Can autism be misdiagnosed as mental illness?

It's not uncommon for people, particularly adults, to be misdiagnosed with a mental illness before receiving a diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder(ASD). But mental illness and developmental disabilities like autism are not the same things, although many people with autism also have a mental illness.

What mental illnesses can be mistaken for autism?

Can a personality disorder be mistaken for autism?

Autism and Borderline Personality can both co-occur, or they can be misdiagnosed as one another. To the untrained eye, undiagnosed autism can easily look like BPD.

What happens if autism is misdiagnosed?

If you believe you or your child has been misdiagnosed with autism, it's important to discuss it with a doctor, your child's pediatrician, or a mental health professional. You can let your doctor know why you believe a misdiagnosis has occurred and what you think the symptoms may actually point to.

How often is autism wrongly diagnosed?

In one 2021 study , over 75% of participants received an ASD diagnosis about 8 years after their first mental health evaluation. Another study from 2019 looked at 4,498 children and found that 1,135 (25%) had symptoms of autism but didn't have an ASD diagnosis.

How is Autism Misdiagnosed | Reasons and Research | The Disorders Care

What else looks like autism?

Medical comorbidities are also commonly seen in autism spectrum disorder including PANS/PANDAS, ADD/ADHD, seizures, dental issues, sleep disturbances and gastrointestinal symptoms. The conditions listed below all exhibit similar behavioral symptoms to autism spectrum disorder.

Can anxiety symptoms mimic autism?

Autism and anxiety can have similar symptoms, such as difficulties in social situations and with routine changes. Still, they are separate, though often co-occurring, conditions. Autism is neurodevelopmental, while anxiety is a mental health condition.

What is borderline autism?

“This category should be used when there is severe and pervasive impairment in the development of reciprocal social interaction associated with impairment in either verbal or nonverbal communication skills or with the presence of stereotyped behavior, interests, and activities, but the criteria are not met for a ...

How do I know if I have autism or borderline personality disorder?

Distrust, poor empathy, and intimacy problems are common in BPD patients, often leading to difficulties in friendships and relationships. These symptoms may appear in both disorders, but typically those with autism are less defensive and are unable to read others' emotions.

How do you rule out autism?

Diagnosing autism spectrum disorder (ASD) can be difficult because there is no medical test, like a blood test, to diagnose the disorder. Doctors look at the child's developmental history and behavior to make a diagnosis. ASD can sometimes be detected at 18 months of age or younger.

Does autism show on MRI?

About 1 in 44 children are diagnosed with autism by the time they are 8 years old. Researchers say MRI scans can identify differences in the brains of fetuses that could be early indicators that a child will be diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder.

What is the most commonly misdiagnosed mental disorder?

“BPD is one of the most commonly misdiagnosed mental health conditions,” according to the National Alliance on Mental Illness.

What can mimic high functioning autism?

What personality disorder is related to autism?

The most common co-occurring personality disorder in those with autism is borderline personality disorder (BPD). Studies looking into common traits between the two found that people with ASD and BPD were significantly challenged in emotional and social functioning.

Is autism misdiagnosed as bipolar?

Doctors sometimes mistakenly diagnose autistic people with bipolar disorder because both conditions share some similar behavioral differences. Overlapping behavioral differences between ASD and bipolar disorder include: elevated or depressed mood. intense irritability.

How do I know if I am mildly autistic?

Main signs of autism

finding it hard to understand what others are thinking or feeling. getting very anxious about social situations. finding it hard to make friends or preferring to be on your own. seeming blunt, rude or not interested in others without meaning to.

What is considered a mild form of autism?

Asperger's syndrome.

This is on the milder end of the autism spectrum. A person with Asperger's may be very intelligent and able to handle their daily life. They may be really focused on topics that interest them and discuss them nonstop.

What are signs of mild autism?

Can social anxiety look like autism?

Although the cause of social difficulties in both ASD and SAD differs, many of the same symptoms are present in both disorders. Due to those with SAD being anxious in social situations, they are also likely to not speak so much, talking quietly, and may present with a less confident posture.

Can autism be misdiagnosed as anxiety and depression?

Many autistic individuals also meet the criteria for an anxiety disorder. 3 However, prior to being identified as autistic, many are told that they have anxiety rather than autism. A strong need for routine, difficulty with abrupt or unanticipated transition, and sensory meltdowns can look like an anxiety disorder.

Does anxiety medication help autism?

Some classes of drugs commonly prescribed for treating anxiety disorders in the general population likewise help some of those on the autism spectrum. These include the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) such as Prozac.

Can a child have signs of autism but not be autistic?

There are several conditions that resemble or have autism-like symptoms such as developmental delays, language disorders, motor impairments, attention-deficit, anxiety, brain injury, chromosomal abnormalities, and severe emotional and behavioral disturbance – just to name a few.

What is pseudo autism?

It describes a person who may appear to be neurotypical, but is actually autistic or neurodivergent. Now, this can technically describe many autistic people, since we tend to feel a lot of pressure to be socially appropriate or camouflage/mask our autistic traits to prevent being excluded.

Can trauma cause autism?

While autism is never caused by trauma, there may be something about living with autism that is inherently traumatic.

How can you tell if someone has high functioning autism?

Symptoms. Like all people on the autism spectrum, people who are high functioning have a hard time with social interaction and communication. They don't naturally read social cues and might find it difficult to make friends. They can get so stressed by a social situation that they shut down.