has a diagnosis helped you

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im still undecided about whether to get tested for aspergers or not, part of me feels shy of asking the doctors anyway because i dont want them to think im being stupid.

how have you been affected by a diagnosis or being tested and not being diagnosed with a autistic spectrum disorder.

does a diagnosis help with being obsessed with aspergers, because i find i am and i cant seem to stop

I think getting a diagnosis is really important. In the UK it's a recognised disability with whatever that brings in the way of accommodations needing to be made at work, or college/university.

It gives you a sense of relief that you know why you are the way you are, a sense of peace with yourself, and helps with the confusion you feel about not fitting in - you are not bad or wrong you are just different, so it helps with your identity in a way.

It also helps if you need to access any relevant benefits. It is also very relevant if you have any children who show signs of an ASC because the parent having it will be taken into account so it could potentially mean that they get assessed more quickly, be sure to get the most relevant help and make their diagnosis even more concrete (I say this because of the situation with my eldest child).

Also, you would be able to take part in research for autistic adults if you wished, which would help the understanding of autism/Asperger's.

Im from the UK to, some people seem to feel that a diagnosis means a lot of risk when it comes to being in society, im not sure if they from other counteries but i always had the idea that it was quite good in the UK, i know there is a lot of legislation about the work place that protects people quite well from discrimination.

the problem is, is that i find myself unsure whether i have it or not, i suppose that alone might mean its helpful to get tested, but i dont want to find that a diagnosis makes my insecurities worse, its hard to explain, its like because you know that there is something different about you, the things you never noticed that were different may become more obvious and in the long run might make me worse.

But then again the constant anylysing of myself is annoying, and self absorbed, i cant seem to stop, i wonder would that constitute as a obsession in its self. becasue i cant stop thinking about aspergers.

I think maybe in USA people worry about insurance or something.

I don't know about 'good' but if you need help from the NHS you will get access to the relevant services as and when they are needed and available, with the right diagnosis. I think many undiagnosed Aspies end up being treated unsuccessfully for co-morbid anxiety and depression.

If you are just wondering if you have it, have you done a fair amount of research? If so, and your traits and symptoms appear to match then you should probably go to get assessed. If you haven't properly looked into it and are just wondering based on the odd piece of information then you really need to fully inform yourself before you go to see your GP about referral. You could take the AQ10 which is meant to be a GP screening tool I think.

yeah, one thing about living in the UK is the NHS. i have actually had anxiety and panic attacks from childhood, partly due to a phobia but the panic attacks are unexplained a lot of time, psychologists i went to kept putting it down to family issues, my and my parents never really thought it was because of that but it was and still is unexplained.

I have done a lot of research, probably too much to be healthy if im honest. my main reason for suspecting aspergers what partly the anxiety and obsessions which i definatly have for certain, im actually obsessed with aspergers, which is strange. i have never heard of the AQ10 test, i will have to take a look. its hard to be objective when trying to see if you have something, almost impossible i have found.

I didn't start posting on WP till I received my diagnosis. If I was told I didn't have Asperger's, I wouldn't be here.

I called up a health insurance company and asked about coverage. When I told him one of my pre-existing conditions was Asperger's he said I automatically don't qualify at any health insurance company but can get guaranteed state or federal health insurance if I want. I looked into that. For me it would $941/month for coverage! Can you imagine? My rent isn't even that high! I guess I'd leave out the part where I was diagnosed, but I still don't have insurance because of other pre-existing conditions (stroke, depression, etc).

It was good to be diagnosed, though. Yeah, at my age, I would seem like a loser because I have no wife and kids, no mortgage, no 401K plan, no life or health insurance, nothing that says "I'm an adult." The diagnosis explains all those issues away, explains my quirks, and explains why I could never be like Joe Average from down the block.

My GP thought I was being 'stupid' when I asked how to pursue an Asperger's Diagnosis and three months later, he was pretty shocked (and disappointed in his initial comments) when I brought in my diagnosis. Honestly, that right there, was almost worth the ~8hrs of stress over four appointments. Ironically, he exhibits the most Asperger's symptoms of anyone I have yet to meet...including my brother, who's borderline. As far as your obsession with Asperger's, that should definitely tail off after diagnosis, as mine did. I haven't run into any roadblocks in the US from the diagnosis, so far, but I think having a definitive explanation for your entire life, is well worth it. Best of luck!

Last edited by windtreeman on 12 Feb 2013, 3:47 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Great points Whirlwind

I sometimes wished I hadn't got a firm diagnosis especially once I got over the shock of it.

At first I was pleased to know because it explained everything and I understood myself so much more but it took a long time, maybe a couple of years to get used to it and I spent a lot of time mixing with other Aspies and going onto internet aspie forums.

Later I was upset and wished I had never ever heard of the damned thing because I had to face up to being different and accepting the mistakes I had made over the years. I could no longer pretend that my difficulties were just someone elses problem, I had to accept that I said the wrong thing sometimes and that I appeared aloof to people sometimes and also that my brain was not 'perfect'. I saw myself as defective rather than just a little different.

Now I don't care much, my best friends still love me as I am and the good people I know treat me as if I am the same as them and show concern for me.

My biggest problem now is recognising which traits I need to work on, so overall, a diagnosis can be a real roller coaster ride but long term it is much better to know so that you can make plans for your future and try to improve the bits that cause the problems

I wasn't looking for a diagnosis when I found out I had AS, I will spare you the details, but it did explain a lot in my life. I found out about 6 months ago and it has been a roller-coaster ride... at first it was wow, that's why I do this or that, or act like this, etc., then it sank in I cannot get better, I cannot change who I am, that's the brain I have it will not change, I will never be cured. I read dozens of books and the knowledge about myself and the truth about my differences has improved my life and relationship overall.

I did some tests on the internet, then got tested by a psychologist, but I gave up an official diagnosis when I had to follow up with a psychiatrist, as it has to be done where I live. After my own tests and the psychologist's, I have no doubt I'm on the spectrum.

I did avoid an official diagnosis because in my case I had more to loose than to gain from it. I already lived in 3 countries and I'm not sure I would be able to get a visa as a resident if I had a disability on my records.

In the end depends of how well you can cope on your own, not all of us can live without help, if you ever want to move countries (and to which countries) and if a non-official diagnosis would be satisfactory for you. Only you can decide but make sure you are ready for it because I don't know if once you have a diagnosis if you can change it, it may be on your records forever.

As whirlingmind, redrobin62 and others have said getting a diagnosis can help with accepting why you’re different or give you an understanding as to why you feel the way you do. There is always a chance of negative repercussions in anything you do. Carefully think about it, consider the pros and cons and then proceed in the way that seems best for you. I think it’s sensible of you asking others about their experiences, its good way of getting some food for thought.

I've never been obsessed with Asperger's. Whatever...
The benefit of my diagnosis for me was that I received support since my childhood (I've been diagnosed at a young are).

The benefit for me has been certainty. It was no longer others being "stupid", it was something quite distinct that was wrong with me. And that could at least be work-arounded.

thanks everyone for the advice, i have still not decided but its nice to get insight from people that my have already gone through the proccess.

The more useful question for you, for anyone, is do you want access to professional help for your problems? The diagnosis is only the first step of that process.

A diagnosis motivated me to do something about my problems rather than languishing in depression and self-pity or denying that they existed.

A diagnosis motivated me to do something about my problems rather than languishing in depression and self-pity or denying that they existed.

Since there are no AS services for adult worth using, I'm not sure it helped financially at all.