Do People with Autism Also Have Mental Health Issues?
A case of misdiagnosis
Kyle is 20 years old, and had been misdiagnosed with social anxiety disorder when he actually had Asperger's, which is now under the "umbrella" diagnosis of autism. After the correct diagnosis, he also learned that he had generalized anxiety disorder, ADHD, a learning disability, and eventually depression.
His mother explained, "a lot of parents with younger kids remain in denial and feel it's a detriment to put a label on their child, but that does a disservice to their child. I say, embrace your child, embrace their differences - it's not necessarily a negative thing - and once you understand the clinical diagnosis, then you can actually provide them with the support and services they need."
