Questions about being diagnosed as a adult.

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Were any of you scared about getting a offical diagnoses as a adult? Questioning yourself if you have it or not over and over again? And then thinking you would be embrassed if you went to someone and didn't have it which would not be a bad thing not to have it. Then thinking you have many of the traits that sums up your life in a nutshell.
I have a job and I plan on staying at until retirement already unless I am forced to move since I like where I live and I could get a promotion if I wanted or a better job. I have already started 401 k ect there and I have good insurance. I have a 2 year degree. I had to drop since it started getting too hard.
I have life savings. Most of the time I can do the job with minimal problems.
I really just want to know for peace of mind and just to know why I have acted the way I have.
I am seeing a counsler for free through my work ASAP. She specializes in it which she knows a lot. She may just be able to tell me if I have it or not.
I am just worried if I have it I wouldn't be able to get insurance or get a job so that is where I come in a bind. I want to know if I have it. I know if I had insurance already they couldn't just take it away. Do I sound crazy???

These concerns you raise seem valid to me. I paid out of pocket to avoid what you are talking about. You should consider either not getting a diagnosis, or paying for it yourself to avoid such problems. Do you need to know bad enough to jeopardize your future insurability etc. ?

Good point. I want to know a little.

I was diagnosed about 2 years ago but I had no idea that's what the DX was going to be. I had never even heard of it. I just knew I had something, something about me was different. I paid for the DX through my insurance but it didn't seem to have any effect on it. They didn't cancel me or anything nor did they threaten to, I never heard anything from them about it.

Sometimes I'm glad I know and sometimes I wish I didn't. I think the best part about knowing is I understand myself sooo much better than I did before. The worst part is I seem less willing to try to participate in social events and now my family thinks I've been brainwashed into believing I have it. But the thing is, when I did before I knew I had it I ended up making a fool of myself. Pretending to be normal a lot of times made me so anxious I ended up being overly loud and annoying. So there's good things about knowing and somewhat bad things about knowing but overall I'm glad I know, I just wish I knew when I was younger. As long as your insurance provides mental health coverage, I think you'll be okay.

I don't regret following through with the DX...it is just one less thing I have to decide now..should I or shouldn't I...half the time I make a decission it is just to stop thinking aabout it. That said...it didn't stop me thinking...maybe they were wrong, maybe I don't. So, the doubt is only "cured" if you have complete faith in the medical/psych field...and I don't. They have been wrong about to much for me to put blind faith into them. I am still waiting for some neurological or genetic test to believe it 100%.

The only thing I was scared of was actually getting to the psychic; sitting down in a waiting room with people, and then having to find words to verbalize for the professional.

Actually physically showing the professional my disorder was the easy part (I don't know any other way).

Droopy, thanks for the info on how it didn't affect your insurance rates. That is one area of concern that I had.

Thanks. I would be scared to go talk to someone since I haven't probably since I was a younging.

Uhm...maybe a little, yeah...

First, you already seem to have a job and a very stable one at that, so what's the problem?

Second, AS is NOT A DISEASE. It is officially a mild learning disorder. Employers do not refuse to hire those with dyslexia, they just know not to make them bookkeepers. Since there is no medication that affects AS, there's no reason an insurance company should care one way or another. Unless you see a therapist for depression, it won't cost them a penny.

The only effect AS should be expected to have on job performance is that you probably won't participate much in casual office conversation, and may not be comfortable dealing with customers or crowded noisy places. So don't seek jobs that will put you in situations you find uncomfortable (or find a coping mechanism that allows you to bend the rules a little and still get the job done).

What will cause problems at work is coworkers thinking you're weird and ganging up to get you fired, or using you as a scapegoat to keep themselves out of trouble Or denying you promotions because you aren't constantly shaking hands and kissing ass.

I took the first step in the process of getting my formal Dx the other day.

I made an appointment with a Psych.

I am actually more scared of him/her thinking I am faking becasue AS has become one of my special interests and I know enough about it now to KNOW I have it. I am going to see a general psych, so I may even know more about it then them at this point (4 months of studying will do that).

But I have to go. I need the label for help through the disability center at school.

I am terrified. But I will go, because I have to.

Most insurance companies can't drop you simply because you are disabled, it is against the law.

You have a job, that I am presuming you like. You have retirement set up. All you seem to need now is peace of mind, even if a psych doesn't give you a formal Dx (heck he doesn't have to write anything down) just going and talking to one will give you your peace of mind.

You sound like someone who needs answers, and might have found them, you are just worried.

I can understand wanting an "official" diagnosis. Unfortunatly, there are not clear criteria, so going to different professionals could get you different diagnosis'. No matter what the diagnosis turns out to be, it does not change who you are, or what difficulities you feel you need to address in life. So far as I know, there is no need to disclose this information, except perhaps to your health insurance for them to possibly cover therapy. If they don't pay for therapy, then there is no need to disclose it to them either.

Been there. Done that. The new supervisor at my workplace is my newest, bestest friend... She won't let anyone be like that towards me anymore. But I had to survive two years of sheer hell, first.

My co workers have already caused me problems.

I probably don't need it written down. I am sure this counsler may know enough to know I have it.
I think I just want peace of mind.