Other disorders that affect social competences?

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This is a necessary thread. I wish people outside of wrong planet can read it.

There is something about an autism diagnosis that makes certain people disappointed if they do not receive it.

That there are so many conditions that affect social competences is what lends itself to misdiagnoses both self and professional. Self diagnosis may be necessary due to lack of resources both financial and professional but it needs to be done very thoroughly. If you are being impaired by social incompetences the goal should be not necessarily to get an Autism diagnosis per se but to find out why for the purpose of correct treatment. Treatments for misdiagnosis may be partially or totally correct but your odds are better with the correct diagnosis.

With me, I didn't at first consider Asperger's because of social impairment, but because of special interests. Then I got ahold of old psych records from when I was a child, that detailed bad social skills and they had to give me therapy for it.

I have an appointment again with my psychatrist tomorrow and I might ask her why in my records she ruled out autism spectrum. My talk therapist thinks that currently I might not be seen as truly disabled in the social realm, even if I was in the past, disqualifying me from a spectrum diagnosis currently.

When I was inpatient not long ago, in a group a psychologist talking about disorders explained that in schizophrenia like autism a person experiences alexythymia and social skills impairment, but also has psychosis. But in schizoaffective the person is much more emotional. I'm over the top emotional, which has earned me a scizoaffective-bipolar type dx (when I get manic I develop psychosis) and a borderline dx.

But what is causing the special interests if I only have mental Illness like the doc says?

Alll talk about disorders is so confusing...

I thought you got diagnosed finally?

One thing I wish people would understand is just because a doctor told them they do not have autism does not mean their issues are being dismissed. If they are still struggling, they can still receive help in that by going to therapy. Instead of focusing on the label, focus on their symptoms. This is another harm to self diagnosing, once you put a label on yourself, it will be hard to let it go and accept that it could be something else you are dealing with. Being misdiagnosed is one thing. But this view is often frowned upon.