Autism spectrum, Psychiatry, and neurology

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GaryOak
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26 Sep 2011, 3:21 am

Hello there!
I have been thinking several weeks how to approach this because it's probably going to be important in a few years if I go down the medical route.
You see, I am in college right now with a major in Psychology and minor in biology, along with pre med electives. My sister is a doctor who had was also a psych major, but she did Family Practice instead. I was diagnosed with Aspergers syndrome when I was 12 and have been doing so well socially they were considering downgrading the diagnosis because I have little to no problem socializing. The only reason they are keeping it on is because it serves more as a physical handicap than a mental handicap (Loud noises, bright lights hurt pretty bad and I have zero hand-eye coordination.)

Anyways enough about my background.

I was wondering if any of you know a bit about the Psychiatry and the Neurology fields. I was thinking originally about being a Pediatric Psychiatrist that deals with Children and Adolescents with autism. BUT I have read quite a bit about the neurology field recently and they look like they are starting to merge. What I like about Neurology is that it explains things in a more scientific method than a psychiatrist. I also like that it deals with seizures, something kids with autism often have.

And again, I like the psychiatry field as well. I like how it deals with talking to patients one on one. After my parents divorced at age 12 I started to see a psychologist and I loved what he did (Now I know that he isn't a Psychiatrist, but I will get to that in one moment.) Being a person with Aspergers syndrome, I have kind of an edge in this field because I know a lot of the things were similar to what I went through. Throughout high school I was able to identify almost anyone who had aspergers syndrome and I would try to help them with some of their struggles. I had this one friend who was obsessed with Amphibians, so I let him talk to me for hours and hours about amphibians. Although my first thought was "Is this how my parents feel?! 8O I started to do something kind of like therapy with him I learned from my psychologist and talked to him about stuff and problems he had. I moved a year later unfortunately, so I wasn't able to make a more permanent friendship with him.

And the reason why I am looking into psychiatry as well is because of a bad experience I had with one along with the medicines I have been perscribed. You may have not noticed this but every profession has it's good guys and jerks and this psychiatrist wasn't the former. I was having some really bad headaches and he told me two things the second I came in:
1. Aspergers is overdiagonsed , I PERFECTLY fit the criteria for ADHD. (I was tempted to ask him if he was a psychiatric hipster.)
2. I have depression.
And yeah I had horrible reactions to the medications he gave me and he gave me way too high doses. After I was done with him I started to get better (I figured out it was the Excedrin tension I was using that had caffeine in it.)
I also had another bad experience at the hospital when they put an IV in me (for an injury) and it felt like my body was on fire. I figured out over time that people who don't understand aspergers syndrome or the autism field in general don't know how in the world to give medication to one. I have had numerous paradox effects and I was thinking about being a psychiatrist for the one on one work as well as helping find these children find the right medication without having horrible side effects they tend to have.

Anyways I was looking into a mix of the two in a new field called Neuropsychiatry. It's basically just like psychiatry but with a fellowship that further specializes in neuropsychiatry. It's a very new field but I realized in order to do the two things I love to do I will have to know both fields well. My goal is to try to find the roots of these disorders as well as to treat them, and being in this field I feel like I could do it effectively.

Anyways after that great wall of text I just posted, I had a couple of questions for you guys about this:
1. Do any of you have experience with psychologists, psychiatrists, neurologists etc? I was wondering because I want to see some common issues with each field for people with autism spectrum disorders.
2. Do any of you have any information about the neurology and psychiatry fields? I know there are some keen differences, but it seems like they are merging at a pretty rapid pace.
3. This one is more of a question for parents, but what results have you seen from some of these people in these fields?

Anyways you don't have to answer any of these if it's too private, I am just wanting to know a bit because I am really trying to figure out what career will best suit me. I still got several years to think about this, but this stuff has been bugging me for weeks now.

Also sorry for grammar or spelling arrows, it's 3:30 in the morning and I am having trouble sleeping thanks to my internal clock screwed up from studying.



Phonic
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26 Sep 2011, 3:41 am

I like your avatar

Quote:
1. Do any of you have experience with psychologists, psychiatrists, neurologists etc?


Yes, I have met many the past while,

it's mostly been a negative experience where there is a hierarchy of opinions concerning my health, my opinion always came last, it's really terrible being around people who believe they understand mental illness, autism or an array of things they learned about in school, and if you question them on it you get a wall of text as to why their opinion matters more then their patients.

The top things I am told my people in such fields are:
* you're doing brilliant
* you're not depressed, you're just moody
* you're not manic, you're just happy
* you're not happy, you're anxious
* I'm the doctor here, let me do the diagnosing (which is code for "your opinion is void")

We really don't like psychiatrists here

Quote:
2. Do any of you have any information about the neurology and psychiatry fields? I know there are some keen differences, but it seems like they are merging at a pretty rapid pace.


I doubt I know anything you don't, I can't even define either of them.

Quote:
3. This one is more of a question for parents, but what results have you seen from some of these people in these fields?


I'm not a parent, I'm a patient and i think my opinion is paramount. it's been a year this month since starting and no improvments yet. I've actually deteriorated.


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Surfman
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26 Sep 2011, 7:14 am

I sense you have a bright and shining career in any one of the healing arts that you care to choose, maybe even two or three healing arts



GaryOak
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27 Sep 2011, 7:33 am

Back from class

Phonic wrote:
I like your avatar

Quote:
1. Do any of you have experience with psychologists, psychiatrists, neurologists etc?


Yes, I have met many the past while,

it's mostly been a negative experience where there is a hierarchy of opinions concerning my health, my opinion always came last, it's really terrible being around people who believe they understand mental illness, autism or an array of things they learned about in school, and if you question them on it you get a wall of text as to why their opinion matters more then their patients.

The top things I am told my people in such fields are:
* you're doing brilliant
* you're not depressed, you're just moody
* you're not manic, you're just happy
* you're not happy, you're anxious
* I'm the doctor here, let me do the diagnosing (which is code for "your opinion is void")

We really don't like psychiatrists here

Quote:
2. Do any of you have any information about the neurology and psychiatry fields? I know there are some keen differences, but it seems like they are merging at a pretty rapid pace.


I doubt I know anything you don't, I can't even define either of them.

Quote:
3. This one is more of a question for parents, but what results have you seen from some of these people in these fields?


I'm not a parent, I'm a patient and i think my opinion is paramount. it's been a year this month since starting and no improvments yet. I've actually deteriorated.


thanks for the input (and I like your avatar too!)
About the third question, sorry I should have probably reworded that one. The reason why I wanted a parent to talk about it was because I was wanting to see how a child progressed because I thought they would have a harder time describing it. Of course I wanted adult feedback as well, because as an adult your feedback is the most important.

Again, sorry for not putting that in the right words, I was a bit sleepy when I did that.



Tambourine-Man
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27 Sep 2011, 12:00 pm

The DSM has got to go. Applying vague labels to sets of characteristics, without understanding the underlying, organic issues, is really very silly.

As they say, psychiatry is currently more of an art than a science.

I have benefitted enormously from psych meds, but it was a long and grueling road getting there.


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Maje
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27 Sep 2011, 1:11 pm

GaryOak wrote:
1. Do any of you have experience with psychologists, psychiatrists, neurologists etc?


I only met one psychologist and she was specialized in Aspergers. It took only 1 hour and when I left the room I was confused. She definitely didnt give me a good feeling about myself. I think she was doing a good job (except from making me feel bad), but she had a wrong view of Aspergers.

She was nervous in the end. That was really uncomfortable because I thought she would understand the condition based on experiences and that she therefore may be prepared for a conversation without any form for sugarcoating. I was wrong... and therefore I was sorry about it.

When I told her that Im totally fine, she answered that if I get depressive I can have some medication. :?:
When I asked her for advice she told me that I can search for support (money) for severe handicapped people. That was just rude. I didnt say anything to it because she was nervous.

This was my only experience and it will stay that way.

But I would consider going if someone like you is doing the job :wink: