantial progress. Also, the anti-anxiety medications have helped me significantly.

Oh, and yes, mental disorders are not contagious. I was writing extremely fast, so happened to write "contagion" instead of criterion - I apologise for the confusion, there. And I would have to agree that biologically-based disorders such as acute autism, schizophrenia, and bipolar disorder cannot be outgrown. However, the milder cases of bipolar and high-functioning autism CAN be greatly improved through cognitive/behavioral therapy. My greatest concern, though, is that so many people these days are being misdiagnosed with things like ADHD, Asperger Syndrome, and even milder forms of Bipolar, when the underlying cause could be situational or simply behavioral. As a counsellor myself, I have seen many cases where people who merely had behavioral impediments such as OCD and poor social skills were misdiagnosed with AS, and they eventually overcame their repetitive behaviors and Obsessive-Compulsive rituals while making enourmous behavioral and social adjustments. They are now very socially-adjusted individuals. Likewise, I have seen many people who have an Autism Spectrum Disorder overcome their behaviors and function in reality. Of course, it is much easier for those who are not as severely affected, or who were simply misdiagnosed due to behavioral similarities to autism, to overcome their behaviors than for someone with a genuine, pronounced case, but in either situation, a person's cognitive perceptions and behaviors can be ramified. Unless someone has a pervasive, debilitating mental illness which affects multi-dimensional aspects of their functioning, behavior, and their cognitive perception, there really is no reason to think that a person cannot change who they are and how they interact with the world. We can all become better people, and we can all change our behaviors and methodologies. In fact, we all HAVE to change in order to adapt. This is what adaptability effectively IS.

I'd suggest that your pdocs had more on the ball than you give them credit for. Suicidal ideation is not a criterion of diagnosis for anxiety disorder of any form.

And while Bipolar in all forms has a higher prevalence for the female gender, it is in no way a gender specific disorder, and does affect males, as well.

 

[Hear Again]

I'd suggest that your pdocs had more on the ball than you give them credit for. Suicidal ideation is not a criterion of diagnosis for anxiety disorder of any form.

And while Bipolar in all forms has a higher prevalence for the female gender, it is in no way a gender specific disorder, and does affect males, as well.

Exactly.

In fact, Bipolar affects men and women equally.

I happen to have Bipolar myself (Bipolar I with psychotic features/ultradian rapid cycling) and have experienced suicidal ideations -- although 90% of my symptoms revolve around mania (from October-March I rapid cycle on an hourly basis between mania and depression). I also have some difficulty with anxiety, but am not taking any meds for it since it isn't a severe problem for me and only occurs during a manic episode when I feel like I'm about ready to jump out of my skin.

 

[jillio]

Exactly.

In fact, Bipolar affects men and women equally.

I happen to have Bipolar myself (Bipolar I with psychotic features/ultradian rapid cycling) and have experienced suicidal ideations -- although 90% of my symptoms revolve around mania (from October-March I rapid cycle on an hourly basis between mania and depression). I also have some difficulty with anxiety, but am not taking any meds for it since it isn't a severe problem for me and only occurs during a manic episode when I feel like I'm about ready to jump out of my skin.

True. Many people dx'ed with BiPolar also have an associated anxiety d/o that is secondary to the primary dx. That doesn't mean that the BiPolar is a mistaken dx, simply that there is a comorbid disorder.

 

[Hear Again]

True. Many people dx'ed with BiPolar also have an associated anxiety d/o that is secondary to the primary dx. That doesn't mean that the BiPolar is a mistaken dx, simply that there is a comorbid disorder.

I agree. Someone I met online on a Bipolar forum has Bipolar Disorder as well as anxiety. She's taking a mood stabilizer and an antipsychotic for her Bipolar, an anti-anxiety med for her anxiety attacks and a sleep aid for nights when she's unable to sleep because of anxiety. She's been on her med "cocktail" for 2 years now and is doing extremely well.

 

[euclidean_lake]

I'd suggest that your pdocs had more on the ball than you give them credit for. Suicidal ideation is not a criterion of diagnosis for anxiety disorder of any form.

And while Bipolar in all forms has a higher prevalence for the female gender, it is in no way a gender specific disorder, and does affect males, as well.

I'm sorry if I might have typed that such that you would misconstrue it - that was not very discrete. I do know that Bipolar manifests itself equally bet men and women; I was just pointing out that my friend thinks that she doesn't have Bipolar simply because it only manifests itself amongst the males in her family. And I had told her that it wasn't gender-specific. I mean, it is not a sex-linked disorder, after all. And yes, I would have to admit that I do have a mild form of bipolar. I had been in denial for quite some time, and I apologize for having vociferated my arguments with my self-identity on here. I know it isn't really the appropriate place for it, and I apologize for that. So my doctors were correct in their diagnosis of my bipolar, and there isn't any way of getting around it. In fact, my denying it is just burying me deeper and deeper into this trench. Embracing what you have, extracting the positive points of it and working on the negative ones is the first step to liberation. Really, I hadn't realized it before, but in denying what I had...especially considering that, well, bipolar is NOT one of those things that it easily "misdiagnosed". I mean, it's kind of hard to have true manic episodes and depressive episodes and then turn around and say that it was a misdiagnosis - I was just in complete and utter denial when I said those things, and I just want to thank you for rationally bringing me back to my senses. Because what I had been doing to myself had been putting me in a MUCH worse position. I was basically denying my right to be who I am, and to learn from my experiences. Really, to mature. Denial is an incredibly immature thing to go into...and yeah, it might seem easier, but it's what I like to call a faux amie. It's a false friend, and a rather cheap alibi. I mean, the more you attempt to deny who you really are and the problems that you face, the more those problems will mount on you and attempt to consume you. I would be digging a long grave for myself if I had continued on that path of denial, and I actually feel as though the weight has been lifted off of my shoulders, now that I realize who I really am, and that what I have to face may not be easy, nor can it ever be solved by mere "magical thinking", but that through hard work in recognizing when my anxiety episodes, and particularly those of mania/depression, strike, and what can be done to circumvent that, I will eventually conquer my challenges. But we all have to recognize our challenges before we conquer them....Recognition is the first step, and in the case of mental disorders it is a HUGE first step.

I would expand upon this but I have things in my immediate reality which I need to attend to. But thank you so much for talking me into a state of reason. It is only when we admit our difficulties that we can change them for the better...Thank you so much again, and do take care.

Sincerely,

Lorelilah

 

[jillio]

I'm sorry if I might have typed that such that you would misconstrue it - that was not very discrete. I do know that Bipolar manifests itself equally bet men and women; I was just pointing out that my friend thinks that she doesn't have Bipolar simply because it only manifests itself amongst the males in her family. And I had told her that it wasn't gender-specific. I mean, it is not a sex-linked disorder, after all. And yes, I would have to admit that I do have a mild form of bipolar. I had been in denial for quite some time, and I apologize for having vociferated my arguments with my self-identity on here. I know it isn't really the appropriate place for it, and I apologize for that. So my doctors were correct in their diagnosis of my bipolar, and there isn't any way of getting around it. In fact, my denying it is just burying me deeper and deeper into this trench. Embracing what you have, extracting the positive points of it and working on the negative ones is the first step to liberation. Really, I hadn't realized it before, but in denying what I had...especially considering that, well, bipolar is NOT one of those things that it easily "misdiagnosed". I mean, it's kind of hard to have true manic episodes and depressive episodes and then turn around and say that it was a misdiagnosis - I was just in complete and utter denial when I said those things, and I just want to thank you for rationally bringing me back to my senses. Because what I had been doing to myself had been putting me in a MUCH worse position. I was basically denying my right to be who I am, and to learn from my experiences. Really, to mature. Denial is an incredibly immature thing to go into...and yeah, it might seem easier, but it's what I like to call a faux amie. It's a false friend, and a rather cheap alibi. I mean, the more you attempt to deny who you really are and the problems that you face, the more those problems will mount on you and attempt to consume you. I would be digging a long grave for myself if I had continued on that path of denial, and I actually feel as though the weight has been lifted off of my shoulders, now that I realize who I really am, and that what I have to face may not be easy, nor can it ever be solved by mere "magical thinking", but that through hard work in recognizing when my anxiety episodes, and particularly those of mania/depression, strike, and what can be done to circumvent that, I will eventually conquer my challenges. But we all have to recognize our challenges before we conquer them....Recognition is the first step, and in the case of mental disorders it is a HUGE first step.

I would expand upon this but I have things in my immediate reality which I need to attend to. But thank you so much for talking me into a state of reason. It is only when we admit our difficulties that we can change them for the better...Thank you so much again, and do take care.

Sincerely,

Lorelilah

I am truly happy that you are recognizing your own disorder. That is a big step. I have every confidence that with treatment, you will do well. Again, kudos to you for having the strength and the courage to work through your denial. That is not an easy thing to do. You can be very proud of yourself.

And no apologies necessary.