Sounds more like a whole lot of missed cases who could have been spared (a big part of) their anxiety or depression through a more timely diagnosis.
Pretty much. A lot of undiagnosed neurodivergent people learned to mask to fit in and suffer from burnouts that look and feel similar to severe depression. Some even have burnout and depression.
How does a diagnosis help? I get that an adhd diagnosis opens up pharmaceutical treatment options, but for autism i don’t see anything that would change. Therapy stays therapy and is probably very individualistic with or without the autism label. (I am genuinely curious because I am certainly neurodiverse but diagnosis takes about two years, of mostly waiting and bureacracy, where i live)
To know for sure what is up with your brain, the answer to the question “What is wrong with me?” can be an immense relief just in itself. It’s the first step.
I have a diagnosis for both, autism and adhd, and I do in general agree with your post. But an autism diagnosis could also help to give the patient access to some kind of networking groups or other tools for self-orientation. In practice, this would mean a bigger budget for the healthcare system.
Well, there’s CBT that’s specifically designed for people with autism. And a diagnosis often means that the treatment is reimbursed. An early diagnosis also means that they are eligible for counselling and regular appointments where early signs of depression or anxiety can be detected. So treatment can also be initiated earlier than it would if they had gone to their GP, where people usually present themselves at a much later stage of the disease, where it has already progressed substantially.
I’m sorry I didn’t read the last part. I will try to answer it: my view,yes, the system Mknow 2 years seems a lot. But the two years will go by nonetheless. And in two years, if you didn’t go through all the bureaucracy, it will still be two years, but if you do start the process, you may be there in two years.
Researchers analysed data from the UK and Sweden, and wrote in the journal BMJ Mental Health that “autism diagnoses have risen consistently over time”.
Quick, we gotta do something about those damn autism-causing vaccinations!!!1!1!!!1 (/s)
