Misdiagnosis/dual diagnosis (e/g., BPD/EUPD and ASD)

There is no ‘one picture’ of autism and everyone presents with their own unique set of symptoms. This can make it challenging to diagnose and sometimes leads to missed or incorrect diagnoses.

A high percentage of autistic people have co-occurring mental health difficulties, most commonly anxiety, depression, OCD, or mood disorders.

The relationship between ASD and other mental health difficulties is complex, with some evidence suggesting a shared developmental basis between ASD and other conditions. Autistic people sometimes experience high levels of stress as they manage their experiences, particularly around social interaction and communication, which can contribute to other mental health difficulties.

ASD is more likely to be overlooked in women, due to their differences in presentation and ability to mask.

Symptoms of ASD which are sometimes misattributed include:

➾ Difficulty with social interaction

➾ Challenges with self-expression

➾ Social anxiety

➾ Difficulty managing emotion

➾ Disordered eating

➾ Displaying repetitive behaviours

#actuallyautistic #autismmisdiagnosis