I was diagnosed as psychotic
Key Points:
- Sabrina Bahsoon, a Malaysian-born TikTok influencer known as "Tube Girl," was hospitalized for four months after sudden psychosis episodes, later diagnosed as anti-NMDA receptor encephalitis, a rare autoimmune disease.
- Her symptoms began abruptly after filming a video, leading to erratic behavior, hospitalization, and a psychosis diagnosis before her father insisted on further testing that revealed an ovarian teratoma triggering the condition.
- Anti-NMDAR encephalitis often mimics psychiatric illnesses, making it difficult to diagnose, especially in young women, and Bahsoon's case highlights the risk of misdiagnosis and delayed treatment in autoimmune diseases presenting with psychiatric symptoms.
- After tumor removal surgery and immunotherapy, Bahsoon is recovering but faces memory loss and emotional trauma, emphasizing the importance of advocacy and thorough medical evaluation for similar symptoms.
- Bahsoon urges others experiencing psychosis symptoms to seek comprehensive testing to avoid misdiagnosis and receive appropriate treatment, reflecting on her experience and the hospital's delayed diagnosis apology.