Why is there so little understanding of autism by most MH professionals?

[Steel Maiden]

I have Asperger's syndrome (as well as schizophrenia) which is an autism spectrum disorder.

My (consultant!) psych literally had to look up Asperger's because she barely knew anything about it!

Autism spectrum disorders are pretty common so why is there so little understanding of it in the MH profession?

AS affects my mental health and especially the way I cope.

I nearly kicked off in the day area due to sensory overload and people coming too close to me. I then went mute and the nurses got pissed off with me for being "difficult"!

Although my social worker is very knowledgeable about AS as she read up on it immediately as she saw my diagnosis of it.

But the consultant psych on this ward says things to me, which I take very literally, and it turns out that he doesn't keep his word, which has made me extremely anxious and I've even kicked off as a result.

[startingagain]

I suppose because it isn't a MH issue, although you'd hope anyone with medical experience would have an understanding. Could you put together a short leaflet that explains it briefly followed by your specific sensory needs and what they can do to support you?

[**kleechy**]

I think that is terrible that they dont know about ASD, & AS , How did you get diagnosed with it ?
psychologist or something ?
I read up the other day that a psychiatrist or a psychologist can diagnose an ASD , ?
So surely a psychiatrist should have some idea about it !
I have an interest in asd and its a very interesting subject :)
how does it effect you in day to day life ?

[Steel Maiden]

Thanks all.

I have, in the past, got my friend to print off leaflets about AS and autism and got my social worker to give them out to the staff (as they were not being understanding at all). Yet last night a nurse was a total bitch to me when I temporarily went mute due to bad sensory overload.

I am hoping my psych has educated herself by now. The psych here is trying I suppose.

I got diagnosed by an adolescent psych and then confirmed by an educational psychologist.

My main problems are understanding hidden social rules and sensory problems. I have a list of algorithms in my head about social rules but they don't always work....

The police officer that visited my house over a month ago about a complaint (I've been sectioned by the police several times) and he was really happy to educate his officers about autism.

But I don't know why the nurses are so resistant to learning about it.

[Bellatrix]

I think one of the problems is autism is seen by some as a learning difficulty rather than a MH problem. So they just think, 'oh, not my area, don't need to know anything.'

But regardless of it's place in health care it should still be understood! Silly.

[24601]

Unfortunately ASD is just not recognised by many people (wrongly I may add) as a 'real' diagnosis or else is simply not understood and people can't be bothered with learning about it and think it's far easier to think along the lines of "I can't see anything wrong with that person, they can behave 'normally' (i.e. non-ASD) they're just using an excuse".

It is stupid that people don't know and understand more about it, especially in the MH profession.

[Steel Maiden]

Thank you for your input, I think you are right - as autism is not a psychiatric disorder, it is a neurological disorder. However it does make MH problems harder to deal with.

[Steel Maiden]

Quote:

Originally Posted by GuardianKitten

How obserant are you? If you're able to, maybe you can watch more closely what's going on around you, and respond as others are.

Sorry but I don't understand. Can you elaborate?

[akita]

Maybe it's because they aren't trained in such an illness?

[Steel Maiden]

That is the main reason I think. But it depends on the profession, OTs seem to to know a fair amount about it but psychs are not so good at it.

[shadow-light]

I have never thought about this before! I think it may be in part due to it being seen as a learning disorder and so people think "it's not my area".


I have just started studying psychology (with aim of being a forensic psychology) and I've looked through my course and disorders of the autism spectum don't come up at all :/ so inspired by your thread I just registered on an extra module entitled "understanding the autism spectrum"

[startingagain]

Whilst some people with autism might also have a learning disorder, autism in itself isn't a learning disorder.

[Argonite]

It is definitely a bit strange that so few people seem to know much about it. I guess it's because as you said it's not a psychiatric disorder. It's not really quite a learning disorder either. I don't think anybody knows quite where to place it! I agree that it needs to be understood more because although it's not a mental problem it can as you said make other things harder to deal with and comorbid conditions and so on aren't that uncommon.

I'm diagnosed with Asperger's but not anything else and in truth not many people even know what it is. Somebody working in the autistic spectrum area told me that there are rumours there'll be no "Asperger's" category in the DSM-V, and that people will be just diagnosed as having an "autistic spectrum disorder". Not quite sure if that's true though. Sorry for being a little off topic ;)

Hope you're doing okay and that people working with you try and at least read up on it a bit more!

[Steel Maiden]

Quote:

Originally Posted by shadow-light

I have never thought about this before! I think it may be in part due to it being seen as a learning disorder and so people think "it's not my area".


I have just started studying psychology (with aim of being a forensic psychology) and I've looked through my course and disorders of the autism spectum don't come up at all :/ so inspired by your thread I just registered on an extra module entitled "understanding the autism spectrum"

That's probably it. That's awful that autism doesn't come up. Sigh. I'm glad taht you signed up to the module, it sounds very interesting. Do tell me how it goes.

Quote:

Originally Posted by startingagain

Whilst some people with autism might also have a learning disorder, autism in itself isn't a learning disorder.

That's true.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Forest Rose

It is definitely a bit strange that so few people seem to know much about it. I guess it's because as you said it's not a psychiatric disorder. It's not really quite a learning disorder either. I don't think anybody knows quite where to place it! I agree that it needs to be understood more because although it's not a mental problem it can as you said make other things harder to deal with and comorbid conditions and so on aren't that uncommon.

I'm diagnosed with Asperger's but not anything else and in truth not many people even know what it is. Somebody working in the autistic spectrum area told me that there are rumours there'll be no "Asperger's" category in the DSM-V, and that people will be just diagnosed as having an "autistic spectrum disorder". Not quite sure if that's true though. Sorry for being a little off topic ;)

Hope you're doing okay and that people working with you try and at least read up on it a bit more!

Yes - I've heard of the "autism spectrum disorder" classification in the DSM-V. I'm not sure how I feel about that, I have mixed views.

I'm trying to educate professionals that deal with my problems about autism/Asperger's. However when I got my OT to talk to the nurses about it, the nurses still didn't treat me accordingly.

I'm ok, thanks.

Quote:

Originally Posted by GuardianKitten

Mimicing the reactions of people around you to certain situations? Or does that fall into "mental social algorithms that don't always work"?
I applogize if I'm being redundant, math is NOT my subject


That kind of makes sense. The one is working with getting people functioning in society, which definately includes autism spectrum disorders, while the other covers psycological disorders which aren't necessarily related.

I do mimic people quite a bit, especially in sayings and phrases, but I am trying to stop myself from doing that unless I understand the phrase. It's ok.

That's definitely true - I think OTs are actually taught about autism as that often needs significant Occupational Therapy to gain independence.

[Imperfect.Star]

I think it is much more commonly treated by CAMHS than adult services. That's not really an excuse, any doctor should know a little about it and I'm sorry they don't. I do think however that even if you know something about Autism/Aspergers it is still sometimes difficult to know exactly how to interact with someone with it, especially if you don't know the individual well.

[Steel Maiden]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Downside

I think it is much more commonly treated by CAMHS than adult services. That's not really an excuse, any doctor should know a little about it and I'm sorry they don't. I do think however that even if you know something about Autism/Aspergers it is still sometimes difficult to know exactly how to interact with someone with it, especially if you don't know the individual well.

I agree. CAMHS actually addressed it when I was with them. There is a common misconception that "autism/Asperger's only affects children". Well, what does a child with autism become when s/he grows into an adult?

Thanks.

It can be hard to interact, from what my friends have said, my social skills are rather different to those of people who aren't on the spectrum. I tend to ramble about things a lot.

[shadow-light]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Forest Rose

I guess it's because as you said it's not a psychiatric disorder. It's not really quite a learning disorder either. I don't think anybody knows quite where to place it!

I think that it's classed as a developmental disorder, I'm not 100% on that though so need to check

[Steel Maiden]

It is a developmental disorder according the DSM-IV.

[Bellatrix]

Yep Autism is considered to be a Developmental Disability and a Pervasive Developmental Disorder

[Steel Maiden]

Thanks MeaCulpa.

Some of the nurses on the ward have told me off when I've gone mute. How am I supposed to explain it to them?