Getting an Autism Spectrum Disorder as an adult while having other mental illnesses such as Bipolar 2 and PTSD
I was diagnosed with ASD when I was in the first grade. I had special education classes between Grade 1 through Grade 6. ASD also explains many of my life situations where I experienced difficulty. I am 58 now and I have had problems repeatedly with Veterans Affairs psychiatrists. They considered my bipolar 2 diagnosis which I have been diagnosed and treated for 29 years as a possibility. But they kept saying my monotone voice, my erratic hand and arm movements when I talk, my reluctance to make and hold eye contact, my pressured speech, and other things such as communication problems, and repetition my hand rubbing my leg when I talked. My VA psychiatrist tried to say I was displaying symptoms of schizophrenia when I kept telling her I was diagnosed with Autism when I was younger. And her refusal to accept my ASD and Bipolar 2 diagnosis because she felt I was fabricating my symptoms. Being part of the VA and Autism not being a Valid diagnosis for disability compensation meant that she had little to no experience dealing with Autism. And refused to consider my explanations as to why my ASD symptoms were making her task of properly diagnosing me with Bipolar 2 because she could not wrap her head around the possibility that I have both bipolar 2 and ASD and she could rule out schizophrenia because I do not experience psychosis.
@LionsFan
It sounds like your VA psychiatrist is a bit short on experience, and has made some irresponsible assumptions. I suspect that there is also a matter of the VA being more familiar with service related problems such as PTSD.
It doesn't sound very professional to refuse to accept the diagnosis of another practitioner. Accusing someone of fabricating symptoms is, in my opinion, evidence of incompetence. Even if someone is fabricating symptoms, it's up to the professional to respond in a sensitive and compassionate way, and seek to reveal why a person feels that such fabrication is necessary.
It sounds to me as though the VA, at least at the location where you are, isn't equipped to handle your mental health needs. It occurs to me, that maybe the VA doesn't want to deal with the ASD because the diagnosis came before you were connected to the military.
I hope that you are able to connect with professional help outside the VA, or with a different psychiatrist within the VA.
@LionsFanI'm really sorry to hear about your difficult experience with the VA psychiatrists and the challenges you've faced in having your autism and bipolar 2 diagnoses acknowledged and understood. It can be incredibly frustrating and isolating when professionals dismiss or misunderstand your experiences, especially when you know your own history best. Autism and bipolar 2 can absolutely coexist, and your symptoms should be viewed through that informed lens. If possible, seeking an advocate or a specialist familiar with neurodiversity and co-occurring conditions might help ensure your concerns are taken seriously. Your lived experience and diagnoses are valid, and you deserve compassionate, knowledgeable care that respects all aspects of your health.
