How has being diagnosed with Aspergers affected you?

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Hi there, I made a post not too long ago, and although the responses were helpful I didn't exactly get the information I was looking for entirely because I was asking the wrong question so I'm revising it a little. I want to know how being officially diagnosed with Aspergers has affected your life personally both before and since.

Were you more at ease having an official diagnosis? Did it complicate things between you and friends/family? Did it make it harder to find a job? Were you able to get better treatment etc. and please answer any other questions that you can think up yourself to answer, since I'm not that great at asking questions to begin with. Thanks for your time everyone.

Just FYI I'm trying to decide if I should go see a psychologist about possibly having Aspergers myself so your responses are greatly appreciated.

I used to think all my quirks were bad, then I found out that they are actually clinical signs that others have as well.

Also, I wasn't quite spot on with my guesses as to why I was different. I was lucky enough to have a psychologist asses me who was familiar with AS, and IMO she got it spot on.

You also get like a 20+ page summary explaining your life and how the diagnosis has shown up in the past. They tell you your thinking patterns, and all this stuff that are the results of testing, then tell you how you can cope.

Umm well I got a learning assessment as well, though. Not sure if AS is completely separate in the diagnostic procedure.

Is that the kind of help you are looking for?

Yes Deltafunction that info is indeed helpful, thanks. If you feel like adding anything else please do.

http://turtleisaverb.blogspot.com/2011/ ... nosis.html

(Most of these are from my experiences. I'm applying for SSI currently, so I don't have that yet. I've not had the situation to have accommodations but that's the biggest reason I was diagnosed other than the ability to work with specialists.)

Were you more at ease having an official diagnosis?

Once I had an official diagnosis I started interacting with the autistic community. Before that point I was in my mind "not neurotypical", but I wasn't comfortable (after a while) identifying with an ASD 'cause I'd known of people faking it.

Did it complicate things between you and friends/family?

Nope, simplified it with my family. My dad finally started understanding that my overload was not the same as his anxiety and his panic attacks.

Did it make it harder to find a job?

N/A

Were you able to get better treatment

My OT is covered by insurance 'cause of my diagnosis. I get to see a counselor/therapist who specializes in ASDs. All the local people who really specialize don't have room to take on undiagnosed people.


The report is great though. I'll second deltafunction on that.

Were you more at ease having an official diagnosis?

I was diagnosed with HFA as a young child - so I didn't really feel anything about it, I couldn't really comprehend it at the time. I certainly am glad I have the diagnosis now, though, seeing what some undiagnosed people go through.

Did it complicate things between you and friends/family?

I'm unsure, I can't really remember much before the diagnosis. Didn't have any friends at the time though.

Did it make it harder to find a job?

So far my autism has made it harder to find a job than the fact that I have a diagnosis.

Were you able to get better treatment?

Well, I was able to get "treatment." It was bad treatment though - very inappropriate for someone with autism - they did things like trying to stop me from stimming - trying to stop my compulsive movements, my involuntary movements, and so on. Also got treated like crap by teachers, yelled at constantly, etc. Since then I've said NO THANK YOU to any treatment.

Finding out I had it helped a lot. It made me feel as if I weren't so alone. You know the "OMG, 1 in 100 people are like me! That is Awesome!" (Whereas parent say, "One in a 100 people are like him, that is so sad "). Actually getting diagnosed, didn't really matter at all.

Were you more at ease having an official diagnosis?

I was at ease knowing by myself better. I spent years actively searching for what it was that was messing up my life since birth and discovered the AS myself, so yeah, it was way better knowing.

Did it complicate things between you and friends/family?

A bit. Friends lost + family forgetting I exist after coming out gay = 0. Friends lost + family forgetting I exist after coming out about the Asperger's = 3.

Did it make it harder to find a job?

Had the same job before my diagnosis as I have now. My employer is aware, but I asked for and received no accommodations for it, so they could care less about it.

Were you able to get better treatment?

It pretty much ended any treatment. After years of misdiagnoses of OCD, bipolar, anxiety disorder, ADHD, blah, blah blah... and doctors putting me on dozens of different medication, I am on no medications and though I was seeing a therapist for about a year, I stopped that as well. I treat MYSELF better.

Thanks for the replies so far.

What exactly is "stimming"? I've seen it thrown around on these forums and have no idea what it means.


And what do you mean by people faking autism? I don't know how or why someone would even want to fake something like this so I'm curious about it.

Were you more at ease having an official diagnosis?

See above

Did it complicate things between you and friends/family?

Yes. My parents aren't comfortable having a daughter with a mental disability. They basically don't want to talk about it. Whenever I mention it, they change the subject to another family member's problems, or their own whacked theories on AS. They also deny that I had any symptoms in childhood when I ask about it.

Then again, they thought I was NT with a learning disability at worse.

Also, I think at least one of my parents might have it but are in denial. And my sister who knows about it is telling me to quit whining because she says she has had it worse with making friends, and so she just tells me "I had that problem too" with pretty much everything I say.... Without providing any solid concerns that she is on the spectrum.

My friends were just awkward finding out and probably wish they hadn't. Only those with disabilities themselves were supportive.

Did it make it harder to find a job?

No. I haven't had much trouble finding jobs in the first place, though interviews were hard for me. It made me realize my weaknesses so I can improve on them. So I'd try to hide my flaws a bit better.

I choose my moments of when and when not to disclose. So far, it seems not disclosing is best for me except in extreme measures, since I am able to hide my traits pretty well.

.Were you able to get better treatment?

I was able to get bursaries that helped with school and buying special needs learning equipment. School counselors were great at helping me with my quirks and dealing with my depression once they found out I had AS. I haven't been able to afford treatment since I was out of school, though...

My parents understood me better, it got me the education I finally needed. But everything else still seemed the same. I was already going to doctors and therapies before my diagnoses. It took me a while to accept the fact I had AS and I was not happy about it at first when mom told me. Back then I just wanted to be normal. I didn't really have friends at the time but had very few in my teens. I was friends with a girl my age who was also an outcast and then she moved. I was also friends with a Down's syndrome girl for a couple of months until we moved. I was friends with my pesky neighbor when I was 17 and 18 until he got taken by social services I assume. The dx didn't make a difference for friends. I still got rejected at school in 6th grade and then we moved and in high school, kids still told me to shut up or get mad at me when I try and be social with them and get mad at me for asking too many questions and they assumed I never listened nor paid attention.

I did have a hard time finding a job. I don't know if it was because of my AS or not. My mom felt it was because I was in special ed and no work place wanted to hire me. But I had nothing in my application about me being in that class unless my references told them. But lacking friends made the reference part very hard for me so I used teachers.

Stimming is some sort of physical manifestation or impulse. It's like flapping your hands, rocking, talking to yourself, rubbing your hands, playing with a pen.... Some sort of action that is self-soothing.

Good to know, I have several of these. Probably my most prominent is cupping my right hand and breathing through it like someone who's hyperventilating would breathe into a paper bag. I imagine people who see me do it probably just think I've smelled something horrible. Just out of curiosity do you have anything like that?

Yeah, I will play with my hands or a pen when I'm nervous. I can't keep any object near my hands or on my wrists for very long without playing with it.

Someone posted this on the forum

Do you have a favorite stim? And why do you do it?

http://insideperspectives.wordpress.com ... /stimming/

I found it pretty in-depth

Were you more at ease having an official diagnosis?

Yes. I had suspected I had an ASD for some time as my work has brought me into contact with lots of folk on the spectrum. However, I never really realised how that affected my life. Then my life started falling apart and I couldn't figure out why. I didn't feel I could attribute my difficties to an ASD because I had no diagnosis, and the fact that I suspected it wasn't enough. So when I got my diagnosis it helped me to feel at ease with who I was and the difficulties I was having in my life - however that knowledge didn't stop things from getting worse because I hadn't developed strategies to help me deal with those things. Eventually I ended up being signed off work for 4 months with stress.

Did it complicate things between you and friends/family?

No. I haven't told my parents or my brother and I don't intend to. My husband just shrugged and said something like "well, that's interesting" and we got on with life. I don't have many friend but those I have told have either said "I always knew" or "OK then" and continued treating me the way they always have... but I wouldn't expect anything different as they have always accepted me for who I am which is why they are my friends.

Did it make it harder to find a job?

No. I already had a job and had been working there for nearly 7 years when I went off work sick with stress. Because of my absence I ended up at Occupational Health who advised my employer, without disclosing my ASD, of reasonable adjustments they needed to make under the Equality Act. I chose to disclose to my line manager and my two direct colleagues. I am considering disclosing to a few more. My line manager and colleagues have been very supportive during my return to work.

Were you able to get better treatment?

Um. Possibly. I ended up at a psychiatrist because of my stress symptoms which include suicidal ideation, and action, in response to stressors. I am on the waiting list for specialist psychotherapy. I was also referred to the local autistic society and after another long wait for funding to be assessed by them, I finally met with them a couple of weeks ago. They confirmed my diagnosis and recommended weekly support sessions with an experienced member of their staff. However, this needs to be funded by the social work dept and so I am on yet another waiting list ...

I am however regularly seeing my GP and psychiatrist and find that helpful while I wait ...

(apologies for any odd typos - I'm at the mercy of my iPhone)

Were you more at ease having an official diagnosis?

Yes. I had suspected I had an ASD for some time as my work has brought me into contact with lots of folk on the spectrum. However, I never really realised how that affected my life. Then my life started falling apart and I couldn't figure out why. I didn't feel I could attribute my difficties to an ASD because I had no diagnosis, and the fact that I suspected it wasn't enough. So when I got my diagnosis it helped me to feel at ease with who I was and the difficulties I was having in my life - however that knowledge didn't stop things from getting worse because I hadn't developed strategies to help me deal with those things. Eventually I ended up being signed off work for 4 months with stress.

Did it complicate things between you and friends/family?

No. I haven't told my parents or my brother and I don't intend to. My husband just shrugged and said something like "well, that's interesting" and we got on with life. I don't have many friend but those I have told have either said "I always knew" or "OK then" and continued treating me the way they always have... but I wouldn't expect anything different as they have always accepted me for who I am which is why they are my friends.

Did it make it harder to find a job?

No. I already had a job and had been working there for nearly 7 years when I went off work sick with stress. Because of my absence I ended up at Occupational Health who advised my employer, without disclosing my ASD, of reasonable adjustments they needed to make under the Equality Act. I chose to disclose to my line manager and my two direct colleagues. I am considering disclosing to a few more. My line manager and colleagues have been very supportive during my return to work.

Were you able to get better treatment?

Um. Possibly. I ended up at a psychiatrist because of my stress symptoms which include suicidal ideation, and action, in response to stressors. I am on the waiting list for specialist psychotherapy. I was also referred to the local autistic society and after another long wait for funding to be assessed by them, I finally met with them a couple of weeks ago. They confirmed my diagnosis and recommended weekly support sessions with an experienced member of their staff. However, this needs to be funded by the social work dept and so I am on yet another waiting list ...

I am however regularly seeing my GP and psychiatrist and find that helpful while I wait ...

(apologies for any odd typos - I'm at the mercy of my iPhone)

Were you more at ease having an official diagnosis?

Yes. I had suspected I had an ASD for some time as my work has brought me into contact with lots of folk on the spectrum. However, I never really realised how that affected my life. Then my life started falling apart and I couldn't figure out why. I didn't feel I could attribute my difficties to an ASD because I had no diagnosis, and the fact that I suspected it wasn't enough. So when I got my diagnosis it helped me to feel at ease with who I was and the difficulties I was having in my life - however that knowledge didn't stop things from getting worse because I hadn't developed strategies to help me deal with those things. Eventually I ended up being signed off work for 4 months with stress.

Did it complicate things between you and friends/family?

No. I haven't told my parents or my brother and I don't intend to. My husband just shrugged and said something like "well, that's interesting" and we got on with life. I don't have many friend but those I have told have either said "I always knew" or "OK then" and continued treating me the way they always have... but I wouldn't expect anything different as they have always accepted me for who I am which is why they are my friends.

Did it make it harder to find a job?

No. I already had a job and had been working there for nearly 7 years when I went off work sick with stress. Because of my absence I ended up at Occupational Health who advised my employer, without disclosing my ASD, of reasonable adjustments they needed to make under the Equality Act. I chose to disclose to my line manager and my two direct colleagues. I am considering disclosing to a few more. My line manager and colleagues have been very supportive during my return to work.

Were you able to get better treatment?

Um. Possibly. I ended up at a psychiatrist because of my stress symptoms which include suicidal ideation, and action, in response to stressors. I am on the waiting list for specialist psychotherapy. I was also referred to the local autistic society and after another long wait for funding to be assessed by them, I finally met with them a couple of weeks ago. They confirmed my diagnosis and recommended weekly support sessions with an experienced member of their staff. However, this needs to be funded by the social work dept and so I am on yet another waiting list ...

I am however regularly seeing my GP and psychiatrist and find that helpful while I wait ...

(apologies for any odd typos - I'm at the mercy of my iPhone)