Just got my official report in the mail

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I just got my official diagnosis report in the mail yesterday. It's a pretty overwhelming experience to read about myself in this report. They gave me a total of 13 diagnostic tests and the results of each were explained in detail. It was fascinating to see how I did. I had no idea about some of the things they said. They also gave me about ten copies of a letter that I can use if I need a letter for a situation explaining that I would need special accommodations in a situation like school or a job. So this was great. I still need to get with them to talk about the report. There were a couple of errors, basically very minor typos and one thing which I need explained. They put me down as a level three severity where I am pretty sure they should have meant level 1. I imagine it was a transcription error that will be corrected as soon as I point it out to them.

But I am so glad to have this document in my hands now. It is powerful and surreal and overwhelming all at the same time.

I also have a new understanding of opinions towards the self diagnosed. I was never self diagnosed, just unofficially diagnosed because my Autism was originally pointed out to me by a friend who is an expert in the field. It was just done in an unofficial non clinical capacity. Once he told me, I did 18 months of intense research and learned about ASDs and Misophonia, both of which I have but had known nothing about. I only knew that I suffered but never knew why or that my suffering had names and could be diagnosed. It was during that 18 months of research that I discovered and joined WP. Then on October 14 I was able to get tested, I got a verbal diagnosis three weeks later and then got the report in the mail yesterday.

But as I read the report and saw how detailed it was and how much was tested, it occurred to me that in my own knowledge of myself there are things that were impossible for me to know or understand that could only be understood through these tests and through expert observation.

But here is what I do believe about the self diagnosed. I believe that you can know yourself well enough and do enough research and educate yourself so that you can know pretty accurately for the most part if you are on the Spectrum or not. I know that that is not 100% and there are some people who will get it wrong but I think that if you are severe enough in how you suffer, you can pretty much identify the symptoms in yourself well enough to at least know that you are most likely on the Spectrum. But after reading this report, I know that it is impossible for us to have enough self knowledge to be able to look at each individual aspect of what is tested and to have an accurate picture of that. What I found for myself is that I am actually more severely affected in Autistic ways than I had realized. There were things that they found in the tests that I had no idea I even struggled with and now that I see it in writing, more things are making sense to me about why I have had certain struggles.

So as far as the self diagnosed are concerned, if someone can't afford to get a diagnosis or does not feel that it will benefit him or her to get one, I will continue to completely respect that person's decision like I always have. Like I have always also said, I think it is very important to say whether you are self diagnosed if that is what you are. I have always said that I was unofficially diagnosed until now, and I think that that honesty is very important. Now, I just say, "I am Autistic or I have HFA/Asperger's." But I also think that if one can afford a diagnosis and has no reason not to get one, than that person should get one. But I have nothing whatsoever against anyone who for whatever reason is unable to get one or chooses not to get one. To me the important thing is that you are honest when speaking about your situation if you are self diagnosed or even unofficially diagnosed like I was, that you are willing to say that and be honest about it when the situation calls for it.

I'm so happy for you. :3 It's been a while, btw. How have you been aside from this? (I emailed you, but I'm not sure if you got it)

Hi Loki, thank you. It's been so crazy. Both of my parents were in the hospital during the Thanksgiving holiday and my dad almost died so I was away for awhile. I will have to check my emails. Dad is doing so much better now so I am much relieved. Mom still has a little issue though so we are praying that all will go well with her. Of course I can't give any details in the public forum but I know you guys will all send loving and healing thoughts and prayers for them.

But I have been very exhausted and I even had an huge meltdown skiing a couple of days ago when some kids started playing bass so loud on their car stereo in the parking lot that I could literally hear all the way up the mountain. My blood pressure and heart rate got so high that ski patrol had to emergency sled me down the mountain. It was pretty scary. I took the opportunity to write about it in my blog which has about 50,000 followers and used the opportunity to teach people about how sensory overload can affect Autistic people and even put them in life threatening situations and that people should think twice about how others might be affected when they want to play their car stereos as loudly as they do.

But as you guys figured, Skibum the Snowbunny will be spending much of her time in the winter on the slopes. This is hugely therapeutic for me so I might not be on my computer as often as I can be in the off season. There are only two seasons for skiers, the ski season and the off season.

Thank you for asking about me Loki. Thank you for being one of my buddies here.

I'm glad to know your dad is getting better. ^^ I was starting to wonder about you, to be honest. It's good to know things are getting better though. :3

I know what you mean skibum. When I got my report I was also taken aback by the observations made through the eyes of the expert.

It actually made me a bit paranoid because I didn't realise that I actually came across as being autistic.

I hope you're ok anyway.

Enjoy the Slalom Slopes!

Thank you so much guys.

It really is amazing to see yourself clinically. I just got off the phone with the psychologist. He explained to me that the level three is actually correct because it is only in regards to the GARS which is one particular test out of the 13. The GARS has its own levels of severity. It is also one of the Autism specific tests in the battery of tests that they give you. So as far as the DSM overall Autistic rating I am a level one, very high functioning, but as far as the GARS specific, I am a level three, "requiring very substantial support" in the areas that are GARS specific. So now it makes much more sense.

Mom and dad thank all of you too for your loving thoughts and prayers. And I just got good news from mom that there is no cancer found at this moment! Hooray! They still need to check one more place but so far she is good.

I agree with this.

I think there will always be things that you will learn in an assessment process that will be surprising, because of what the professional observer sees that you cannot see.

This is very valuable and seeing the result can be a shocking experience.

I had thought that I would be so mild, maybe BAP. The doctor very convincingly put the doubts I had to rest and also made me realize that I am not as good a husband as I thought I was. That was a surprise.

Heya sweetie. I just got back online (again). Sorry to hear of your holiday troubles but glad your folks are on the mend. Congrats on getting the official word. I just got my report too. Got like seven diagnoses and asd top of the list! So if I need it I got it in writing. Merry Christmas to you and yours. Love ophelia

Hey Opi,
So nice to see you girl. Thank you so much for your encouragement. I hope you are well. Stay safe and warm. Big Hugs,

Skibum!

THERE YOU ARE, skibum!! I miss your posts, when you're not around----I didn't think about it being ski season. I could NOT be happier, for you, that you got your report!!

I'm so sorry your mom and dad had such a bummy Thanksgiving----sending-up prayers.....

I'm glad YOU are okay, TOO!! That situation on the slope sounds scary!!

I'll not worry, so much, now, when you're not around, for awhile.

I don't see many examples on WP of anyone trying to be dishonest about their self-diagnosis, in fact I have noticed only people bending over backwards to mention that they do not have their diagnosis yet if that's the case.


As did I. Before I received mine I always preceded any input I was about to make to a thread with the information that I hadn't yet been diagnosed.

Before I actually got my diagnosis in September myself, about the same time you did, I did not consider myself SELF diagnosed, I preferred to say, whenever it seemed necessary, that I SUSPECTED myself to be on the spectrum, and YES, after YEARS of research and deepest thought and reflection. I didn't arrive at that suspicion lightly, and I was never anything but honest about that.

I STILL got kicked around here on WP.

I'm now, as you very well know, in the same place your now are. I received a seven page report that I would defend as being just as thorough as yours. I have ASD.

But what the fck does it matter when nobody here believes f*****g anything anyway.

So screw it.

You have turned into such a self righteous jerk now, skibum, and fck your "respect" -- you're full of it since you got your diagnosis.

Last edited by BirdInFlight on 17 Dec 2014, 6:36 pm, edited 1 time in total.

You haven't said Hi to me, Birdie! Triple Boo Hoo!

Birdie, please stop being angry. There's lots of nice people here.

You haven't read my PM.

I'm glad your parents are "out of the woods."

Will you be going skiing this weekend?

I think of skibum as one of the relentlessly positive and caring people, so I am a bit shocked to read this. I hope that I have not also come across as a self righteous jerk in the sometimes charged but always interesting discussion about self diagnosis.

In what way were you kicked around, if you don't mind my asking? It's a shame that this happens.