Decided against pursuing autism diagnosis as as adult

[SputnikBear]

Recently there have been threads on this board discussing getting diagnosed with autism as an adult. I was genuinely considering it because I think it would help me deal with my ongoing difficulties. Then I read this article about a lady who was diagnosed with autism as an adult and sectioned.

www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-6349939/Mother-reveals-drugged-suicidal-diagnosed-autism.html

Needless to say I will not be pursuing it any further. And I now understand why, when I was a teenager and autism was first suspected, my parents disengaged with the school psychologist as soon as she mentioned the possibility of treatment in a secure unit, and coached me on how to act and what lies to tell in order to get her to drop my case.

It’s very sad that people feel they can’t get treatment for themselves and their families because they’re afraid of being locked up instead of being helped. As a parent I can’t take that risk.

www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-6349939/Mother-reveals-drugged-suicidal-diagnosed-autism.html

Being sectioned and secure units cost an absolute fortune. Why would just a diagnosis of autism trigger such an expensive intervention. I was a SW and helped a couple of people get diagnoses as adults. And nothing happened. They had a diagnosis, they shared with the people they wanted to share with, they thought having it was a good idea for them. The End.

This article is sickening and very fake. Autistic people are not sectioned. Even people with sever autism live in special homes not hospitals.

My own sister was sectioned due to a psychotic episode related to her schizophrenia and trust me it wasn’t easy getting her sectioned- even when we wanted her to be because it was the safest place for her. It took several referrals from the GP, ‘crisis team’ and police but no medical professional seemed too interested that Russian spies were watching her and spilling intelligence to her through a special device in her ear (yes, I know, almost too cliche but it did happen).

When she was sectioned they only managed to get the paper work done to voluntarily have her sectioned (aka said to her “either you have to come with us voluntarily or we’ll have to section you without your consent- whoever thought that policy was a good idea, I don’t know) meaning she really could just leave whenever she wanted to and did. She had her own room which she could come in and out of as she pleased and also share a community area with other patients, all corridors etc were locked. There are no rooms only “9 steps wide” where in-patients are subjected to light torture.

Also, they wouldn’t prescribe anti-psychotic medicine to someone who wasn’t displaying psychotic symptoms, nevertheless, even if someone were displaying symptoms, no medical professional or otherwise can force a patient to take medication without their consent.

The whole taking the father to court thing is bullshit too. If you want to care for your mentally unwell family member the system basically forces them back on you, they simply don’t have the resources to keep people in for an extended period of time.

They don't section people for having autism!! Otherwise many of my (adult) friends, and children wouldn't be living their lives in their homes.

That clinic she went to is in no way an autism treatment center! It sounds like they were hellbent on "treating" the autism out of her.

I can't actually bring myself to read all of it, because it's scaremongering and so incorrect, it's horrifying.

This article is sickening and very fake. Autistic people are not sectioned. Even people with sever autism live in special homes not hospitals. Thank you!! Glad I am not the only one who thought that!

I really can’t believe the daily mail published this (or maybe I can). It’s clearly been written to cause drama and uproar among people who have absolutely no clue about mental health or the system or what is actually wrong with the system dealing with mh issues to make personal profit out of a completely fabricated story. It makes my blood boil. If there is any truth to this then I’d imagine it was written by someone who had a serious psychotic episode who’s whole understanding of the dilemma was clouded with inaccurate information and fake memories. The “escape scene” in particular screams at this. Mental illness and cognitive disorders DO NOT MAKE A GOOD STORY LINE.

And then you end up with idiots who write comments like these signing petitions on mental health because some twat managed to get a book deal worth £11.99 per copy.

I am trying to get an assessment for autism and I have other special needs, but with the right support I can do a lot of things. It's ignorant attitude is that hold me back more than anything, not my motivation. When people know me well, and they see how hard I try, I have plenty of cheerleaders on my side.

I think if you were to get a diagnosis of autism as an adult, you'd be 99.9% likely to get help and support, and 0.01% likely to get sectioned.

But by all means, go with the 0.01% option, even though it means cutting off your nose to spite your face.

This is such rubbish. I was diagnosed with ASD last year, privately through the Lorna Wing Centre. I didn’t get sectioned. The only person I know who has been sectioned had it happen as a result of suicide attempts. You’re not just sectioned for no reason, especially not for an ASD diagnosis.
That whole article sounds ridiculous.

I wouldn't believe a bloody thing written in the daily fail.

Nobody is being sectioned just for having autism!

My post is not related to you and your diagnosis OP. Let me just say I don't think you are going to be sectioned for having a diagnosis and you should do whatever you think is best for you.

Even people with sever autism live in special homes not hospitals.
Unfortunately this is not true. There are many people with severe autism and learning disabilities living in assessment and treatment units for years. LD campaigners call these locked hospitals. They are supposed to be short term assessment and treatment (as the name suggests) but the system of support isn't there for people to leave when they should.

It's barbaric, and there's been a lot of media attention recently as the Government have not so far met the Transforming Care targets for getting people out.

www.learningdisabilitytoday.co.uk/40-recent-atu-deaths-revealed

www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m0000mkd

I am not going to read a Daily Mail article, but I will add my voice to those who say that it is utter crap that people are sectioned just for having autism.

I think for me what is frustrating and damaging about the Daily Mail article is that it comes across as someone being 'sectioned after an autism diagnosis', which then makes people dismiss it as fantasist rubbish.

I fully believe the woman in the article. The health and social care system is not set up to meet the needs of people with autism and learning disabilities who have complex needs or may display challenging behaviour. Care in ATUs is very rarely the best option for people and there are sickening instances of mistreatment in over use of physical or chemical restraint, or just failing to keep people safe.

I want to say again, this is not 'being sectioned for having autism' but it is happening.

Search for Winterbourne View or Connor Sparrowhawk.

As others have said, that article is truly terrible journalism and factually incorrect.

However, I have chosen not to go for a diagnosis. I know I am probably asd- sister, 2 nieces, aunt all confirmed, and my issues are the same, but I do not see any benefit for me.
I am middle aged, I have a moderately successful career so financially I am ok. I have no relationship but a ds, and a small number of good friends. I have achieved a precious balance after a long struggle. I am happy.
I work for a little company who cannot afford to make any changes for me, and I wouldn’t ask.
A diagnosis would take ages, be stressful - I hate being asked those sort of probing questions- and I dislike being labelled or patronised.
I would rather cope on my own to be honest, but that is a personal decision, that’s right for me.

As adults we have the informed right to choose. It is up to each of us to explore the options and decide what is best, without feeling external pressure.

It’s awful there are people locked in cells (especially young people) with autism. Funding is cut everywhere and there is little provision for those with autism and severe mental health problems or autism and severe behavioural problem. There is also an awful case being highlighted when I can’t understand how the situation happened in the first place. Saying that, no one will section you for being autistic, sectioning is for if you are a very serious danger to yourself or to others due to your mental health, yet lots of people are taken to a&e or call crisis teams with suicide attempts and are discharged hours later. Don’t let a daily mail article stop you being assessed if it’s something you feel you would benefit from

Why do people believe anything they write in the Daily Mail? I notice they haven't named the unit, presumably as then the pack of lies would be exposed.

I agree it's written salaciously, but I think it's really unfair to call this woman's experience a pack of lies. This is how people with disabilities are ignored and made to look like they are inventing stories. It allows people who care for our most vulnerable to get away with some seriously dodgy practices because people just can't fathom that this stuff is happening in the UK in 2018.

If you look at Bethany's Dad on Twitter, his 17 year old daughter has been in a seclusion cell for 2 years being fed through a hatch in the door because she doesn't have the support network around her to come out. The people doing this aren't evil, but the system is seriously failing a lot of people and allowing poor practice to continue. And that does include physical restraint.

Sorry OP, I am hijacking your thread, and I will back off now, but I would hate anyone to read this and think this kind of thing can't happen.

And again I agree with those saying that the Daily Mail have conflated two separate issues, that of being diagnosed with having autism, which many would find beneficial, and that of the poor use of ATUs.

You may find it helpful to speak to a local autism charity about your concerns and options going forward.

The ableism on this thread is astounding

OP, I am so sorry that you are afraid to seek a diagnosis for fear of being sectioned.

I don't know the figures, but I am sure this happens only in a small minority of cases. Could you see if there are any support groups in your area? I know that many support groups don't require a diagnosis to join.

To those on this thread saying it doesn't happen - very sadly it does. The numbers involved are probably very small, but it does happen.

www.autism.org.uk/about/health/mental-health-care.aspx