[AlderMoore]

My situation is very similar. I have Asperger's Syndrome, which I have had since earliest memory. My childhood was very unpleasant, always being mistreated, bullied, misunderstood, and accused of stuff I didn't do. I now have problems with anxiety, depression, anger, paranoia, and time management. I went to my university's counseling center and after talking to a psychologist a couple times she suggested I get an evaluation for autism spectrum disorder. I happily agreed because I wanted to get extra help for my classes. It turns out that the counseling center doesn't do autism evaluations. Instead they evaluated me for personality disorder, which they diagnosed me with. I was really confused during the entire evaluation because I was waiting for them to start asking me about my autism symptoms, so I withheld a lot of information. I was very impatient so I didn't think much about what they were asking me. I was also very uncomfortable because they put me in a small, dimly lit room, which makes me anxious. I had a hard time understanding the words a lot of the time and the psychology resident kept needing to repeat herself. I read in her notes later that she thought I was being "agitated and uncooperative". I tried to explain that I was confused and I also tried to explain my early childhood history but they didn't care. They completely ignored everything I said. Because of the trauma I ended up being a nervous wreck for the rest of the semester and I failed all of my classes. My graduation date is now set back an entire year! I then went off campus and saw a very experienced psychologist and he completely disagreed with the personality disorder diagnosis. He says all of my problems are a natural result of Asperger's Syndrome. Unfortunately the university insists I don't have ASD, and in their view everything I do just confirms to them that I have a personality disorder. I think they are arrogant and incompetent and they caused me harm. This diagnosis could come back to haunt me because it is part of my permanent record. Even now, 6 months later, and I am still very angry about this. They were supposed to help me and instead they harmed me and this could have serious legal repercussions down the line. Things like applying for DOD security clearance, or custody hearings, or applying for a foreign Visa, all can depend on psychiatric diagnosis.

Originally Posted by AlderMoore

My situation is very similar. I have Asperger's Syndrome, which I have had since earliest memory. My childhood was very unpleasant, always being mistreated, bullied, misunderstood, and accused of stuff I didn't do. I now have problems with anxiety, depression, anger, paranoia, and time management. I went to my university's counseling center and after talking to a psychologist a couple times she suggested I get an evaluation for autism spectrum disorder. I happily agreed because I wanted to get extra help for my classes. It turns out that the counseling center doesn't do autism evaluations. Instead they evaluated me for personality disorder, which they diagnosed me with. I was really confused during the entire evaluation because I was waiting for them to start asking me about my autism symptoms, so I withheld a lot of information. I was very impatient so I didn't think much about what they were asking me. I was also very uncomfortable because they put me in a small, dimly lit room, which makes me anxious. I had a hard time understanding the words a lot of the time and the psychology resident kept needing to repeat herself. I read in her notes later that she thought I was being "agitated and uncooperative". I tried to explain that I was confused and I also tried to explain my early childhood history but they didn't care. They completely ignored everything I said. Because of the trauma I ended up being a nervous wreck for the rest of the semester and I failed all of my classes. My graduation date is now set back an entire year! I then went off campus and saw a very experienced psychologist and he completely disagreed with the personality disorder diagnosis. He says all of my problems are a natural result of Asperger's Syndrome. Unfortunately the university insists I don't have ASD, and in their view everything I do just confirms to them that I have a personality disorder. I think they are arrogant and incompetent and they caused me harm. This diagnosis could come back to haunt me because it is part of my permanent record. Even now, 6 months later, and I am still very angry about this. They were supposed to help me and instead they harmed me and this could have serious legal repercussions down the line. Things like applying for DOD security clearance, or custody hearings, or applying for a foreign Visa, all can depend on psychiatric diagnosis.

I don't know what to say Hun, but that it's time to get an attorney to help set the matter straight because they obviously aren't going to listen to you. This'll get you a forum in which you can plead your case with expert witnesses to back you up in front of a judge that'll set the records right. If my future depended on it like you said, that's what I would do. Good luck!

[Nammu]

How is your hearing? Have you had that checked out? I ask because dim lights allways makes me irritatable and easily angered because I don't hear everything. Much of what you described could also be attributed to slight hearing loss. It not something medical people look for unless its glaring obvious. In the right circumstances smaller room talking face to face is easier but darken the room increase anxiety and a person who's head is always moving or low toned it might get be harder. Small losses often go undiagnosed and perple are told they have personality disorders. Although since they don't have any experience in autistic diagnosis i don't see how they can do any diagnosis. If you start with the assumption that there is something wrong but only know how to diagnose zebra then all you will diagnosis is various zebras missing any thing else like horses, antelopes and so on. id talk to some in administration and show them the papers you have with your proper diagnosis, like a dean perhaps. They have more authoritative power to change what's on your record.

[Tauren]

I don't understand how it could come back to haunt you. They can't put a diagnosis on your college record. Who told you it was part of your "permanent record"?

[avlady]

i am sorry this happened to you. i was also diagonosed with several different things for years until i think they got it right. it is like sufferring as you need to find ways of coping for what you really have.i hope you can get be ok for now and find a good doctor and t good luck

[StarGazingFish]

hi aldermoore,
i hope you come back and see what people have said-you have to wait five posts before being allowed to post without moderation.

about ASD,for years; autistic women especialy had been misdiagnosed as having a personality disorder,they completely ignored the developmental history of the women and said it was a PD because they didnt quite match the male dominated persona;ie high functioning autistic women tend to shutdown and implode rather than meltdown and explode.

ive had multiple support workers who were female and were misdiagnosed with personality disorder,one of them was even classified as having anti social PD and was called a pyschopath by a pyschologist,she was the best support worker i ever had and she was so obviously autistic to me,she had to travel hundreds of miles to sheffield to get assessed by specialists in autism and was diagnosed with severe aspergers.

you need to see a specialist in autism,preferably one who is experienced in people your own age so they dont have a fixed view on what autism is like.

ive been misdiagnosed as an codeine addict before because people coudnt understand why i requested codeine every day-i was head banging very heavily and had many head injuries throughout my life which caused constant deep vibrating cluster headaches,they didnt seem to undestand that and iwas non verbal and coudnt stick up for myself,the word 'addict' is stuck in my records, and i was took off codeine and left to suffer with both the headaches and sciatica caused by many hours of illegal restraint.
it took a year to find a gp to realise i wasnt looking for painkillers for a high and he eventualy put me back on codeine.

i honestly understand your frustration with so called profesionals and i hope like me you get someone who understands you.

I've had 4 diagnosis in 8 yrs. Major depression, schizophrenia, then schitzo effective. Depression is a side effect of the now diagnosed paranoid schizophrenic.

I'm fortunatexcited and extremely grateful to get social security disability. I also have a part time job, I miss 1 out of 4 days. My employer is very understanding. I've been on ssdi for2yrs, that means disability review. Stressful and frustrating. Social security wants me to see one of their psychiatrist. Ivery never really had the dsm5 evaluation. I'm worried what my next diagnosis will be. I hear the dsm5 is very subjective. If my diagnosis changes will I loose my ssdi. I'm worse off in some ways and better functioning in others. The negatives seem to out weigh the positives unfortunately. Any body had a cdr, continuation disability review?

[CaptainChaos79]

Originally Posted by AlderMoore

My situation is very similar. I have Asperger's Syndrome, which I have had since earliest memory. My childhood was very unpleasant, always being mistreated, bullied, misunderstood, and accused of stuff I didn't do. I now have problems with anxiety, depression, anger, paranoia, and time management. I went to my university's counseling center and after talking to a psychologist a couple times she suggested I get an evaluation for autism spectrum disorder. I happily agreed because I wanted to get extra help for my classes. It turns out that the counseling center doesn't do autism evaluations. Instead they evaluated me for personality disorder, which they diagnosed me with. I was really confused during the entire evaluation because I was waiting for them to start asking me about my autism symptoms, so I withheld a lot of information. I was very impatient so I didn't think much about what they were asking me. I was also very uncomfortable because they put me in a small, dimly lit room, which makes me anxious. I had a hard time understanding the words a lot of the time and the psychology resident kept needing to repeat herself. I read in her notes later that she thought I was being "agitated and uncooperative". I tried to explain that I was confused and I also tried to explain my early childhood history but they didn't care. They completely ignored everything I said. Because of the trauma I ended up being a nervous wreck for the rest of the semester and I failed all of my classes. My graduation date is now set back an entire year! I then went off campus and saw a very experienced psychologist and he completely disagreed with the personality disorder diagnosis. He says all of my problems are a natural result of Asperger's Syndrome. Unfortunately the university insists I don't have ASD, and in their view everything I do just confirms to them that I have a personality disorder. I think they are arrogant and incompetent and they caused me harm. This diagnosis could come back to haunt me because it is part of my permanent record. Even now, 6 months later, and I am still very angry about this. They were supposed to help me and instead they harmed me and this could have serious legal repercussions down the line. Things like applying for DOD security clearance, or custody hearings, or applying for a foreign Visa, all can depend on psychiatric diagnosis.

So why haven't THEY suffered legal repercussions? You darn well should be suing them...what the hellfire is a psychology resident doing giving out diagnoses anyhow?/! You were an experiment and they failed to inform you of that part...I think you should see a lawyer as well.