Questioning My Mental Health Diagnoses

It's quite common for ADHD to have several comorbidities, which is something doctors frustratingly still don't seem to understand. My primary advice would be finding articles and other sources on the subject to better explain your symptoms to a doctor and maybe even help you find someone. ADDtitude Magazine is a wonderful resource covering many aspects of ADHD and its comorbidities. There are many articles on the site, but here are a couple articles to get you started and hopefully provide some guidance. Best of luck my friend. "ADHD and Adult Autism: Symptoms, Diagnosis & Interventions for Both" https://www.additudemag.com/adult-autism-symptoms-adhd/ "Is It Just ADHD? Comorbidities That Unlock an Accurate Mental Health Diagnosis" https://www.additudemag.com/mental-health-diagnosis-adhd-comorbidities/ "Comorbid Considerations Q&A: Treating Bipolar Disorder, Depression, Anxiety, or Autism Alongside ADHD" https://www.additudemag.com/treating-bipolar-disorder-depression-anxiety-autism-with-adhd/

I don't have a BPD diagnosis, but I will say that my ADHD diagnosis was very sudden and more simple than I would have liked. I wish doctors and psychiatrists would take a moment to consider all of your symptoms and give a well rounded idea of what the issue(s) could be. I also suspect I have ASD but no doctors will give me the time of day when I say so because "I don't seem autistic". If the doctors make you uncomfortable, I suggest finding new doctors even if it's very difficult. But also consider what an ASD diagnosis would do for you. For myself, an ASD diagnosis wouldn't do much except help my doctors fully understand my mental state. (Plus it can be very expensive) There is no medication/treatment for ASD and honestly not very many accommodations for autistic people. For some people, those few accommodations might make the difference for a much more comfortable lifestyle, though!

Sending love friend ❤️ If it isn’t an unfortunately classic case of doctor dismissal :( I was diagnosed with a personality disorder, bipolar disorder, and ADHD through a psych evaluation that I sought out on my own to see if I was autistic. When I voiced my doubts to them (backed up by heavy research on my end) upon hearing the results of them saying I was not autistic and showed concerns that screening efforts to account for masking were not used, they told me that I could “now use all that energy and time researching to read about what I ACTUALLY have” and dismissed me heavily. Fast forward to now, I trusted myself and finally have a formal diagnosis from a specialized doctor who deals with masking cases a lot. All this to say, dont give up and trust your judgement! You know yourself best, better than any doctor’s idea of you that has had limited time to know you. Continue doing research and learning, self diagnosis is perfectly accepted within the ASD community from my experience for this very reason, people having limited access to formal diagnosis for varying reasons. Best of luck and I hope everything works out ❤️

Keep searching for doctors who are willing to help you and do your best to self advocate! ASD and ADHD have many overlapping symptoms so theres a solid chance you could have both.