It turns out I DON'T have autism

Quietguy11

Quietguy11

Well-known member
I went to my doctors appointment the other day and brought up the time he talked a little bit about autism with me and how he came up with that diagnosis. He told me that schizophrenia was coined by the name autism by some one (I forget the name he mentioned) and that a lot of the confusion of speech, feeling out of place, and even disturbed, in group settings, and whatever else, is all a form of autism but not like the autism we all know. My Diagnosis is schizophrenia because of my inability to form relationships, carry my end of a conversation well, process by memory a lot of information. Again I do not have the hallucination/voice hearing schizophrenia, just a cognitive impairing of thought process and retainment. So again, I am not autistic in the general sense of the term.
 
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jaim38

Well-known member
This is so confusing. So there are actually 2 forms of schizophrenia: one where you hear voices and the other where you're kinda autistic but not really?
 
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jaim38

Well-known member
Ok I think I get it now. I checked out Mayo Clinic's definition:

Schizophrenia: Symptoms - MayoClinic.com

Schizophrenia has many symptoms, 2 of which are hallucinations and delusions, which are symptoms that you said you don't have. THought disorder and social withdrawal are other symptoms mentioned. I never knew schizophrenia has such a broad spectrum of symptoms.
 
Quietguy11

Quietguy11

Well-known member
I don't hallucinate, hear voices speaking to me, or am convinced certain things are happening that are not. Well, I might think something is happening that will induce paranoid thinking, but I will rationalize through it, and not give into the thought, as real as it may seem to me at the time. So I guess I have experienced the delusional aspect of schizophrenia. For instance every time I would leave my friends house, I would be convinced in my mind that they were talking about me the moment I left the door. I use to really believe this was going on, it was serious paranoia. But I no longer fall for such thinking anymore, so I have it under control. My main issue with schizophrenia is not having the social tools to work with for holding up conversations with people, basically operating with a healthy cognition. I can't always retain information very well because I forget really easily and quickly what I read/watch, etc.
 
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nicole1

Well-known member
Get a second opinion on that one. I experience social withdrawal and conversational issues. I fit a ton of those and I still don't believe it could be schizophrenia.
 
Bronson99

Bronson99

Well-known member
I have experienced a lot of that mild paranoid thinking, and still do. But I've talked with quite a few different therapists about it, and all seem to agree it is social anxiety and/or a paranoid personality trait. Some people are just hypersensitive to everything, also, and that could naturally make you overreact in the presence of people.

I don't see how anyone could possibly diagnose you with a schizophrenic spectrum disorder, based on your thinking people were talking about you, and then some social difficulties. To me, it seems like there's something very wrong with the way they've diagnosed you.
 
Quietguy11

Quietguy11

Well-known member
I'm pretty much just going with it. I don't know what condition I have, all I know is that I have HORRIBLE social skills, and that when I'm in an environment that requires my participation, I freeze up, feel very uncomfortable, and can't sit still. My psychiatrist is pretty sure that it is schizophrenia and I'm not about to argue with him because he's the professional, not me. If it turns out that I do have schizophrenia then I am one of the fortunate ones that have it only to a certain degree. It doesn't effect my over all life except for bouts of anxiety throughout the day, a difficult time working in places that involve dealing with customers (because they are rude, and think that the whole Earth revolves around them just because they're purchasing something.) and living out on my own. Besides that I am quite functional, love watching anime, I draw a lot, I get out with friends once or twice a week, etc. I just have an anxiety that paralyzes me and makes it hard for me to feel comfortable in social environment.
 
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Scandic123

Well-known member
I've taken a test once, which said that I'm probably autistic. Although I don't trust these internet tests, I think I might be on the verge of autism. But as Flanscho said these are just names and labels, so whether it's one thing or another doesn't really matter.
 
Kiwong

Kiwong

Well-known member
I have some borderline traits of autism and aspergers. The treatment for my condition doesn't really change much with such diagnoses.
 
Trishanku

Trishanku

Well-known member
Sounds similar to my diagnosis, delusional stuff. I face some of what you are going through. during college most of the times I experienced paranoid thinking like my friends were talking behind my back. It peaked when I was working. the colleagues and the busy environment of a bank, i was so hyper vigilant there that every day going for work literally made me freeze but i couldn't hold on to the job for more than 3 months.

that was my first job and I was new to banking, I was working as a financial service consultant basically I was there in the bank to take care of insurance sales. once I had to take a Demand Draft for a customer, so went to one of bank staff and I gave her the DD form all filled and I just stood there like a fool not knowing whether to go back sit at my desk or ask her if i should wait till she gave me the DD. I mean I actually stood there looking at the ceiling and down at my shoes. I was and am still pretty weird when interacting with the opposite sex. Then after she noticed me standing she asked me to go sit at my desk and she'll call me when the DD was ready. I was so relieved but i felt like a complete fool. may be that incident made people talk stuff about me and her. One day a colleague came and asked that there were rumors of me having affair with that girl. This he asked two months later when I was about to quit the job. This rumor also made me quit the job. I was so weird for a workplace, Now I wana apply for a job all these events flash before me and shoots up my anxiety.
 
Alana.JPEG

Alana.JPEG

Well-known member
Although I'm no expert (of course) "inability to form relationships, carry my end of a conversation well, process by memory a lot of information" as well as paranoia and delusions are common characteristics for people with autism. I have heard that schizophrenia and Austism over lap and it is sometimes hard to tell the difference.

The other thing is that Autism diagnosis is generally a long diagnostic process which can only be officially diagnosed or ruled out by a neurological psychiatrist or an autism specialist.(I think)

This is an example of the process required for an official diagnosis:

 Prior to the assessment taking place adults are sent a questionnaire to
complete seeking information regarding their early development and current
presentation; a questionnaire for family members to complete is also
available. Adults are then assessed by way of a conversation based
assessment conducted with the adult and two staff members of Diagnostic
Services. Individuals being assessed are welcome to bring other people with
them to the assessment (e.g. parents, spouse, friend, support worker).

 A report is written in the two weeks following the assessment and sent to
the individual, and, if necessary, the referring person.
Click to expand...
 
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Lea

Lea

Banned
Quietguy11 said:
For instance every time I would leave my friends house, I would be convinced in my mind that they were talking about me the moment I left the door. I use to really believe this was going on, it was serious paranoia.
Click to expand...

It´s not paranoia, it´s what people normally do!!

You sound like aspergers, if you don´t hear voices or hallucinate, why should it be schizophrenia.

It´s all mostly labels though, they do have validity, but people take they more seriously than it would be appropriate I think.
 
Odo

Odo

Banned
Quietguy11 said:
My Diagnosis is schizophrenia because of my inability to form relationships, carry my end of a conversation well, process by memory a lot of information.
Click to expand...

This seems like a dangerously broad definition of schizophrenia.

What you're describing here sounds like the effects of isolation to me-- I suppose isolation isn't exactly healthy but if the mental health people can go all the way to schizophrenia and actually prescribe psychoactive drugs to treat anyone with these symptoms, I keep thinking of those conspiracy theorists who say the government is doping us up to prevent natural reactions to a sick society.
 
TreeBones

TreeBones

Well-known member
In a way they're just names and labels but not 100%, for instance I knew something was "wrong with me" but I didn't exactly know what, Once I figured out I had SA,(which was weird to me because anxiety didn't even come up in my mind at all) I found I could help myself more and feel comfortable with feeling uncomfortable. I'm assuming that you're happy with not having autism? so congrads. Even though it's not a bad thing at all. One autistic kid I knew, Christian, was the coolest and could draw really well, he drew me pokemon pictures and it always made my day. I wouldn't worry too much about diagnosis's, If I had time to go to a therapist my mental illnesses would be never ending.
 
Bronson99

Bronson99

Well-known member
Quietguy11 said:
I'm pretty much just going with it. I don't know what condition I have, all I know is that I have HORRIBLE social skills, and that when I'm in an environment that requires my participation, I freeze up, feel very uncomfortable, and can't sit still. My psychiatrist is pretty sure that it is schizophrenia and I'm not about to argue with him because he's the professional, not me. If it turns out that I do have schizophrenia then I am one of the fortunate ones that have it only to a certain degree. It doesn't effect my over all life except for bouts of anxiety throughout the day, a difficult time working in places that involve dealing with customers (because they are rude, and think that the whole Earth revolves around them just because they're purchasing something.) and living out on my own. Besides that I am quite functional, love watching anime, I draw a lot, I get out with friends once or twice a week, etc. I just have an anxiety that paralyzes me and makes it hard for me to feel comfortable in social environment.
Click to expand...

Well then if you have schizophrenia, this entire forum has it. You've just described the problems of most members here, IMHO.

I would seriously question the credentials of this psychiatrist--I'd make sure he didn't get his degree in a cereal box.
 
mismeek

mismeek

Well-known member
even though its just names and labels, TREATMENT for NOS autism/aspergers or and schizophrenia are VERY different

Bi-polar also has delusions/paranoia too, without voices and hallucinations.

whats your official diagnosis? Disorganized schizophrenia? Paranoid?

I think you should get a second opinon..
 
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