[muffinhead]

Today I gained a new perspective on my condition, with my psychiatrist saying that Asperger's syndrome is another possibility to my condition, which adds a whole new level of complexity to the whole issue. How common is comorbidity between these two illnesses?

[jesusplay]

aspergers, now know as autism spectrum disorder isn't a mental illness.

People with ASD are more prone to have mental illnesses though.

I've been diagnosed bipolar for almost 25 years and have been active in drop-ins, support groups and forums and have only rarely come across people with both bipolar and Asperger's. On my old forum there was one or two people with bipolar and Aspergers. I got assessed for Asperger's once but the psychologist said i didn't have it because i understand idioms, make good eye contact and am too social.

I think Asperger's is cool. There is a character on "Parenthood" with it, a teen boy, Max. It causes him a lot of pain, tho, especially now that he is interested in girls and is getting rejected. I met a young boy in Vancouver who had it and he kept asking me if i had a lawyer! Fun!

[Mountainbard]

Hi muffinhead-- I can't speak to the commonness of co-morbidity between Asperger's and bipolar, but I can see that such a situation would add a lot of complexity to the issue. All I can say is take it one step at a time, unpack and process things as they come along, and learn all you can about both conditions. That way you can be your own best advocate. Good luck with everything!

[Resident Bipolar]

I'm diagnosed with both Bipolar Disorder and Aspergers and have been for a few years now. I was diagnosed with Aspergers at 16 (a late diagnoses indeed) and Bipolar at 18 during an inpatient stay. It definitely adds a layer of complexity and then some, mainly in the area of treatment. Therapy is very difficult for me and I can't talk easily about how I'm feeling; an inability to express my emotions and thoughts normally leads me to punching myself and walls because of the frustration it causes.

DBT was actually not offered to me for a while because my psychiatrist and therapist knew that I'd find it difficult and the ASD would be a barrier of communication in speaking therapies. My poor social function also certainly presented me and my therapist with issues during the group sessions.

The diagnoses should help with your treatment plan - that is, you should be provided with extra support and different treatment methods to work around the ASD.

As for comorbidity between the two, it's not exactly common but nowhere near rare for Aspergers and Bipolar to be found together. In fact, I remember reading about it in a National Autistic Society (UK charity) booklet. Mental illnesses in general are definitely common in those with an ASD.

[Victoria'smom]

My son has both and adhd. So they're treating him with AP, patch and art therapy.

[Lexi232]

its not unheard of.
if you would like to join in, there is also a section on here for autism spectrum disorders.

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