What's the benefit to being diagnosed?

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Hello. I'm new here and to posting period. I've never felt I could fit into any of the popular discussions. I tried once and was quickly flamed. Not really something I'm intereseted in.

I've always thought something was wrong with me. I just did not understand the world as others apparently did. It could have been many different things but Anxiety seemed to fit the best. It was not a complete answer. SSRIs were a bad idea. Anti-anxiety meds helped with the social anxiety.

My daughter and my nephews acted like me and my brothers when we were little. Isn't this normal? My wife didn't think so. Maybe my daughter has the same anxiety as me. That means her problem is nature not nurture. But it didn't fit.

Recently, my wife came up with Asperger's Syndrome. Might of heard of it once on TV but since it is in the autistic spectrum, I probably thought that "I'm not autistic", and never gave it another thought.

My wife read an article about a woman married to a man with AS and, I admit, it sounded like us. The next day I wiki'd it and was stunned with what I read. It described so many symptoms I had, it seemed it was written about me. A link there brought me here.

It seemed great. I took a questionare and it said I was an Aspie. I scored 177/200 AS, 32/200 NT. I see here that many are professionally diagnosed. Many are self diagnosed. For my daughters sake, I thought that I should get professionally diagnosed myself.

Maybe it's my anxiety, but I wonder if that's a good idea. Of course, getting good help for my daughter is paramount. But there is no cure. Getting her diagnosed may help get her the special education she will require. But me? I have heard horror stories about our children services. I suppose they believe they do the right thing but it worries me that if the schools or some bleeding heart liberal found out that I had it, would they take my kid? It happens. It may be that it requires extenuating circumstances for them to do that, but what are they? Something may be normal in a NT household but would it be given the same consideration in an AS?

I'm going to hold off on getting myself diagnosed. I may be missing something important but I've lived 40 years with this. I can deal with it. Following this site may give me the answers I'm looking for.

Welcome to WP!

Tim

Hi, if anything, a DX will give you 'closure' as to who you are, why you are. However it is a personal decision, you dont need someone else to necessarily tell you who you are, as most aspies are logical, introspective and analytical, not given to make rash decisions, so you may well be just as settled working it out for yourself. After all, no one knows you better than you do; the DX isn't a pass or fail test. I am 37 and only recently professionaly DX'd after I had a similar experience to the one you described. I just wanted a profesional opinion.
My son is also on the spectrum and is in the process of assessment here in the UK. No-one has tried to take him away, he just needs a little more understanding, support and structure.

I'm self DXed, officaly DXed as Bipolar, it's incorrect. I'm also 57. For me it was a huge breath of fresh air, things about me, my past all of a sudden made sense. As far as a professional DX, well, if it is a problem, still, getting through the day to day, having a good /correct DX can give some meds a direction. Bipolar and AS, often share the same meds, so as far as the name tag, it doesn't matter to me. Personly I don't care what they tag me, I know what fits, they don't have a clue. Nor could I begin to explain 57 years of coping with it and what this thing called me, has become. I choose to look at it as a gift. I think I have skills that come with this that others will never catch a clue about. Sure, we know about the down sides, but for me, I choose to embrace the positive. Something to also think about, AS often comes with "friends". In my case I'm deslixic, have a form of PTSD and probably am a bit bipolar, also a poor speller, but i can't blame it all on AS

Welcome to WP.

Many different people here. We're not all the same, we come in degrees. From the older to the younger. many insights, many tried coping skills, some worked some didn't. Some who have kids with AS and have insights. Move around a bit, this isn't a "normal" site in many ways. Because you have been "different" all your life, I would consider your daughter very lucky. Many of us didn't have parents that had any idea this thing even existed. Like I said, it isn't all dismal for your daughter, here you can learn about what course you might choose to consider.

Welcome to WP.

Hi, welcome to Wrong Planet! I have been flamed here, but the Moderators put those fires out pretty quickly. We all have a right to give our opinions a go, and once we put those out there, we should not be surprised if someone else has an opinion about it too.



this is pretty interesting, as it was quite conservative legislation and a very moral and upright State Agency that removed my daughter from my custody for me being 'wayward' and 'unstable'. It was the bleeding heart liberals that rallied to help me keep her. Alas, the State had it's way, and I have never seen her again.
It is a very real risk, LG.



I am pushing 60 and I found out I was AS last October. It has changed my life - no less than that. Since there is virtually nothing, zero, zip, nada for people over 18 I suggest you help yourself by shadowing your daughter's education and applying it to yourself. What a wonderful resource! I wish you the best!


POSTIE: Good to see you back on WP! and wouldn't you know it? It's TUESDAY!

Merle

_________________________
I believe in the future we will suffer no more,
maybe not in my lifetime, but in yours I feel sure.
Paul Simon

Welcome to WrongPlanet

You'll be able to look down on those of us who are self-diagnosed or otherwise undiagnosed and dismiss us as "fake aspies". But don't play that card too quickly; keep it in your back pocket for when someone annoys you.

[I'm just kidding, I've actually never seen a "fake aspie" accusation; but I'm just a noob skimmer.]

Welcome, friend. Whatever you decide, godspeed on your journey.

Good fortune,

- Icarus the Diagnoser

I just took the test, 158 out of 200 and 37-200 NT, And you know what my fears are the EXACT same as yours,Single mother of a 6 year old autistic daughter and shes my joy in life and i'd rather keep this all between all of us than get a "Formal Diagonsis" and risk anything. If I really AM an aspie, I'v suffered thru and gotten by this long, and we're gonna just keep on keeping on.

it's true, we are our best advocates for what is best for us.

"onward, through the fog" as Oat Willie would say!

Merle


____________-
"I believe in the future we will suffer no more,
maybe not in my lifetime, but in yours, I feel sure."
Paul Simon