What kind of a shrink doesnt get this??

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lazamb_girl
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31 Oct 2012, 12:53 pm

Today was my first psychotherapy session. I prepared notes diligently (ok they were 6 sides of A4 long) and went to her. Well I was asked my problems. Some of the stuff I told her are (Almost word to word):
1. I have the strong need to be alone after being with people.. however close I am to them. I can take people for a period of 3-4 hours but after that I need to be alone. When asked whether to digest the past conversations or something, I said No. No reason. I just Have to go. I have this feeling even with my boy friend. It is not because I cant concentrate after that time window or anything. The whole scenario could also be pleasant and with nice people. But the trigger to be alone is not external.I just feel that way.
SHE SAYS SHE DOES NOT KNOW WHAT I HAVE..A FEW HOURS ON THE INTERNET AND ANYONE SHOULD KNOW I AM AN INTROVERT RIGHT??? I tried my best not to throw in the clinical terms which I have read online.

I also told her about instances in college where I have learned social protocols with a feed back loop. Many times, my friends would tell me "Do not talk like that..others don't like it". I also told her about a fixed rule I follow: Dont do to others what you wouldn't like to be done to you. Then I rambled on about my other problem for which I need a solution anyway. I have been breaking my head over this. I ruminate about things always and so on. I gave her instances where I also prepare in my head for conversations and social situations before hand. I go over various scenarios in my head and think of appropriate responses I would give for all those.

I also told her sometimes I do initiate conversations and talk to people. But after a few conversations they ignore me and I do not know why. I go over the possible reasons over and over in my head and then i get tired and give up.

Then I told her I want to get tested for Autism Spectrum. She said people would always have it and it doesnt suddenly crop up. and those who are on the autism spectrum do not feel anything and they intellectually learnt everything. But HOW THE F*** WOULD SHE KNOW I DIDNT LEARN IT INTELLECTUALLY BUT I KNOW IT INTUITIVELY WHEN SHE HAS JUST MET ME AND SPOKEN TO ME FOR LESS THAN AN HOUR??
I even told her that I feel intensely for very few people and for others I just give responses as I have seen others. But then my time was up and she was intent on chasing me out. (this part was a deja vu.. loads of ppl have chased me out literally or figuratively because they were not interested.) And then she said sleep on it and call me if u need another appointment.

Possible flaws on my part:
1. I rambled on and on about my confusions and did not focus on the key issues despite marking some points as important in the stupid notes. OK I SHOULD HAVE JUST TOLD THE IMPORTANT POINTS I WOULD WORK ON.
2.I did not rehearse the notes with time constraint in mind. Then I could have cut the clutter and focused on what I probably want answers for.
3. I did anticipate that the therapist may not be interested. But I convinced myself she would hear me out. Seems like nobody is interested anyway (Of course a therapist cant possibly care for all her patients. she wont have any energy left then)
4. I am incapable of consulting notes and talking to her coherently (after shutting my mind) simultaneously.

I have a back up appointment next for which I would prepare a smaller concise list and raise only a few points.

If you think I did something else wrong, tell me. Maybe I would work on it and rehearse a million times so that i can convince someone that i need some kind of help though I do not know what kind exactly.


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lazamb_girl
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31 Oct 2012, 12:55 pm

Maybe it was a mistake to get a diagnosis and help.I should stick to myself and think about everything over and over with myself and hope for an epiphany.


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Aspie Quiz: Aspie :130/200;NT score: 72/200;You are very likely an Aspie. Alexithymia test :135


Mindsigh
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31 Oct 2012, 1:10 pm

I have had a similar problem. I just gave up, since it wouldn't probably make any difference in my treatment or in my living situation. My psychiatrist told me that he's "seen autistic people and you are nothing like them." He said I'm depressed and have mild ADD. If he'd seen (or smelled) the preteen me, he'd have said something else, I bet. :roll:

Maybe you could try to find out who in your area has experience with autistic adults and try to make an appointment. Where are you from?


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lazamb_girl
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31 Oct 2012, 1:12 pm

Mindsigh wrote:
I have had a similar problem. I just gave up, since it wouldn't probably make any difference in my treatment or in my living situation. My psychiatrist told me that he's "seen autistic people and you are nothing like them." He said I'm depressed and have mild ADD. If he'd seen (or smelled) the preteen me, he'd have said something else, I bet. :roll:

Maybe you could try to find out who in your area has experience with autistic adults and try to make an appointment. Where are you from?


May I pm u my location? I do not want to put too much details here.


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AQ- 37/EQ : 15/SQ : 44/ BAP : Autistic/BAP (120 aloof, 104 rigid and 92 pragmatic)
Aspie Quiz: Aspie :130/200;NT score: 72/200;You are very likely an Aspie. Alexithymia test :135


League_Girl
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31 Oct 2012, 1:14 pm

You failed to mention the poor coordination part, the sensory issues, routines and difficult with change, stimming, problems reading social cues and body language, problems getting jokes, taking things literal.

From the sound of your post, it only sounds like you only mentioned needing to be alone after being with people for 3-4 hours and how you try and have a conversation and people just ignore you and how others tell you to not talk like that and how you have to prepare conversations. That isn't enough for an autism diagnoses and it doesn't always mean someone has an ASD or traits of it.


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lazamb_girl
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31 Oct 2012, 1:19 pm

League_Girl wrote:
You failed to mention the poor coordination part, the sensory issues, routines and difficult with change, stimming, problems reading social cues and body language, problems getting jokes, taking things literal.

From the sound of your post, it only sounds like you only mentioned needing to be alone after being with people for 3-4 hours and how you try and have a conversation and people just ignore you and how others tell you to not talk like that and how you have to prepare conversations. That isn't enough for an autism diagnoses and it doesn't always mean someone has an ASD or traits of it.


This is just the first meeting. And I also had other personal problems which I probably spoke too much about. I definitely do not have proper Autism. I probably have asperger's syndrome which still falls under the Autism spectrum. Well ya i did not mention that I have tics. But I gave her my test scores in EQ, SQ and ASQ.
I did not expect a diagnosis in one meeting. But I thought she didn't even give me a chance. She immediately assumed classic autism and told me I do not have it. I told her I know that.
EDIT: Anyway I not too upset about not gaining her attention about ASD but rather how she cannot get that I am an introvert.
And anyway I suck at talking about myself


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AQ- 37/EQ : 15/SQ : 44/ BAP : Autistic/BAP (120 aloof, 104 rigid and 92 pragmatic)
Aspie Quiz: Aspie :130/200;NT score: 72/200;You are very likely an Aspie. Alexithymia test :135


Sweetleaf
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31 Oct 2012, 3:12 pm

Well was it a therapist/counseler, psychologist or psychiatrist? If it was a therapist/counseler it would make since they don't know much in detail about all the mental illnesses. If it was a psychologist or psychiatrist they should certainly be more well versed in such things but sometimes they still feel its best for one to go to a specialist of a specific disorder to have it diagnosed than diagnose it themselves.


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2wheels4ever
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01 Nov 2012, 12:44 am

I'm getting the 'you seem very high functioning for Asperger's, if you in fact do have it' number myself. What happens all too often is that I'll have a series of questions or statements I plan to bring up, and then I'll get completely detoured by the therapist commenting on something I said 2 visits ago. On this last appointment she asked if I consider myself to be depressed with anxiety or anxious with depression. The fact that I had to spend at least a full minute to answer, you would think gives off a clue. I'm trying to stay pertinent to issues that interfere with my life and it is of the therapist's opinion that my self esteem needs a boost. I provided a printout of my most recent AQ (39) and she didn't even know that anything over 30 is a strong likelihood of having AS.


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lazamb_girl
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01 Nov 2012, 3:48 am

2wheels4ever wrote:
I'm getting the 'you seem very high functioning for Asperger's, if you in fact do have it' number myself. What happens all too often is that I'll have a series of questions or statements I plan to bring up, and then I'll get completely detoured by the therapist commenting on something I said 2 visits ago. On this last appointment she asked if I consider myself to be depressed with anxiety or anxious with depression. The fact that I had to spend at least a full minute to answer, you would think gives off a clue. I'm trying to stay pertinent to issues that interfere with my life and it is of the therapist's opinion that my self esteem needs a boost. I provided a printout of my most recent AQ (39) and she didn't even know that anything over 30 is a strong likelihood of having AS.


Do you think it is a good idea for me to take a print out of a test to the next psychologist I am seeing? Or is it pushing too far in the first meeting?

Sweetleaf wrote:
Well was it a therapist/counseler, psychologist or psychiatrist? If it was a therapist/counseler it would make since they don't know much in detail about all the mental illnesses. If it was a psychologist or psychiatrist they should certainly be more well versed in such things but sometimes they still feel its best for one to go to a specialist of a specific disorder to have it diagnosed than diagnose it themselves.

She was a psychotherapist. But the next one I am going to seems to have experience in clinical psychology as well. I hope she is better.


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AQ- 37/EQ : 15/SQ : 44/ BAP : Autistic/BAP (120 aloof, 104 rigid and 92 pragmatic)
Aspie Quiz: Aspie :130/200;NT score: 72/200;You are very likely an Aspie. Alexithymia test :135


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01 Nov 2012, 2:40 pm

Its all about the specialist you visit. You need to research and find the ones that have experience and specialize in AS/Autism disorders. Its the same as with a doctor...you would not trust your general physician to treat you for heart problems..you get referred to a cardiologist.

If you are in florida or near central florida I can give you the contact info of a therapist that has decade+ of experience with AS..even a family member with AS. I spoke to several shrinks on and off for years and they were clueless. This therapist in the first visit figured out my AS issues without me telling her much. She's good.



lazamb_girl
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01 Nov 2012, 2:57 pm

Dantac wrote:
Its all about the specialist you visit. You need to research and find the ones that have experience and specialize in AS/Autism disorders. Its the same as with a doctor...you would not trust your general physician to treat you for heart problems..you get referred to a cardiologist.

If you are in florida or near central florida I can give you the contact info of a therapist that has decade+ of experience with AS..even a family member with AS. I spoke to several shrinks on and off for years and they were clueless. This therapist in the first visit figured out my AS issues without me telling her much. She's good.


Thanks a lot for the offer. I live in Europe. I had a tough time to find a psychiatrist who even speaks English. So I will see how the next one reacts.


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AQ- 37/EQ : 15/SQ : 44/ BAP : Autistic/BAP (120 aloof, 104 rigid and 92 pragmatic)
Aspie Quiz: Aspie :130/200;NT score: 72/200;You are very likely an Aspie. Alexithymia test :135


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01 Nov 2012, 4:26 pm

Ah then you need to do a bit of research. It can sometimes be as easy as calling multiple psych. offices and simply asking them if the specialist has experience with AS...and if not can they give you the number of one that might?

Thats how I found this therapist. Took me a couple of weeks of calling but I found her. After confirming her credentials I went in. :)



suboc-1
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01 Nov 2012, 4:53 pm

Well I have been to 2 psychiatrists and 1 psychologist. None of them seemed to have a special ability to understand me, much less do anything to help me, even though I attended each for more than a year. I still have faith that there are good ones out there, just have to find them.