AIBU to wonder if some pursue diagnoses hoping for benefits?

[WittyFawn]

To feel like a lot of parents are seeking diagnosis of mental health ie; ADHD, bipolar etc for their children or even themselves with the hope of getting benefits for it? Am a mother and grandmother and just an observation from reading and hearing things. Just interested to know what other people think?

No the don’t. The final reports lean heavily on info gleaned during the long sessions with the young person, the ADOS and developmental history.

This is what I was trying to ask for as if seems from the news and online benefit claims are soaring - wasn’t meaning to be inflammatory at all Or To upset anyone

Of course not🤔

Recent experience shows this not to be the case in 2 areas we've lived in. A couple of online meetings and maybe one face to face with the child and parents is par for the course.

There is a heavy reliance on the school's actions to actually meet the thresholds to move to the next stage. GPs are reluctant to refer and pass it back to the schools.

I don't think it's right but it's what is happening.

20 years ago it was different.

Yes I thought all children behaved differently at school and at their grandparents etc. than at home-I certainly did. I'm not ND. Now I'm wondering if I am though! Seems a bit unfair for some posters to blame teachers when they're not seeing any of the behaviour.

To answer you question in respect of adults with bipolar, and assuming you genuinely have been taken in by recent news coverage, I'll give it a go. Getting a diagnosis of bipolar usually takes 8-10 years from first symptoms. Many patients are assumed to have depression and given antidepressants, which often makes things worse. Patients tend not to see their GP when hypomanic or manic (both often come with paranoia so you don't go talking to anyone about what is in your head). So often we bugger things up, lose jobs, break relationships etc and get no help at all. When we finally reach rock-bottom, it is difficult to get help and there are no hospital beds available. The chances of us filling in a PIP form to claim is bugger all. And should we manage to fill in the form, it's quite likely that unless we also have a physical illness, we won't hit enough points to get it. And if we do get it, then we get paranoid that if someone sees us on one our good weeks, we'll be viewed as a benefit cheat and get prosecuted. So I don't claim, as putting in the claim will, as a process, make me sicker. I hope this explanation goes some way to countering press coverage.