Invalidated

[Amanda Nyborg]

so I went to my psychiatrist yesterday and she totally invalidated my Aspergers. She said that PTSD OCD and trauma overlap and it isn’t Aspergers that I have even though I know it is. She said it isn’t even in the diagnostic book anymore and most ppl that have Aspergers just have overlapped conditions not Aspergers. I highly disagree. I kept telling her my symptoms and trying to communicate what was wrong. She gave me ADHD meds and excused me. It was like she didn’t even hear me. I feel frustrated and invalidated. Has this happened to anyone else?

 

[Michael Balog]

Yes I have had this happen many times. I’m moving psychiatrists again this Friday cause of this issue.

 

[Amanda Nyborg]

Yes I have had this happen many times. I’m moving psychiatrists again this Friday cause of this issue.

Why are they like this? My therapist is fully supportive and I do not understand why my psychiatrist is not??? I was so frustrated. Maybe I need a new psychiatrist as well

 

[Streetwise]

Why are they like this? My therapist is fully supportive and I do not understand why my psychiatrist is not??? I was so frustrated. Maybe I need a new psychiatrist as well

its not psychiatric cant make money from it small minded ,pill pusher!!!!.

 

[Amanda Nyborg]

its not psychiatric cant make money from it small minded ,pill pusher!!!!.

I kind of figured that’s what it was, that she can’t give out medicine for Aspergers so she would rather say here is something I can give you pills for. It was very upsetting

 

[Juliettaa]

In my experience, some (not all) psychiatrists seem to want to just medicate people and not look at the underlying cause.

I take it that you have an official diagnosis? As you're using 'Asperger's' which is not in the current diagnostic manual, I assume this is not a recent diagnosis?

Your psychiatrist not being accepting of you being autistic, in my view, says more about him/her being closed minded and/or ignorant about autism.

If I were in your shoes, at the next appointment I'd be taking along my full diagnostic report.

Alternatively, find a psychiatrist who has knowledge of autism as being invalidated is upsetting and confusing.

 

[Amanda Nyborg]

In my experience, some (not all) psychiatrists seem to want to just medicate people and not look at the underlying cause.

I take it that you have an official diagnosis? As you're using 'Asperger's' which is not in the current diagnostic manual, I assume this is not a recent diagnosis?

Your psychiatrist not being accepting of you being autistic, in my view, says more about him/her being closed minded and/or ignorant about autism.

If I were in your shoes, at the next appointment I'd be taking along my full diagnostic report.

Alternatively, find a psychiatrist who has knowledge of autism as being invalidated is upsetting and confusing.

Yes I plan to. It makes me feel like all my symptoms aren’t real and it’s all in my head. So that’s frustrating. I feel so sad and empty today like someone said, “you’re fine get over it”

 

[Bellacat]

I was extremely lucky that the psychologist I saw was understanding and up to date on things, because it sounds like that's sadly the exception to the rule. I have experienced this invalidating and dismissive attitude from my other healthcare providers though. My gynaecologist even said "Aspergers is a very fluid diagnosis", whatever that means. My GP said it's "just anxiety" and wanted to jump straight to meds with no further questions.

It's like if doctors can't attack something with drugs or surgery, they just deny that it exists at all.

 

[Michael Balog]

You only get a 15 minute visit and they are more concerned with prescribing meds and making sure your not a danger to yourself or others. Mine says as long as I don’t see bugs crawling on my skin or hear voices I’m ok.

 

[Judge]

My gynaecologist even said "Aspergers is a very fluid diagnosis", whatever that means.

It is disturbing to ponder that some neurological conditions are so vague and misunderstood that modern medical science could be prone to simply shying away from them. Not so much because it challenges their abilities, but because it may also challenge their professional liability.

That some of them might be so professionally insecure that they deliberately dance around any possibility of diagnosing ASD because it's safer for them relative to malpractice concerns.

Just not for us.

Perhaps cause for us to investigate their malpractice record prior to committing to their services.

Some interesting reading along such lines....

Sandy Hook Shooter’s Psychiatrist Arrested – Citizens Commission on Human Rights, CCHR

 

[Rasputin]

It will be interesting to see what happens when I meet with a psychiatrist at the end of the month.

 

[Juliettaa]

Yes I plan to. It makes me feel like all my symptoms aren’t real and it’s all in my head. So that’s frustrating. I feel so sad and empty today like someone said, “you’re fine get over it”

Your symptoms are real, nothing is 'in your head'. Please do not allow the psychiatrist's ill informed opinion take root. You have a diagnosis from someone qualified to diagnose autism. You know yourself better than anyone else ever will.

Mine says as long as I don’t see bugs crawling on my skin or hear voices I’m ok.

That's really messed up and so outdated

It will be interesting to see what happens when I meet with a psychiatrist at the end of the month.

A tip - keep your expectations low

 

[Varzar]

After what I've learned on here about others on the spectrum, and knowing what's in my own head.. I don't know how any other person, let alone an NT, could possibly tell you what is going on in your head with any certainty at all..
The person who's going to know you best is you. If you figure Asperger's fits you best, then that's who you are.
This is also why I decided pursuing a formal diagnosis for myself wasn't worth it.

 

[Aspychata]

After living with a head shrinker(psychiatrist) , l can defintely attest that they don't have enough time to diagnose, it's easier to try to treat what is the major concern, the minor issues may get better or resolve slowly. So if you are scheduled, l think ask for help with your main concern because they basically are going through a checklist and prescribing their go to meds to help with that. They are in a vicious circle of malpractice and getting paid by insurance. They step through oddles of paperwork to boot. They will look at you for common check list by taking your personal history which can be helpful. To speed things up, it's great if you have this together, traumatic events, prior dx's,meds taken.

 

[Sarah S]

so I went to my psychiatrist yesterday and she totally invalidated my Aspergers. She said that PTSD OCD and trauma overlap and it isn’t Aspergers that I have even though I know it is. She said it isn’t even in the diagnostic book anymore and most ppl that have Aspergers just have overlapped conditions not Aspergers. I highly disagree. I kept telling her my symptoms and trying to communicate what was wrong. She gave me ADHD meds and excused me. It was like she didn’t even hear me. I feel frustrated and invalidated. Has this happened to anyone else?

The fact that she gave you meds for ADHD should let a few alarms of in youre head reg her capulities in this field as ADHD does have ALOT of co morbid diagnosis (incl ASD Infact its more or less the norm this days that if you have ADHD you most probaly also have ASD & vice verce) & giving out ADHD meds without even knowing if you have it or not is beyound wrong so if i were you i would ask for another one as she clearly dont know diddly about this things.

Reg the diagnose Asbergers that is corect it have been replaced as was the other previos separate diffent Autism diagnosis under one umbrella ASD = Autistic Spectrum Disorder. Nor does the old HFA =High funktion autism or LFA = Low funktion Autism exist either. it have all been replaced with 3 different levels ASD1 (the old diagnose Asbergers ) ASD2 - ASD3 the previos Autism diagnoses and are built upon the level of help and support you need

Whether or not you do have this or not im not able to say either way so i wont do this

PTSD & OCD most defenetly dont have nothing to do with anyone being Autistic =ASD. HOWEVER to be able to be diagnosed with ASD (and i belive ADHD also ) you HAVE to have some proof of this being clearly visibel from birth as you are born with this you CANT get it later in life (you can however get both PTSD/OCD as well as a braindamage from execive force on youre head wich can present similar " tics " ) for ex ADHD

 

[Kalinychta]

My GP said it's "just anxiety" and wanted to jump straight to meds with no further questions.

I got the “just anxiety” brush off from my neurologist a few months ago, too. I felt so invalidated, like the OP. But you’d be amazed by how often women’s medical conditions are blown off and dismissed as anxiety by doctors, particularly male doctors. I call it the hysteria diagnosis. Women are still being diagnosed with hysteria; they’re just calling it “just anxiety” now.

 

[GadAbout]

Someone asked the OP if she had an official diagnosis and I did not see where she answered that.

When I suspected I might have autism, based on family history, I did seek an official diagnosis. Why did I do that? Was it to get accommodations or income supports? No. It was because humans are capable of greatly misleading/deceiving themselves, and I wanted an objective opinion.

If a psychiatrist pooh-poohs an official diagnosis by someone with more experience than themselves, that should be pointed out. If they still pooh-pooh it, it's time to switch.

But if they pooh-pooh a self-diagnosis ... maybe they're right? It's worth considering, at least.

 

[Kalinychta]

Someone asked the OP if she had an official diagnosis and I did not see where she answered that.

When I suspected I might have autism, based on family history, I did seek an official diagnosis. Why did I do that? Was it to get accommodations or income supports? No. It was because humans are capable of greatly misleading/deceiving themselves, and I wanted an objective opinion..

If a psychiatrist pooh-poohs an official diagnosis by someone with more experience than themselves, that should be pointed out. If they still pooh-pooh it, it's time to switch.

But if they pooh-pooh a self-diagnosis ... maybe they're right? It's worth considering, at least.

I completely agree. In Amanda’s case, her profile page says she was officially diagnosed with Asperger’s.

 

[GadAbout]

I completely agree. In Amanda’s case, her profile page says she was officially diagnosed with Asperger’s.

Oh.... I did the mouseover thing that gives the black pop-up with a few details and found nothing there. So I went to profile page, and even then I had to select a tab.... so 3 screenfuls to get to that information.

At least, I have learned more about the site!

 

[Kalinychta]

Oh.... I did the mouseover thing that gives the black pop-up with a few details and found nothing there. So I went to profile page, and even then I had to select a tab.... so 3 screenfuls to get to that information.

At least, I have learned more about the site!

I only just learned about this the other day, too.