What was your diagnosis before autism?

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As a child I learnt how to read and write by myself around age 5. My parents got me to a child psychologist who had me do some IQ and related tests. I scored something like 135 (I don't remember exactly) and was diagnosed as a gifted child. And that's about all of it until 7 years ago where I started living on my own, when I started encountering massive social anxiety and relational issues (it hadn't been much of a problem before since I had kept my social life very simple). This led me to 2 years of clinical depression, and then I realized I may be on the spectrum, sought diagnosis, and finally got a diagnosis in early 2014.

Things have been better since then. I'm still very anxious, often struggles with relational issues and I am sometimes depressed, but I am not continually and deeply depressed any more nor having suicidal thoughts.

I think seeing alot of comments that getting ""Diagnosed"" at an early age is somewhat of a godsend to many on the spectrum, as it allows them to understand their differences from an early age and accept being a little different isnt a bad thing, so co morbid associations are likely to be limited. As with adult aspies such as myself getting diagnosed at a later life becomes hard/impossible to reverse 40 years of impregnated psychology.. However it has allowed many to be able to put a name to understand better about themselves. But are likely to suffer more/permanent depressive episodes as the body and chemistry has adapted to such a permanent state... For 40 years i felt i was the only one on the planet feeling the way i did, confusion in social circles, the constant target for abuse, however being now able to understand that im not emotionally immature but rather emotionally connected is something i would never change, very similar to Jung's theory of balanced anime. As a male society has created certain expectations as with female and if you dont fit into these expectations you can soon be cast out. However i have always embraced that as i see it as a balance. I dont get many blokes and how they act in groups like a pack mentality trying to outdo each other, or who can down a beer the fastest, or treat a woman mean to keep them keen attitude. I developed my own personality part from my genetics, part from understanding what infliction of pain feels like and not wanting anyone else to experience that, and part observation. Being able to stand on the outside and gaze into what feels like another world a world which to me seems childish and immature but yet that is in some respects the label i have been given by many. I am rather transparent when people do spend the time to get to know me, and seems odd that despite those on the spectrum as being seen as chameleons to fit in, that NT's do this daily in a different way, in almost a manipulative way, they portray an image in public but when doors are closed they change entirely! or when talking to an NT about theory of mind they to have the same issues when trying to understand someone like myself but yet the predominance of such labels are put on the minority ie those on the spectrum, or empathy, as mentioned in another post, i have been witness to many occasions when young and old have needed some form of assistance in public only to observe people turn their backs, look away or walk by, and it blows me away, because instinctively i will be the first to assist and only after i have assisted will others then step forward, not so much to help but more out of intrigue and to stare a poor individual that needs help.. Seems in many ways the ""labels"" that have been given to those on the spectrum are no different to those that are NT, its just they go about it in my observations in a more narcissistic fashion! I have come to know some aspies and ALL of them are humanitarian, and despite exhaustion will still put out their last bit of energy to help another human being even if not appreciated before they have to go and find a quiet place to emotionally unleash or/and recharge... its beggers belief that some of these so called facts about people on the spectrum still exist and with what reading i have done has shown many of these so called facts are very much outdated and rather untrue, but yet when i talk to a so called ""professional"its like talking to a vending machine with the same script, that despite showing them the scientific backing to many of my arguments with just turn round and say"" Well thats what the book says!"".. and aspies get grief for rigid thinking! lol, So yes i can well understand how sooo many suffer with co-morbid associations! and its sad to see, but realizing you are different for the good reasons balances out the negatives that i have experienced in life, despite how bad they have been. I know what i have done, i know what i keep doing and always will and if i wasnt born the way i was there is a good chance i wouldn't have helped people the way i have done and know some of those people wouldn't be here today... but asking for a little more understanding or just to be listened to a little more seems too much to handle for an NT, but yet we have to agree with all their rules! thats what irks me, as the scales arent balanced.. Again only speaking of my experiences and only that of my own, if anyone can relate then fair enough. But those Aspies i do know in real life all hold similar views. Its bloody tiring pretending to be a sheep every day!

Nearly two decades ago, they said I had a Disturbed Personality Structure.
Can you imagine how pissed I was, when I recieved that message, as a teenager?!

After my ASD assessment, a few months ago, I got labeled with
- aspergers
- recurring depression
- one phobia (a traumatic event in childhood)
Well, that's all they could frow after me, but at least I agree 100%.

I agree on the last three. "Other" covered in my case different "personality disorders" - neurasthenia, light borderline and other goodies.

I have yet to be diagnosed with an ASD. I would not be surprised to have one however. I have a mask that is excellent; when it is less than excellent I hide myself from people as I realize now until it breaks down utterly, as I have been trained to be a perfectionist, including within my family, so far.

"Neurasthenia," in the US, is an archaic term. It hasn't been used since before World War II.

Yep, but that was the word - in the eighties.

I wasn't diagnosed with anything else before autism (I don't even know what my diagnose was before they changed the DSM).

I was diagnosed as a child. I didn't fit ADHD that well and that is the only other diagnosis that has any similarities that is commonly diagnosed in childhood.

Now that I think of it...I don't know. I was seen by a therapist as young as 9 but I was pretty oblivious to what was going on. My mother never told me much about the therapist's reaction to me either.

I was first diagnosed with ADHD, then with Autism and the ADHD diagnosis retained.

Before that, people just had theories.

I was diagnoses as Oppositional Defiant Disorder in childhood. Probably still have that, along with Alcoholism/drug addiction. Probably Dysthemic Disorder as well, unless the Autism accounts for the down moods better.

Anorexia Nervosa
Bulimia Nervosa

Major Depressive Disorder - Informal

The most recent diagnosis was made by the receptionist. The verdict was we don't want foreign patients because they take up too much time, which deflects us from making money with local patients. The specialist was at no point consulted by the receptionist, but it was pretty obvious he had previously told his front-desk to repel all foreign boarders. No surprises really.

Oh, and the diagnosis at home is you haven't been here for more than two decades, so you will have to pay top-dollar, if and when you can afford to stay here long enough to receive any attention. A diagnosis probably based on their idea that all expats are bonus-fed bankers.

I read from a reputable source (I think it was in Tony Attwood's big Asperger book, but not 100% sure) that the diagnosis of "Oppositional Defiant Disorder" was hardly anything else than a way for some conformist, conservative and generally harmful psychologists to attack people who simply happen to object vividly to how the current society works. In other words, it seems to be more a social judgement and a social control instrument than a real medical diagnosis.

Screaming Hellion Crybaby

I didn't have a diagnosis before I was diagnosed with ASD. I had a therpist who thought I had a form of PTSD but it was never followed up or formally looked at.