My Psychiatrist has had his license suspended

Yes @KirSa_EnigmA I'm hearing you. No need to apologise. Your reflections and questions are valid and speak to my reality.

It's refreshing to read them and ponder. Please keep posting as and when you're inclined.

Your journey interests me as I feel mine has been atypical too - a diversion into a BPD diagnosis midway before the bipolar diagnosis was given. I don't "identify" as my diagnosis but recognise the efficacy of my med, despite its side effects. I think cptsd and neurodivergence are likely.

Enjoy your weekend.

Hi @Dimity

A quick update.

I received new diagnoses last week and confirmation of old ones, from the psychologist I've been seeing recently. I'm sharing below - it's as much for me to tell someone as it is to offer any insight or assurance to you in appreciation.

I've deleted anything personally identifying and left it bare bones. The entire document was quite long.

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Autism Spectrum Disorder (299.00, F84.0) - New diagnosis. Meets diagnostic criteria across multiple validated autism assessment tools (AQ, CATI, RAADS-R), with consistent evidence of persistent deficits in social communication and interaction, and restricted, repetitive patterns of behaviour, interests, or activities. Symptoms were present in early development and cause clinically significant impairment in functioning.

Complex Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (ICD-11: 6B41) - New diagnosis. Meets ITQ criteria for both PTSD symptom clusters and Disturbances in Self Organization, consistent with prolonged or repeated traumatic experiences including childhood bullying, social rejection, and chronic interpersonal difficulties.

Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder - Previously diagnosed, confirmed as ongoing with current medication management.

Alcohol Use Disorder, in sustained remission - Historical diagnosis with current sustained remission of over one year.

Differential diagnostic considerations include the relationship between autism, ADHD, and trauma presentations. The personality disorder traits identified on assessment appear better understood within the context of autism and complex trauma rather than as primary personality pathology.

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This presents things in a more accurate manner, I think. So that is somewhat relieving.

My next steps are to do more work on handling the emotional experiences associated with my past. Probably wasn't necessary to get the diagnosis to do that, but it feels much more productive (and proactive?) to have this context as a backdrop - since it's my style to 'understand' everything before (instead of? ha!) dealing with it.

I hope you're well, and thank you again, sincerely, for following me through this recent up and down. I do feel much better now than I did these past few months. I'm quite sure this has helped.

Hello @KirSa_EnigmA .

I'm impressed at the time and effort you and your psychologist invested in achieving these diagnoses. Thanks for sharing them.

I'm glad if there's some sense of relief and perhaps empowerment through the deeper understanding of where you've come from. I wonder if the ASD and ADHD fed into the c-ptsd you experienced. It's good your psychologist doesn't dwell on personality "deficits" or "disorders" but sees your presentation in the context of your principal diagnoses. Big congratulations on being in remission from AUD.

I'm not sure where my psychiatrist sits regarding c-ptsd. I know it's not recognised in DSMV. I've had other people suggest I may be on the autism spectrum but I haven't been assessed.

Will your psychologist be offering any trauma-informed therapies? I guess diagnostic skills and clinical training in appropriate modalities don't necessarily coincide.

It's interesting your ADHD is confirmed, and you'll be continuing with those meds, contra the bipolar 1 idea. Did the psychologist offer any insight into psychoses you may have experienced?

I trust your work and home life aren't complicating things unnecessarily with stressors. (I've got a lot happening at present and am not confident I'll get through and stay clear of a mixed state).

I'm very touched that you reached out and trusted me with this news. I do hope things continue to go well for you.