Why is Aspergers classed as a MH issue?

[ajl]

I've just got a diagnosis of ASD and I'm definatly at the high functioning end. The diagnosis comes after a string of MH issues including being sectioned and given unhelpful labels like borderline personality disorder ( when I was just having a meltdown)

 

But I was wondering:

 

Aspergers is an issue like diabetes or dyslexic or any other physical disease or illness you can mention so why is in dumped under the care of the Mental Health services?

From experience MH services know very little about ASD, they are ok with the classical MH diagnosis but from how I have been treated they are rubbish and cause me lots of unnecessary stress when I am "in their care".

 

I see the psychiatrist to manage my other MH issues but do I see them about ASD because ASD is "all in your head" and doctors as of yet don't understand how it works, there is no hard image of someone you can take to prove someone has ASD its just someone elses option.

 

 

[Confused Traveller]

I think I read that it's possible to get a 90% accurate diagnosis with an MRI scan, but it seems that the only way it's actually diagnosed is through a box ticking exercise and the opinion of a psychologist. It seems to be the system that causes the associated mental health problems, and the system that makes ASD a mental health issue!

 

I've still got several months to go before I get my diagnosis, or not!

[trekster]

The problem is Aspergers doesnt fit into any boxes neatly that the council have for care services. Although we have a social communication disorder there doesnt appear to be a suitable category for this.

 

Learning disability in some circles is still IQ of below about a certain level (which isnt even average), which aspergers is excluded on those grounds.

 

Mental health doesnt fit either because no meds or therapies can cure or correct aspergers, although some claim to alleviate it.

[Charlie C]

I personally think people put too much emphasise on the Aspergers label and contribute all their mental health difficulties primarily within the confines of the diagnosis.

 

Aspergers now formally under the ASD umbrella is fundamentally a social communication disorder where the IQ is determined to be over 70 permitting a learning disability diagnosis and not warranting learning disability services, then people become under genetic mental health services. I think any psychiatrist would be able to distinguish between ASD and BPD even a dual diagnosis.

[Livelife]

I believe the two are going to be linked together the only difference is where ASD begins and MH becomes relative to the condition. This will most probably be different with every individual and there will be no specific pattern that will define everybody. The well known fact is that every autistic person will be different while sharing specific traits or behaviour patterns but that does not make the same. The same can be said of MH it is going to vary between individuals and you have to take every individual case on merit.

There is a connection but not necessarily in all cases, there are people with MH issues who are not on the spectrum and autistic people who have no specific MH issues so one perception does not relate to everybody.