this post was submitted on 29 Apr 2026
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[–] WalrusDragonOnABike@reddthat.com 17 points 3 days ago (7 children)

So weighted blanket companies are conspiring to get doctors to diagnose autism?

[–] turdas@suppo.fi -1 points 3 days ago (6 children)

I don't know about autism, but there is definitely some of that going on with ADHD for which medical treatment is much more common than for autism.

Autism patients do get prescription meds too, not for autism per se but for the various associated comorbidities (depression, anxiety, sleep meds, etc.). That's all fine and good when there's a genuine need for them; the problem is that big pharma has a business interest in making the barrier of prescription as low as possible.

[–] WalrusDragonOnABike@reddthat.com 12 points 3 days ago (5 children)

Did you know water drinkers also get prescription meds too? Not for drinking water per se but for the various associated comorbidities with living....

I'm still confused how this is some indictment of autism diagnosis when it seems your issue has nothing to do with autism? Yet the campaign is specifically about autism. Not over-diagnosis of ADHD or depression or anxiety. Why does the one "mental disorder" that doesn't actually have medical interventions seem to have some of the strongest negative reactions?

[–] lifeinlarkhall@lemmy.world 3 points 2 days ago

Exactly. It's targeted. All medical conditions have some level of misdiagnosis. Mental illness and developmental disabilities. But people love to just zero in one diagnosis for this discussion which means it's targeted and there's an agenda behind it.

Nobody is getting an autism diagnosis to back up their comorbidities of depression and anxiety to get medication. If anything, people having a diagnosis of depression and anxiety is going to be a reason autism gets overlooked. If you want medication, you aren't going to go through an autism assessment (cost, time, stress, etc) and then be like "oh yeah you know how I'm autistic, don't you think that means I am depressed too? Pills please!" If that's your thing you'd just go for the depression.

Autism has zero benefit trying to obtain medication and actually is LESS likely to go straight for medication because if you're autistic then the first thing to do is make sure you're not overloading yourself and managing your sensory issues and such before even determining IF there's a reason to try drugs. Autisms first line of defense is environmental factors, self care, learning how to manage your energy and capacity, accommodations. The last resort is medication. Ffs I wish people would have a clue what they're talking about sometimes.

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