Doctor doesn't think I have aspergers....

Page 2 of 2 [ 22 posts ]  Go to page Previous  1, 2

EastWestCoastGirl
Yellow-bellied Woodpecker
Yellow-bellied Woodpecker

User avatar

Joined: 19 Nov 2012
Age: 57
Gender: Female
Posts: 54

23 Nov 2012, 2:49 am

There are specific criteria (at least for now) for AS, "making pretty good eye contact" doesn't rule out a DX. If you meet the required criteria for each category then the DX should be made, ruling out other possible issues, of course. Even laypeople know this. I would get a new doctor!

I taught myself eye contact too. It still bugs me out sometimes. I don't know which eye to look at, I don't know how often to look down, I'm either avoiding or staring. But when I meet with someone and it's one-on-one I'm fully aware that I'm supposed to be primarily looking at the other person's eyes so that's what I do. That doesn't mean "no AS." It is one of many things that are quite exhausting, actually, and definitely impactful on my life (if impactful is a word). Learning how to "cover" doesn't mean you've "outgrown" (??) being on the spectrum.



Rudywalsh
Deinonychus
Deinonychus

User avatar

Joined: 25 Jun 2012
Age: 59
Gender: Male
Posts: 347
Location: Spain (Born uk)

23 Nov 2012, 1:56 pm

I never made eye contact with people until my early twenty’s.

Everything is still good until I’m badly stressed, then I look left towards the ground, I can no longer make eye contact with anyone.

Imagine that was all you needed for a diagnoses, any bad eye contact with your doctor and you’ve got autism.



dregj
Yellow-bellied Woodpecker
Yellow-bellied Woodpecker

User avatar

Joined: 20 Nov 2013
Age: 46
Gender: Male
Posts: 66

02 May 2014, 9:42 am

same here
seem "pretty normal to me"
was the the so called genius' reply
6 months of waiting around for an appointment at a general mental health clininc
only to be told no
just NO



Sweetleaf
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 6 Jan 2011
Age: 34
Gender: Female
Posts: 34,892
Location: Somewhere in Colorado

02 May 2014, 9:45 am

Yes for sure get a different opinion...if this doctor thinks you don't have autism due to the lacking of one common symptom(a symptom that isn't even in the DSM as a requirement to be diagnosed) means you can't possibly have autism they are obviously not very knowledgeable on the topic. Some people with autism can make better eye contact than others. I can sometimes make somewhat normal eye contact with people I know, but aside from that I can't. But my diagnoses is hardly based upon if I make eye contact or not.


_________________
We won't go back.


Sweetleaf
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 6 Jan 2011
Age: 34
Gender: Female
Posts: 34,892
Location: Somewhere in Colorado

02 May 2014, 9:49 am

thewhitrbbit wrote:
Some doctors are concerned that people will become the label.

For example, we had a post here about a guy who was "transitioning from NT to AS" after getting his diagnosis.


This person probably didn't understand the part about autism being a life long condition we are born with, so perhaps they are sort of confused about what it means or even think they have developed autism....not so sure their thinking would be along the lines of 'well now i have this diagnoses so I need to act like it.'

Also what, because some people might become the label which I don't get what means since being diagnosed doesn't change the person into the label it just puts a label on what is going on with that person. People don't suddenly go from NT to Autistic upon being diagnosed....but even if some people do decide they need to fit their new label exactly and even alter their behavior to do so....that means the best option is to just not diagnoses people with conditions or provide them help for said conditions on the account of well they might become their label?


_________________
We won't go back.


Aristophanes
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 10 Apr 2014
Age: 43
Gender: Male
Posts: 3,603
Location: USA

02 May 2014, 11:27 am

Sweetleaf wrote:
I can sometimes make somewhat normal eye contact with people I know, but aside from that I can't. But my diagnoses is hardly based upon if I make eye contact or not.

Yeah lack of eye contact + letting a kitten play with tampons will get you a diagnosis of some sort....(and don't get overly offended, it's just a joke about your avatar).

As for the OP I always suggest getting a second opinion, especially with psychiatric conditions since so many symptoms are shared among different disorders. If you do get a second opinion I'd suggest not mentioning the first opinion either, you'll generally get better results if you don't skew the diagnosis with a previous opinion.