Just had intake

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So, I just had my intake. I told the psychologist essentially my life story. She asked a bunch of questions regarding my symptoms. She asked about previous diagnoses.

It took about one and a half hours. She said she believes I have Asperger's, because it makes the most sense out of all the diagnoses that could apply. Except of course the DSM-V no longer lists Asperger's as a diagnosis, so I guess it would have to be high-functioning autism.

Apparently I am similar to many female Aspies out there, specifically my symptoms and life experiences. I guess I feel a little better. I thought she would tell me I'm crazy or overreacting.

I still need a lot of tests. Not looking forward to those at all. She said I may test borderline on some because I've learned some social skills over the years.

People with Asperger's/HFA usually don't LACK social skills. They have the cognition to "pick up" social skills through the course of their lives. Having social skills based upon adapting to the generalized environment, to me, would not preclude a diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder Level One.

Yes, I told her I was worried because I have learned quite a few things over the years. I told her the majority of things I didn't learn naturally as others do. I had to learn through making multiple mistakes or having people tell me things outright.

The problem is that testing is not always accurate when you've learned to adapt. I became very self-aware over the years due to an interest in psychology and because I like to figure things out. Regardless, I was still unaware of how many social mistakes I was making until about 2-3 years ago.

I guess my willingness to let the real me show helps in this case. I can drop the act pretty fast, because it's so hard to maintain as it is. I can't appear normal for very long, and I always slip up. With a psychologist, I don't care if I appear normal, so I don't bother trying.

But I did take one test a few months ago and I found it rather obvious what the tester was trying to do. I felt ridiculous because I knew that they were trying to elicit certain reactions. I know enough about Asperger's and the various tests that I know what to expect. I also am good at analyzing things and picking them apart, so to speak. This is probably going to be an obstacle.

I shared my concerns with the psychologist and so I guess she'll take that into account.