Is it worth a diagnosis?

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Hello everyone.

For quite some time now, I am very sure I have aspergers, and family members also think this as well. I have taken various tests, and always fall into the very high category of being likely to have aspergers.

I find social situations very hard, such as eye contact and conversation, and it does impact other areas of my life too.

I am just unsure if it is worth getting a professional diagnosis or not. I live in the UK, so I would have no idea how to go about this, but wondered if I did there would be any support for me in ways to deal with it in my day to day life?
I would love to not be so awkward, and to understand people more, but I find this very hard.

How have people on here, either undiagnosed or diagnosed, dealt with aspergers, and if you are diagnosed, do you recommend me getting a professional diagnosis, or just accept this is who I am? I realise everyone is different, and having aspergers would be one of these differences in a way, so even with a diagnosis this won't change.

I hope this makes sense, and thank you all.

I am a big fan of pursuing a diagnosis even if it's only for personal curiousity. Humans have the natural right to know more about themselves. Now, I amn't very familiar with U.K. diagnostic services, but I have read from others in the United Kingdom written on Wrong Planet that your GP refers you to a diagnostician for an autism or Asperger syndrome assessment. Then, depending on your community, it can take months or longer to actually attend the assessment. Of course, paying for private care is quicker, but less affordable.

At that point, the diagnostic process becomes more familiar to me in that the assessment includes talking to you, asking you questions, observing your behaviors, completing some tests and basically getting to know you. Usually, the diagnostician(s) will tell you generally whether you are diagnosed, and, in a few weeks or less, you will receive a written description of the assessment with more details.

Long story short, it wouldn't hurt to ask your GP if he or she would refer you for an assessment. It helps you mention (or bring copies with you) the tests you have taken and their results.

On the other hand, a lot of autistic adults are satisfied "just knowing" the results of their own tests like those you say you have completed. It is all up to you at this point. Good luck with whatever you choose to do.

A diagnosis is valuable beyond just treatment. It can help you to better understand and accept yourself, it can also help those close to you to understand you better, especially any limitations. It is important in terms of healthcare that your doctors know you have Asperger's to avoid misdiagnoses and incorrect treatment. A healthcare worker can't see the full picture without it.

With the diagnosis it may be easier to get access to autism related community resources. Any future employer may have a better understanding of any difficulities you may have on the job. You can't expect any understanding from others without it.

I hadn't thought of that before. Of course, I tell most people with whom I come in contact, but I did it because I chose to do so. Now, I have added reason to do it.

If you want an assessment just talk to your GP and tell them your suspicions and ask to be refered. I know if you ask your pyschiatrist they have to oblige but I'm not sure if the same rules apply to a GP. There may be a long waiting list depending on your area , it was 15 months in my area ( I've got a couple of months left , I think ).

If you google Austism (or Aspergers) along with your own county or town/city you may find a local charity that will allow you to self refer. This is useful if your doctor is reluctant to refer you - mine was.

Which county are you living in?

I think this is a key point.

Personally, I have not 'used' my diagnosis for anything official, but I have 'used' it to avoid phone calls and face-to-face conversations that I would not have coped well with. And, importantly, I know that my diagnosis is always there for me to 'use' when I do need help and support - at the moment, my needs are quite limited because I have a very supportive husband that manages many things on behalf of us both, but I can't say that'll always be the case. If he were not around, for whatever reason, I would need a lot more support and understanding.

I am lucky to live in quite an autism-friendly area. There are a lot of community-based services here for people on the spectrum - support groups and the like. My diagnosis was a relatively quick process - just a few months from GP referral. And, in my case, my referral included NHS funding for six post-diagnosis therapy sessions, though I chose not to take these.

If you do want to be referred, I would suggest the NHS route. The wait can be long, but the diagnosis will be more widely accepted if it comes through the NHS. And I would suggest doing it sooner, rather than later, if you're going to. Not just because of the waiting list, but because the NHS is currently the victim of cuts that may make an adult diagnosis even more difficult to access in the future.

Ok, thank you all for your advice.

I think I will contact my GP, and arrange an appointment. I do feel apprehensive I must admit. Do I just go into the Dr's room and tell them I suspect I have aspergers/may be on the autistic spectrum, but this was never caught as a child.

I am worried they will just say something like "Of course you don't" and essentially laugh me out of the room in a way. I am unsure exactly what to say.

I suspect it due to multiple reasons though, for example one test I took yesterday stated "Autistic/BAP", and "You scored 117% on aloof, higher than 74% of your peers,You scored 126% on rigid, higher than 95% of your peers and You scored 107% on pragmatic, higher than 82% of your peers".

Another said "Your neurodiverse (Aspie) score: 158 of 200
Your neurotypical (non-autistic) score: 47 of 200
You are very likely neurodiverse (Aspie)"

I do feel I have this, and a diagnosis would help for things mentioned in this thread, such as future employment, relationships, and just generally knowing there is a reason I am 'different' I feel would help me cope in day to day life.

My doctor did "laugh me out of the room", after a fashion.

I'd been off work with insomnia/stress/fatigue and had made repeated visits to the doctor(s) over the course of a month or so (Dec 14/Jan 15). When I eventually got to see the OHA (Sept 15) at work I'd shown him a list of the problems I was having at work and at home and he suggested Asperger's.

I made an appointment to see my GP but what I didn't want to do was google all the symptoms / traits and "give myself Asperger's" in a hypochondriac way before seeing the doctor. I was starting to suspect within myself, but in a way is was a bit out of the blue.

Me and the doctor when through all the autism (not Asperger's) symptoms - you don't have those* - yes I do was my reply. The doctor would only refer me once I'd got a letter from my OHA saying why he thought I should be referred. Then he messed up the referral and I ended up self-referring (see my original post).

I suppose it depends on the GP and how sympathetic (and knowledgeable about autism) they are. I think if I was doing it now I'd go in more prepared with a list of problems/symptoms. I wouldn't use the word Asperger's in the opening sentence....... I'd wait till later if need be.

Turning up and saying what you think you have doesn't often go down well with the GPs - it is their job to tell you what you might have.

Try and find out where the referral is - I got the name of the town off the receptionist when I rang up to chase the referral up. That was enough to let me google the town and "autism" and I found the place where I was going and I was able to contact them.


* - I could make eye contact and talk to him so that (incorrectly) ruled it out as far as he was concerned.......

Oh, I am sorry to hear your Dr was like that to you, I do worry it will be similar for me.

I can make eye contact with people, although I am never sure when to look away, and worry if I am making too much or too little eye contact.

I am in Essex, near southend. I will check around my area where the referral would be to. I know Doctors don't like you telling them what is wrong, even though I diagnosed my Hypogonadism myself, and was told there was no problem! Eventually I was diagnosed with it though, and have to have hormonal injections. Unfortunately I now have osteoporosis due to the time it took for treatment.

At my GP's you never see the same Doctor though, so I hope it is one of the more friendly and approachable ones I speak too.

Do you have someone you can take with you for support? I found it helped having my husband there, and my GP (though very understanding) did ask him for his opinion, possibly because she wasn't getting a lot from me at the time!

I had prepared a big folder of evidence and trait lists, and why I fit each one.

I went in, she asked me what I was seeing her for and I said "I think I have autism, and I was wondering how I'd go about finding out". She responded with "Why do you think that?". I froze. I couldn't think of an answer. I responded with "I've seen the traits and I think I fit them", but that was all I could manage to say. So, she turned to my husband and asked him if he thought I might be autistic. Whilst she was talking to him, I had time to dig around in my bag and bring out the folder I'd prepared.

She really appreciated my preparation. I think she laughed a bit about me including school reports and the like, but she said that my list of traits and examples was "better than [she] could write to present this case", so she took that list and used it for my referral.

I'd also done research through the NAS directory into who was used locally for NHS referrals, and so I had the name of the person I hoped to be referred to. I think this helped, because the moment I mentioned the name she said "Oh, fantastic, yes. I know of her. She's brilliant. I have other patients that work with her, and have nothing but good things to say about her".

It looks like Essex Autism Service provides an NHS service, so they might be your choice, though the website isn't entirely clear:

http://www.essexautismservice.com/

https://eput.nhs.uk/our-services/essex/ ... s-service/


Covers Southend area.


Sharon Allison
Consultant Clinical Psychologist
Aspergers Service
Basildon Community Resource Centre
Basildon Hospital
Nethermayne
Basildon
Tel: 01268 243500 ext 7907
email:[email protected]

Is it worth a diagnosis?
Short answer: It was for me.

My diagnosis as adult was a surprise. All I knew was life was hell and I couldn't figure out why or find a successful way to fix it. Having a name of a thing which had information helps me and those around me be successful in choosing things to do and ways to be.

I am deeply concerned about being labeled with a disability, particularly one pertaining to my judgment.

Thank you so much- basildon is a 15 minute drive from where I live.

Thank you all here for being so kind to me. I was afraid to join due to being undiagnosed. I do worry about things a lot.
I will contact the service tomorrow, and hopefully I can then get support and a diagnosis.

Friedmacguffins, I must ask why does being labeled with a disability concern you? I realise we all have different feelings, although you can not help who you are. I think knowing for certain I do have aspergers will help me, as I am certain I do, but with clarification I will know there was a reason I was 'different'.

Hi. I am in the UK and was diagnosed in September last year. I would put myself at the milder end of the spectrum but do find social aspects of life a bit much and don't do much eye contact. I had suspected I was on the spectrum for some time and just wanted to know. I knew it would really change anything after but did wonder if it would help me not be so hard on myself, which I think it has.

I have private healthcare with Aviva and went through them for a diagnosis.