Borderline autism

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Do you think borderline autism should be diagnosed? I personally do not think it should be diagnosed because for a lot of them their co-morbids cause more problems than their autistic traits. They often get refused treatment for their co-morbids because of their autism label. This happened to me and it has probably happened to others. I also think that it's possible for "co-morbids" to mimic autistic traits.

I think if it would help the person out, they should, and if it wouldn't help the person out, they shouldn't.

But I don't have a strong opinion on this though. If someone gave me a better stance to take on this I might flip flop.

Yes because they are also impaired by it too. Why should they be left in the gutter just because they were not autistic enough? And I have rad that doctors have diagnosed a child with autism anyway even if they were just below the cutoff for it meaning they were close to coring autism on the test and were few points below it. I assume it means for PDD-NOS, AS, and autistic disorder and now they only have ASD now. If their problems are caused by autism, they should have the label or else change the system like give kids any help they need no matter what label they have or if they don't have one because they didn't have enough for that condition.

I don't think getting diagnosed actually helps borderline people. It may help more obvious cases, but it doesn't help borderline cases for several reasons.

1. I think being told that you are autistic will lower your confidence most of the time. When your confidence is lowered because of a label you often get stuck in a self-fulfilling prophecy.

2. It can take the focus away from the real issue. Whenever someone with an autism diagnosis has a problem they usually assume that it is autism related. That may help more severe cases, but it doesn't help borderline cases.

3. Most of the help for autistic people is made for more severe cases. Borderline cases think more like NTs than the more severe cases. Imagine an Aspie getting help meant for LFA people.

The whole diagnostic schema designed by the Psychiatric community as promulgated by the DSM-V is designed to scientifically quantify the human condition for the purposes of financial and social management. It is an artificial human construct of categories and decision trees that allow for large institutions to manage society's 'human resources'...
When helping, or assisting, or teaching is reduced to the passage of standardized tests, the meaning of being human is somehow lost...are we just all supposed to become mere cogs in the machine of society? If so, for whose benefit?

Autistic spectrum started out lower.

Autistic people think like themselves as do NT's. Autism is part of themselves. Severe cases probably have more severe sensory issues and lower executive function and autism maybe is more of themselves. The wrong solution for Aspies not getting help is to give up, not diagnose them and pretend they are NT. The correct solution for all autistic s is to give help based on individual needs. Using one solution for all people will fail each and every time be it for autism or any problem

As example of co-morbids, depression and anxiety issues are common situations for human beings in general, and perhaps somewhat more common for those of us on the spectrum.

If a doctor takes less seriously a person's symptoms of depression, anxiety, or anything else because the person's on the autism spectrum, that's a serious failure of professional competence on the part of the doctor.

There should be a way to "diagnose" things that aren't impairments, beyond putting them in the patient notes. For example, environmental: Being a first generation immigrant; going through a divorce; being a foster child, being a war veteran. Or physical differences that don't change psychology and neurology, such as color-blindness, a physical-only disability (for example a spinal cord injury or a missing limb), or a difference in appearance like obesity or albinism. Or psychological things that are relevant to treatment, but are also not diagnosable as impairments--a minority sexual orientation, giftedness, an extremely introverted or extroverted personality, membership in a particular subculture, the effects of grief, being a combat veteran, or being an abuse survivor. Subclinical autistic traits are one of those things that aren't diagnosable as a disorder, but are still relevant to treatment when you're trying to get help for something else.

Look at my test results in my sig.

I've suspected "borderline autism" (believe I even used that term) since I was in my 20s. Never thought I could do anything about it, until my doctor insisted I go to a therapist again, and the therapist (no prompting from me) saw signs of autism on the second appointment, and insisted I get evaluated.

This got me to WANTING a diagnosis, now that I knew it might be possible.

An online quiz that said a score of 32 or higher pointed to autism.

I scored 31.

What does that say? Sure doesn't make me sound NT.

If you look at the graphic from my aspie quiz results, it's obvious I am NOT neurotypical. No way.

I'm not quite autistic, either. (At least not as much as even HFA people usually are.) And yet, if there are autistic elements to how my brain works, does that or does it not place me on the spectrum?

How could it not?

High functioning, but still on the spectrum.

I need to hear an expert say that. After all this time, and after recently getting my hopes up that my suspicions CAN be confirmed...

Yeah, it should be diagnosed.

I have a right to be able to put a name on what it is that makes me different and absolutely NOT "NT".

Wouldn't borderline autism be something like Asperger's Syndrome as Autism with Type I dependence? In that case then it should be diagnosable. Anything to help people understand what makes them tick.

I like you, League Girl.

Last edited by Sethno on 23 Feb 2014, 10:06 pm, edited 1 time in total.

I am not talking about Asperger's. I am talking about people who are practically NT, but get diagnosed with autism or Asperger's anyways.

Robin's point, tho, is valid.

If someone is impaired by their "borderline" autism, they ARE impaired. I know I sure am. Don't leave us out in the cold just because others are more impaired. We've got feelings and needs too. If it's autistic impairment, albeit limited, then call it what it is.

^^^
I agree, if someone is clearly impaired in their daily functioning by borderline ASD symptoms then they should get a diagnosis of borderline autism spectrum disorder and receive help. Borderline Intellectual Disability is diagnosed and that's also a developmental disorder.

Last edited by daydreamer84 on 23 Feb 2014, 10:15 pm, edited 1 time in total.

But are they really NT if they also have any neurological impairments?