Why would this psychologist say this to me?

[Aspychata]

I lived 18 years with a bipolar person. There definitely is highs, and very lows.

 

[Cryptid]

I was raised by a person with bipolar disorder. He was also had alcoholism.

Not always fun and games.

 

[Aspychata]

Bipolar cycle thru highs, depression, (lows), and anger. Some grandiose sprinkled in. It depends on if bipolar 1, or 2, or unspecified. I hate to say this, but medication sucks for them. Therapy is better. Nope, l am not a medical professional, don't construe this as medical advice. And get use to being lied to compulsively. They truly can't help it. Every day with bipolar for me, was getting them in touch with how they felt. l have had bipolar friends also.

 

[Hypnalis]

@dancerxoxo123

You're an amateur trying to second-guess a professional. This is a bad idea.

1) If you're "shopping" for a specific diagnosis, be honest with yourself about what you're doing, and keep looking for someone who gives you what you want.

2) If you want to learn from this specialist, listen to what they say and ask questions. Second-guessing is not the worst way to get a good diagnosis, but it's close.

Second-guessing via a specialized forum (i.e. here) is a relatively bad way to go with (1)

 

[AuroraBorealis]

I agree with what @Rodafina, @MNAus and @marc_101 said. But since it hasn't come up yet, I also want to bring into the picture that it's also very possible to have autism AND something else apart from the frequent ADHD/depression/anxiety/OCD ones, like for example bipolar disorder. I once met an autistic girl with schizoaffective disorder, just as an example (and it was obvious that both diagnoses were fully justified). Of course, those things take even more experience and time to properly diagnose.

I'm definitely NOT saying that this is the case for the OP. We are nowhere near having enough information, let alone the experience and skills, for saying something like that.

Rethinking about the situation with this particular psychologist and either asking them for clarification or just seeing someone else seems like a good idea.

 

[marc_101]

I once met an autistic girl with schizoaffective disorder, just as an example (and it was obvious that both diagnoses were fully justified). Of course, those things take even more experience and time to properly diagnose.

Wow, that's an interesting combination. I thought first that you meant schizoid personality -- that's also something that could look like autism, except for sensory stuff and repetitive movements.

Mental illness and neurological problems run in my family -- both sides, several generations, so to this day I'm not sure about the diagnosis for some of them. That's also how mine was delayed: it was first bipolar II, then depression, then ADHD, then ASD1... Hence my doubts from time to time.

Anyhow: @dancerxoxo123, make sure you find a good provider who can listen to you carefully and gather all your medical history to arrive at a good diagnosis. It's not that the label is important, but a diagnosis is important for treatment.

 

[Fino]

Bipolar is incredibly overdiagnosed, and they hardly seem to even understand what it is.

 

[Neonatal RRT]

I was on the phone with a psychologist to try to get re evaluated for autism and she said your symptoms could be another condition like bipolar or something else. My symptoms of autism is not understanding sarcasm, communication difficulties, and short term memory issues. Keep in mind I was diagnosed with high functioning autism at 3. I was most likely not misdiagnosed with autism right? Are these symptoms I am describing more associated with autism rather than bipolar and other conditions and why would she say something like, you are probably not autistic, those symptoms could overlap with bipolar or another condition. She said you could be bipolar or another condition. Is she wrong for saying this or is she probably right?

You need to be tested and interviewed. I say this because she already opened the door with "your symptoms could be another condition". This is a fair statement. She doesn't know you yet.

You know you. So, my advice would be to start writing out your current issues, experiences, concerns, etc. I created a simple Word file and printed it out. I brought it with me to my interview. That way I had something to reference. I also gave a copy to my psychologist. That way, she can refer to it later on while putting things altogether and coming up with a diagnosis.

Keep in mind, health care providers routinely have patients that have already self-diagnosed and decided what condition they have when they meet the provider for the first time. Sometimes they are correct. Sometimes it is something completely different. They meet all sorts of people who are hypochondriacs and have strong opinions and biases who have simply gone down the wrong path with their self-diagnosis. From the provider's perspective, in this case, someone who doesn't know you yet, they are going to approach you with an open mind, collect the information, ask clarifying questions, perform some tests, and then come up with the most likely diagnosis.

 

[Mary Terry]

I agree with what @Rodafina, @MNAus and @marc_101 said. But since it hasn't come up yet, I also want to bring into the picture that it's also very possible to have autism AND something else apart from the frequent ADHD/depression/anxiety/OCD ones, like for example bipolar disorder. I once met an autistic girl with schizoaffective disorder, just as an example (and it was obvious that both diagnoses were fully justified). Of course, those things take even more experience and time to properly diagnose.

I'm definitely NOT saying that this is the case for the OP. We are nowhere near having enough information, let alone the experience and skills, for saying something like that.

Rethinking about the situation with this particular psychologist and either asking them for clarification or just seeing someone else seems like a good idea.

My sister-in-law is both autistic and bipolar. She is professionally and competently diagnosed with both conditions, and regularly sees her psychiatrist whose advice she ignores. She refuses to take any bipolar medication so her extreme ups and downs make it nearly impossible to be around her for any length of time.

It's a bad situation.

 

[AuroraBorealis]

Wow, that's an interesting combination. I thought first that you meant schizoid personality -- that's also something that could look like autism, except for sensory stuff and repetitive movements.

Yes, I know, it was impressive to see (don't mean this in any judgmental way, just that it made quite an impression on me). I saw her in a depressed and psychotic phase, but have also seen glimpses of manic and psychotic. And sometimes in between she was simply a very sweet autistic girl.

My sister-in-law is both autistic and bipolar. She is professionally and competently diagnosed with both conditions, and regularly sees her psychiatrist whose advice she ignores. She refuses to take any bipolar medication so her extreme ups and downs make it nearly impossible to be around her for any length of time.

It's a bad situation.

I'm sorry, that sounds tough. It's a common problem that bipolar people refuse their medication. And I must say, I understand where they're coming from - from what I saw, the medication shields them from the manic phases where they put themselves and others in most danger, but that only leaves them with the depressed phases. And you have to be careful with antidepressants because they might trigger a manic phase. So, in a way, you take away the dangerous but good and leave them with the bad. So a lot of people prefer the (very high, even lethal!) risks of mania over feeling like crap all the time. There's still a lot of room for research and to come up with a better understanding and better long-term treatment options.
(This is simplified and I am no expert for the treatment of bipolar disorder. Those are just my limited clinical experiences.)

 

[Judge]

Why would they respond to you in such a manner? -Professional incompetence.

Just because of the nature of one's job or a title that accompanies it is no guarantee that such a person knows what they are doing within the scope of their profession. And tragically it can in fact be that simple. It's why various occupations require medical malpractice insurance.

One thing for sure, a condition such as autism is far too complex to be so easily dismissed, let alone diagnosed over a mere phone conversation. Reminds me of those who have commented on how their ability to look one in the eye instantly constituted a dismissal of even a consideration of autism. As if such a diagnostic process involved aspects of a "zero-tolerance" policy. Absurd, yet it has been known to happen.

 

[Aspychata]

I know a competent MD who won't take bipolar meds because of the side effects. Lithium is one of these comonly prescribed meds.

 

[Aspychata]

Autism is enough to have in it's self, l can't imagine having anything more. If you were officially dx with Autism then it maybe hard to get past that.

 

[Gerald Wilgus]

Not sure where you got this info, but psychologists are able to diagnosis mental health conditions, including autism.

I have been fortunate to have a therapist who works with autistic. I has been the best thing to happen to me. I appreciate her and so am incentivized to do much hard work.

 

[Judge]

Anyone at any formally recognized level of expertise is capable of professional incompetence. Then factor in the timeline of autistic research, which is historically a mere 113 years old. Plus we continue to have "competing" medical protocols like the DSM-V and ICD-11 which aren't always on the same page.

Worse still to consider that there are entire medical establishments on a national level that are only beginning to even recognize autism as a bona fide medical condition. With other nations so weak in what should constitute a basic medical infrastructure that both care and research go by the wayside when it comes to autism, let alone general care.

Leaving many of us to lament it being "a small wonder" in how some of us have struggled in securing a positive diagnosis to validate what in most cases they already know, strike me as being "statistically lucky" and little else.

That in reality we have a very long way to go before we can take most any diagnostic process for granted.