A recent article over at Embrace Autism examines the unfortunately frequent problem of misdiagnosis in autism. In this case, the author illustrates how autism is often seen by diagnostic teams as Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD). They note that it is an especially common occurrence for late diagnosed autistics to have received an earlier misdiagnosis of borderline personality disorder (BPD).
Most of us adult autistics have a long trail of mis / mal diagnoses. In my case, my early care providers were convinced that my issues were related to my early childhood trauma, and that I just needed intensive medication and talk-therapy. How wrong they were. Two things can be true. You can have early childhood trauma AND be autistic.
Thanks for this! You make an important point that applies to all manner of medical and/or psychiatric diagnoses: it is all too common for the powers that be to pigeonhole patients into the most convenient diagnosis (or lack thereof), and to not bother considering the complicated possibility of multiple contributing factors.
Thanks for this! You make an important point that applies to all manner of medical and/or psychiatric diagnoses: it is all too common for the powers that be to pigeonhole patients into the most convenient diagnosis (or lack thereof), and to not bother considering the complicated possibility of multiple contributing factors.