What's in a name?

Abstract: This essay reflects on my mental health journey that began when I first received a diagnosis of bipolar II disorder at age 18. After countless ineffective treatments and conflicting diagnoses over the course of my young adult years, by the time I was 23, I feared that my condition would never improve. However, a family members’ autism diagnosis prompted me to pursue an assessment myself. After two years on a waitlist, I received a diagnosis of Level 1 Autism Spectrum Disorder, which changed my perception of myself and led to a massively improved quality of life. This transformative experience showed me the importance of informed and compassionate care, and the need for a more nuanced understanding of mental health conditions and the language used to describe them.