Has anyone been wrongly diagnosed with personality disorder?

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Hi,

I've finally been diagnosed with mild Asperger's (or Nonverbal learning disability). One clinic said mild asperger's, the other NLD.

I'm wondering how many people here were wrongly diagnosed before finally getting the neuropsych testing and discovering it was Asperger's or some other autistic spectrum disorder? In the past, I was diagnosed with a personality disorder. When I took the MMPI personality test, it didn't take into account neurological reasons for the answers. I was alone alot not because I wanted to be, but because it was difficult to deal with social situations.. they said that makes me schizoid..?? not true.

This has all been very frustrating and lead to me being extremely misunderstood by therapists, family and people in general. Now that we realize it is neurological, it throws a whole new perspective on everything. I hate being wrongly mislabeled, especially since teachers and other government bodies are being made aware of "mental health records" more and more. Some are saying that any "mental illness" should be included on the Instant criminal background checks that any employer can read..

Is Asperger's considered a "mental illness"?

When I was five (in the 80s), I was misdiagnosed with Attention Deficit Disorder - Predominantly Inattentive Subtype. I've heard that a lot of aspies were given that diagnosis in the 80s.

I thought I was schizoid for months...when I mentioned my sensory issues my shrink mentioned the autistic spectrum.

I was diagnosed with ADD too.. Actually the final diagnosis said I had ADD and NLD (mild Asperger's). It's so important to get a correct diagnosis so that it's treated right..

Alot of people have been misdiagnosed with bipolar from what I understand and had to take Lithium, etc.. until they realized it was due to a neurological condition... How does anyone ever know they finally have the right diagnosis? I've been misdiagnosed so many times..

Finally, I went to a neuropsych for five days of testing at a really well-known nationally-recognized center.. They didn't say anything at all about a personality disorder... but then again, maybe because it was NEUROpsych testing, they weren't looking for that? It's like whatever place you go to is going to give you the diagnosis that matches their specialty... I can only HOPE that I finally got the right diagnosis.. there is a huge discrepancy between my verbal and quantitative I.Q.'s too.. and other learning disability-type issues surfaced that couldn't possibly be from some kind of personality disorder, right???

I was never diagnosed with any personality disorders but I was diagnosed with ADD which was a misdiagnoses my mom says.

In 1992 my 5 yr old dd at that time was dx-d with ADHD and Borderline Personality Disorder. When I mention it now to docs they just look at me in disbief because I guess there's no way you can dx a 5 yr old with that one. Looking it up, they are right lol.

Now that she's an adult (20) we can figure out she has sensory issue's and OCD. She did alot of the same things my boys do now but it wasn't recognized by the docs back then. She does think she has Bi-Polar, and to me I do think she has it. Either that or a mood disorder.

I have two boys aged 11 and 7. My 11 yr old was dx-d with Autistic Disorder and my 7 yr old has Tourette Syndrome.

I feel pretty confident they mis dx-d my dd. Is she an aspie? I don't know. She had some huge social problems that were extreme, she was incredibly hyper, She would bite her nails constantly, and had some gross motor skills, but i don't remember any other repetitive behaviors. I don't remember any obsessions on topics like my oldest has either.

So maybe she has PDD-NOS?

I don't know, but already I see my GS (2 1/2) with some OCD and Sensory issue's. He also has a problem with gross motor skills and he has problems with articulation with his speech. He's her son, and I'm trying to talk her into getting him eval'd at the Regional Center.

So yes I do think they can make mistakes with personality disorders.

Lainie

I'm currently working on getting my AS diagnosis. I also have signs of OCPD and ADD, but I think they're all related. I was previously misdiagnosed as Bipolar.

Oh and I found out that the DSM wasn't updated until 1994, two years after she was dx-d with ADHD and Borderline Personality Disorder.

Well, people are complex, so even the so-called experts are probably guessing most of the time.

I've never gone to anyone to be diagnosed with anything, so as long as it stays that way, I won't be misdiagnosed. However, if I self-diagnose, I could be wrong, but there is less harm since I have to take a self-diagnosis with a grain of salt.

You know, I have only just learned about schizoid disorder, but I could just as easily have that as AS. There is so much overlap and they both describe me pretty well.

And one year before I graduated from high school. I was screwed. I'm curious to see what the new DSM will say about AS and other 'disorders' when it's finally published.

Even though autism diagnosis and therapies fall under the realm of psychology/psychiatry, autism, including AS, is not "mental illness" but atypical neurology resulting in a specific complex of symptoms and traits. When autism can cause severe developmental challenges and delays, it doesn't qualify as a mental illness because it does not necessarily cause mental illness, i.e., a psychologically impaired state. In fact, it is thought that there's a many high functioning autsitics in the world who are not dx'd because their autism has not caused them any significant problems. Autistics can, however, develop secondary mental health problems, like depression, anxiety disorders, PTSD and even personality disorders, just like neurotypical people.

I took teh MMPI too when I was young, and while I was not officially dx'd with a personality disorder (I was too young - PD are normally only dx'd in people over 15). There was concern about my "weirdness" though, which the MMPI results clearly illustrated. They couldn't figure out what was "wrong" with me - but that was years before AS as an accepted dx in the US, so they simply didn't have a dx that fit me.

I studied Psychology at college up to 1991 so again - just missed out! I really hope they ditch the 'disorder' in the new DSM. Though I have caused disorder a few times...

Yeah, diagnosing a 5 year old with Borderline Personality Disorder sounds crazy. Some of the symptoms would be normal behavior for a 5 year old. Aren't most 5 year olds emotionally dependent on another person (their parent(s))? Don't most 5 year olds occasionally do crazy things to get attention?

Furthermore, I don't see how any personality disorder could be diagnosed in a young child because by definition, a personality disorder has to be consistently present throughout different phases of a person's life.

i was diagnosed with Borderline Personality Disorder too. They've 'un-diagnosed' me now but i'm still trying to get a neurological diagnosis. I am 39 and live in England though so it's not easy.

Yea, how many 5 yr olds are addicted to drugs??? LOL Gosh I had no computer, and no clue back then as I was a single parent. All I knew was to trust the doctors that treated her. I just knew something was different and she had soooo many problems getting along with people in general, she just needed help.

The good news tho was she had no meds (sometimes tho I do think they would of helped some in her case) and she had extensive ongoing therapy with a play therapist who helped us tremondously!

At the time she had severe separation anxiety, but it was because my ex was a druggie and in and out of her life. They said he caused abandonment issue's with her and it did make sense at the time.

Anyway, she has started seeing a therapist herself of the belief she is bi-polar, and I hope this therapist is smart and can steer her in the right direction. She does seem to go thru high and low cycles and is very argumentative and has alot of anxiety still. She once stopped biting her nails only to replace it with biting the inside of her cheek and having to move her jaw in a certain way. Those I know are either tics or stims (hard to tell the difference sometimes as my oldest son stims and my youngest tics).

Lainie

I was diagnosed with schizoid and narcissic personnality disorders by the same psychiatrist... but that was prior of knowing anything about asperger syndrome. I still need an official DX, but I believe AS sums up my issues way better than those two personnality disorders, which I can hardly relate to.