A Question for UK Aspies

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Hi, I live in Cambridge. I have Asperger's and got my diagnosis with a private psycotherapist who is doing just assessment with Asperger. I paid quite a lot, but it was really worthy.
I would suggest if you need help and advice will be very good idea to go to some private therapist
maybe 2-3 times in a month for some months
it is possible to find someone who is not too much expensive (40 pounds per hour)
with NHS too long time to wait
if you have some money to spend for yourself (120 pounds in a month) pivate theapy can be helpful
at least for a bit. If you are lucky to find someone with whom can establish special connection
it can be an interesting and important way to bring awareness and more light about our condition.

I didn't find it difficult to get a diagnosis at all. A department of an NHS hospital in Edinburgh does diagnosis, and this department covers all of south-east Scotland. Yet I know some people in the area who had no problem getting a diagnosis, and others who have come up against barriers trying to get a diagnosis. It seems to depend on your GP, and how willing they are to refer you for diagnosis. Other NHS boards in Scotland have contact names for diagnosis of autism spectrum conditions, I have seen these contacts in a directory.

My GP pretty much said "Maybe you have, maybe you haven't", then randomly thrust a load of depression leaflets at me. Er...OK.

So I just kinda gave up after that.

My GP told me I was too old to be diagnosed with AS - he said if I had it, it would have been picked up when I was a kid

I sort of gave up after that...

I think the two biggest problems we have in this country is that the NHS is a shower of s**t: too big, too slow and populated with people who don't have a good work ethic. The second problem is we are still behind the rest of the world when it comes to understanding and diagnosing.

I've had 10 years of problems but now it is working out.

I have just been diagnosed in Sheffield. They were very good in the assessment and have successfully got funding to see me for 10 sessions 3 months later. They take referrals from outside Sheffield. To answer the post above, to get a diagnosis the traits need to be lifelong so a parent who knew you then needs to confirm with the questionnaire and in an interview that this is true. It was very tricky as I am 30 and my Mum is in her 60s and so my early childhood was hard to remember.

I had a lot of trouble. The NAS was very helpful. I have basically spent 10 years going around mental health services in the NHS for anxiety/depression. I waited most of a year for CBT after going off work with depression before my current job. The NHS therapist discharged me as therapy wasn't working probably because of Aspergers and I got assessed by a psychiatrist who referred me onto the Sheffield centre. My GP repeatedly said he could do nothing for my depression. I was then refused funding and left with no services. I put in a complaint to my health authority and had support from an organisation to do this. This had no effect on funding.

I kept going back to my GP surgery and saw a disability advocate (actually not helpful in the end) and they applied successfully for funding a second time I suppose there was a financial argument that I was using time and resources being passed round the NHS not getting anywhere, and I had no treatment options.
The psychologist I saw was lovely, I was worried for months before assessment because I don't put across points well in interview situations. She said that I was entitled to help with depression and I just needed adjustments and to find the right help. Apparently the centre can train non-specialist therapists in how to deal with someone with AS.

I am getting help from a specialist autism employment service and I could get help even before diagnosis.

Other options to try are looking for organisations that do free counselling e.g. at work, (for me) women's centres. There are places that do sliding scales depending on income e.g. relate and I'm waiting for treatment that is £20ph and is subsidised and based on income.

I am still waiting to see South Maudsley behavioural unit. I have been waiting a year. I am very unimpressed by the UK's autism provisions for adults. They obviously don't feel comfortable dealing with it because it is hard (from their point of view) to diagnose an adult. My belief is that we can diagnose ourselves quite comfortably, but the specialists have to take our word for it.

I am not anticipating an appointment anytime soon at South Maudsley, and when I do get one I will not expect very much. All I want is some comformation so that I can go on with my life. At the moment I feel I am on hold.

The problem aspies in the UK face is that if we want any provisions made at work/benefits/driving etc. it needs to have the backing of a formal diagnosis but these are so hard to acquire that it makes me wonder if it's intentional.

After months of waiting I've been told by my psychiatrist (via my GP because contacting me directly is beneath him) that he thinks I may have symptoms indicating atypical autism, but it cannot be aspergers since I do not exhibit repetitive behaviours nor show what he calls "anti-social" behaviours. I disagree with him most strongly, especially his view that my problems are not innate and that they were caused during my childhood. He has made it clear that he will not refer me to the Maudsley, even though it is practically on my doorstep and autism/aspergers is not his speciallity (personality disorders are). He is the classic case of a blocker who has not listened to or understood what I've been telling him.

I am so angry this morning after receiving this news. So much wasted time. I have no choice now but to proceed with a private diagnosis.

Exactly that, because I am not an anti-social dick head who exhibits 'behavioral problems' and just wants some help to get by in life: I get nothing. 'Great' Britain indeed...