Adult Diagnosis

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A diagnosis would involve tests just like the questionnaires in the sticky thread at the top of the forum, and a review with you of how your social interactions, behaviour, interests etc and (if it is possible) a retrospective review of your childhood - i.e. asking your parents or older siblings about milestones, behaviour, language, interests etc. A diagnosis would focus on whether you have autistic problems (and on their solutions), not just on the label.

(at least that is what happened for me)

I'm looking at the possibility of diagnosis. If nothing else, I would want one to help me understand myself. I don't consider myself broken or flawed (unless you work under the premise that every human being on the planet is broken or flawed in some way), at least not because of AS/ASD. I'm not sure I'd want to call attention to this at my workplace, or slap it as a label on myself. I guess the biggest thing I am looking for is an explanation for some of the things I've done and some of the incidents from my life.

I talked about getting tested to see if I have AS with my psychiatrist (who treats me for major depression and PTSD) on the 15th. He wants me to speak to my psychologist about it. I asked him if she specialised in Adult AS or HFA and he said no but AS and Autism are fairly common and he was certain that she is familiar with both. I see her (my psychologist) on 1st of April. I am going to ask her for the name of a specialist to be tested by for an official diagnosis. I appreciate all the comments and advice kindly offered in them even though I am someone other than the poster of this topic. I would also appreciate any other advice anyone else is willing to offer. Thank You.

I have recently decided to try for a proper diagnosis for the same reasons. I'm just so tired after going out in public. My leg jiggling and finger picking have gotten worse and it embarrasses me. I'm hoping I'll get some help with how to cope with the anxiety, and how to interact with people.

Those are aspie things? Hrmm...

I saw the psychiatrist today and apparently my blood is normal other than a somewhat low vitamin d, but that's not really accountable for the symptoms I have. I kinda hate it because I have the whole thing planned out in my head when I want to describe it to him, but when I actually go to talk to him, I blank and stumble all over my words and can't describe anything. Anyway, the next step seems to be an MMPI test (567 if I remember correctly (checked, I was correct), true/false questions.) and some kind of "neuro psych" test. Don't know what that'll involve, being such a generic name. He's having me contact another doctor for this one.

I liked the thing written by the Autumn Steps individual - about just being able to understand, as life is very complicated. I often berate myself for buying into the values of a society / culture that I’ll never be accepted by. Why should I feel like going to classes at the autism doctor so I can learn how to fake it? Those people have no hearts. Of course I do not feel very comfortable around anybody, but I used to think Marcus Garvey was real cool and that we ought to hijack the space shuttle & split.

I think spiders is talking about stimming, which is very common on the autistic spectrum.

Just bring a list of your symptoms so you can remember what to say.

When I'm reading something about autism or aspergers I can see myself and how it relates to me. I have just finished a university level course on autism, which is what has really hit home what's 'wrong' and always has been with me. (I don't see it as defect personally, I just don't know how else to put it) So many things have become clear or now have reasons, such as my huge difficulty in being able to write an essay about something even though I completely understand it and have so much info in my head, I just can't seem to translate that into words I can write down, if that makes any sense. I know I will also have this problem in trying to explain to any doctors etc I just cannot find words to say/write what I know in my head and explain why the symptoms relate to me

I think your perspective is very interesting. I think some difficult questions are raised...i.e. do we want to appear normal or not, do we want to conform, acceptance of neurodiversity, and so forth. I think one just has to do what they feel best for themselves...to do what is right for them.

Believe me, I've been "faking it" for the last twenty years (I'm 33) and without an explanation as to why I am different...I guess I thought that the longer I did it, that I'd eventually "get it". Now I'm realising that this may not be possible, and I've decided that this is ok. Why bother stressing myself out, triggering self-loathing and panic attacks, and so forth, just to be something that I'm not? It's pointless. To quote Jean-Luc Picard from the pilot episode of Star Trek:TNG -- "If we're going to be damned, let us be damned for what we are."

I like that.

i'm the exact same way. i want the diagnosis as an explaination to why i am the way i am. its been puzzling me for years and i'm only now getting some clues about it. when i was reading about AS and the other disorders i've self-diagnosed myself with, i've had 'ah ha!" moments where i literally felt like jumping up and down with joy. i only want the diagnosis(es) as a way to kind of solidify or prove that yes this is what makes me tick so that i can start making the apropriate changes in my life to make it easier for me to survive in this crazy world

They may stick many labels on me, but like everyone I am a unique individual and it’s takes many differences and variables, as with each diagnosis that helps us understand that little bit more, but there is no real comparable as each individual is a combination of many factors. - Spectrum-wise a criteria of endless possibilities...

As I have found, usually we are our own best judge, If only it was as simply as being on the spectrum or not, as often we have many co-morbids and we still are all each different individuals with different traits, the DSM-V simply I feel a guide to the bigger picture, general thoughts: http://asplanet.info/index.php?option=c ... Itemid=125

Some things you can do, list, criteria and test (a basic indicator): AS Symptoms (Full Official Criteria) and take the AQ Test: http://asplanet.info/index.php?option=c ... &Itemid=63 , but what helped me the most is having other like minded individuals to share with at the beginning of my own journey which is a process and takes time.

Hi, and thank you for posting that link. I've taken the full-blown Aspie test off of RDOS before, but the AQ test was very interesting too. On the former, I think I scored 140/200 for Aspie traits and 70/200 for NT traits. On the AQ Test, I scored a 37.

I'm the same, for years and years I've just got on with being me sod what anyone else thinks which works fine in general. I suppose I'm looking for confirmation ?? maybe and an easy way out of awkwardness, perhaps... if I can just say I'm autistic people may back off ? it's like a reason rather than people thinking I hate them/am weird/selfish/nasty/etc etc etc

I have an appointment for assessment next month and am very nervous about it. I wasn't going to talk about it but there it is. I have to write a two-page summary of myself, then I have to talk about myself for two hours, don't know what else.

I'm nervous about it for two reasons:

1. my communication skills are extremely uneven - I may be able to speak very well when I'm there, or I may not be able to speak at all, or, worst of all, I may do an excellent cover-up. Same with the writing - I can write very well, but the problem is I usuallly either gloss things over or I'm too literal, and either way the point that gets across is not quite the point I thought I was making.

2. don't know if she's a nice person - she's experienced and all, but I've never met her, and I don't know if I'll be thrown places in a careless way. People have all sorts of motives for working with vulnerable people. Don't know what hers are until I've met her, and by then it might be too late.

I still think I'd like to go to the Hearts and minds clinic, but I'm not going to go to Australia. So I have to do this, and if it's a bad experience at least it's a new one. Things have to move forward, that's all I know.

I've got a psychologists date set in a few months now, and I'm really not looking forward to it (The amount of times I've considered asking mum to cancel the whole thing and forgetting about a diagnosis, i dont know!). It immediately put me off when they listed five different people I'm going to have to speak with that day- I was expecting just one person or something, but five! Plus, I can think of many good points to make now, but when I get in there its like my brain shuts down- exactly what happened when I went to the doctors about this last month. I even had a list made, and in the end came out thoroughly annoyed at myself. I really didnt get my point across at all, and mainly just said. 'I think I might have aspergers because I've been looking into it, and I'm agreeing with alot of things, and alot of things make more sense now' And then I forgot all of those things, and so had to give him the list to read (which he probably couldnt make sense of anyway) I think for this next meeting/thing I'm going to need to actually write full sentances for myself!