Rant about people with "self-diagnosed" AS

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Some people have been informally told by psychologists, etc. that they most likely have it, but
are afraid to get a formal diagnosis because of the disasterous effects it can have legally and
financially.

For the parents of those with a diagnosable ASD, I'd be wary thinking you have the "full-blown" disorder without professional input. It's just as likely that you have BAP, the Broader Autism Phenotype; this is common amongst parents and relatives of those with a diagnosable condition.

Oh that Aspie quiz was so much better than the other one!

Your Aspie score: 172 of 200
Your neurotypical (non-autistic) score: 42 of 200
You are very likely an Aspie

Man I'm worse than I thought hehehe!! !

I did go for a diagnosis. The only reason I didn't get one was because my parents think that it is just a trendy bandwagon that I want to jump on as an excuse for being lazy and selfish, so I could not ask them to see the psychologist with me. (Of course, if they have it as well, that would be why they can't tell I am not "normal"! !!)

The psychologist actually went as far as he was able, without their input, to say that I probably do have it, as well as OCD/ADHD! (Which, take it from me, are two sides of the same coin as I have to be either one or the other.)

Also, the way other people react to me is enough to confirm it for me.

[quote="Zancaur"]Hi there.
I'm a 16 year old male with Asperger's, and I was diagnosed 10 years ago.
Recently, as I am sure you are all aware, the amount of people claiming to have Asperger's without actually being diagnosed, has risen. Now, this really makes me mad. Just because you are an eccentric, antisocial nerd with nearly no friends does not mean you have a disability! You are giving the REAL aspies who actually are making an effort to improve their social skills, a bad name. If you are so sure that you have AS, go and get yourself diagnosed. If you do not do this, you are in my mind, and probably in the minds of many other people with AS, not an aspie by default.

Just because you are an antisocial geek does not mean you have AS, and vice versa.

Not as scornful as I thought it would be, I must be losing my flare :P[/quote]

I do not consider AS as a sickness or disability. In fact I think it is a genetic variation and part of human evolution. Mankind's tools have been a factor in Natural Selection. When our earlier ancestors learned to make tools and become efficient hunters, this set the stage for selection on better language and communication skills. The most successful hunters were those who could communicate effectively and could formulate tactics and strategies.

I think AS is an adaptation which makes relating to computers easier and more effective. In the long run this may produce humans with mentalities congruent with our technological computation skills. Think of the computer as the ax and spear of modern times. AS is the genetic variation that makes the use of our new technological ax and spear more effective.

I think AS types are The Next Big thing, relative to human evolution.

Baal Chatzaf

Of course you can claim to be an Aspie without a diagnosis. There are multiple reasons that someone might not want a diagnosis to be on record; some people are concerned that employers will treat them differently or that they'll be passed over for promotions if someone finds out. There's also a legitimate concern that, in some cases, health insurance plans will refuse coverage for certain things if they can blame them on co-morbidity with an ASD.

The image of Autism in the media is far from positive, and sometimes the stigma of a diagnosis isn't worth it. I was interviewing for a job recently (and I was the successful candidate) and I mentioned to the woman who was driving me back to the airport that I had an ASD and her response was "But, that's impossible! You make eye contact. It would be horrible if you had autism!"

I've been professionally diagnosed, but, at my age, if I hadn't been a self-diagnosis would likely have been sufficient.

There is little benefit to getting a formal DX in the USA. Not only are support services for AS adults virtually non-existent in most states, but having a formal DX just gives big insurance an excuse to deny you coverage. And then it gives employers yet another reason to not hire you.

BTW is it normal for an anti-social (NT) nerd to stim all the time? What about clumsy rigid movement? Hyper-sensory issues? Executive dysfunction? I'm probably more social than many aspies, but I think I've nailed the rest of the criteria... unfortunately.

yup, that's pretty much it for me. My mom said I "was doing so well" so there was no use for a diagnosis. :S I'm not sure how that makes me feel...
I have OCD as well, but not ADD.

Edit: Post removed.

Last edited by Zancaur on 08 May 2008, 8:47 am, edited 1 time in total.

Edit: Post removed.

Last edited by Zancaur on 08 May 2008, 8:48 am, edited 1 time in total.

IMO, what people will or will not do, and their reasons for it, is their own business. Wrong Planet is not group therapy, where a diagnosis is a ticket for admission. It is a message board.

I'm afraid not, Zancaur. You are still behaving in your elitist fashion. You are still suggesting that some people here are liars. There is no point in keeping on coming back with these unsubstantiated statements you make. Where are all these "fakes" that you insist exist? I've seen none, except...

So far as I can see, the only interpretation of your attitude is that you yourself are misdiagnosed, but wish to invent your private "club" that excludes those who are genuine.

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Last edited by Zancaur on 08 May 2008, 8:48 am, edited 1 time in total.

Some people choose not to get a diagnoses because there is no point. Why get a diagnoses if you are doing so great in your life? You aren't struggling, you have a job and all, you're living independantly so you need no help from the gov so why a diagnoses?

A diagnoses is just something written up on a piece of paper and printed about you having that condition and it talks about what are your difficulties, etc.


So if you can go to a doctor and you tell them about you suspecting of having AS, and they agree you have it, why have it be official by going to a place and repeat the whole step over again just to have that doctor type up that piece of paper about you and your AS and have it put in your medical records?


Reason why I needed a diagnoses was so my parents could get me the education I needed and it was to give them power to stop my school from putting me in a class with violent kids.

Anyways, I would appreciate if someone deleted this thread now.

When you find yourself in a hole, stop digging. People do have good reasons for not getting DX'ed. If I had not been able to do it quietly, and keeping my private business from being the business of my Local Union and HMO, then I would not have bothered. Don't worry about the thread being deleted, you're 16 people will let this slide.