Official diagnosis feels weird...

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I had this the following thoughts (or are these feelings) after being diagnosed:

1. I cannot believe there is a label for something that describes me. It never occurred to me that there were others with similar issues.

2. I cannot believe that I am stuck with being me. I always felt that something magical would happen and I would "snap out of it" and somehow become a different me.

3. I wondered how my life would have been different had I discovered this earlier in life.

4. Shock. I am stuck with being me.

5. Doubt. This cannot be true. The person who diagnosed me used an invalid process or was otherwise unqualified.

Well, it's been 3 years (April 2013) since my diagnosis. And, nowadays, I rarely think about it.

I was diagnosed last May. I'd already self-diagnosed and gone through that 'Oh yeah, that's me stage to being down about it'. Diagnosis doesn't change anything by itself, I'm still the same but I now know that it's true and that there is nothing WRONG with me. I'm just wired differently to NT's. No better or worse, just different. That's the same for all of us. We are not ill. Notwithstanding what I've just said I think the last year has been spent getting used to it and finding out what it means in practical terms. For instance, I've recently got in a lot of trouble at work, partly because I believe the negative stuff people at work say. I took it literally, but in a way I never knew about. I have one friend, she works with me and has told me that she has just realised how literally I take things and that she will, if I keep my job, tell me when people mean what they say and when they don't. Sorry to go on like this: what I mean to say is when you accept your status as an Aspie you can kind stop subconsciously looking at other explanations of your life and concentrate on what's real. I do hope I've made myself clear for you. Anyway, best of luck and congratulations!

I got diagnosed back in when i was 13 (now almost 16). The doctor described the diagnosis as "social reciprocity difficulties" but never said i had autism. He did however say "possible high functioning autism (spectrum disorder)". I thought i was selfdx for 1 or 2 years untill my current doctor told me that the diagnosis i have means i have AS (and that means that i have an ASD). It did feel weird. I still do.

Yes, I know! It's definitely something I'm concerned about, because I already have had to make adjustments to my undergraduate education because of my social issues and anxiety (e.g., lots of online classes, reduced course load, etc...). But I think that's why my psychologist wants me to start working on social skills now. He said that he believes that he can help me attain my goal, and I've known some individuals with ASD to pursue similar careers (e.g., a psychologist) so I'm definitely gonna try. ^_^ (What's interesting is that I actually want to be a child and adolescent psychiatrist. And due to my "immaturity," I get along great with kids! I actually tend to prefer them to my peers.)

@Rocket123: I definitely understand #5 because he didn't administer any assessments (at least not yet - I'm supposed to be going back in 3-4 weeks). He basically just did a clinical interview with my mother and I and said he was sure that I'm on the spectrum way before the 1 hour session was up...

Thank you all for describing your similar experiences.

It can be a hard pill to swallow, I wasn't excited at first when I was diagnosed. Simply because I had no idea what it was or that I was even autistic, it was nice to know why I was so strange and alone all these years but at the same time it was kind of a death sentence, like I was broke .

This exactly. But at the same time, comforting. Because it wasn't just my laziness or ineptness that kept me from maturing like others my age. It was a real reason. There was actually something that DID make it harder for me than others. When everyone told me it wasn't 'that hard' to do something, and all the years I stood in awe, and felt so lazy and stupid, I can now let it go.

I was diagnosed about 6-7 months ago now, and I'm also in the same boat as most of you. It look me about a month after my diagnosis before I convinced myself that "yes, this is right", but convincing myself and actually believing it are two different things.

At the moment I'm still unsure if the Psychologist who diagnosed me did the correct procedure, because there weren't any written tests or forms that I had to fill out, it was just a diagnosis based on observation and historical evidence (stories from my childhood etc). I'm also feeling a sense of doubt when I think about my diagnosis, questioning whether or not I really have Asperger's Syndrome, because I don't feel any different to anyone else. I can't help but question whether or not I just faked the whole thing unintentionally by being uncomfortable in the first few sessions. My anxiety doesn't really help here either, because I tend not to look for help and don't like to stand out (very much so, I would rather fall behind in life and be invisible, hypothetically speaking, than stand out and excel).

Yet, regardless of all that, I know the diagnosis is correct even though I'm telling myself otherwise, so I suppose I'm still trying to come to terms with the diagnosis.

My therapist, who is the psychiatrist who diagnosed me 3 months ago, isn't trying to make me more neurotypical. She's helping me, as an autistic person, deal with my environment. She led me to a "Meet UP" group of other autistic adults. I've had so much fun meeting and making friends with other autistics.

These exactly. This is exactly how I have been feeling. A few things have helped.
1. So many women cannot be diagnosed, and have to fight for it. I got it on the first try.
2. I can't fall for stereotyping again, which is where my disbelief came.
3. I won't FEEL different because I'm not different. This diagnosis isn't new, just knowing it is real is new.

I have researched for two years. That, combined with my penchant for being on time, has me doubting the ADHD.

I'm scared to join my local meet up. I used the lack.of diagnosis as my excuse in the pasy, but I don't have that anymore.

I, like Rockett, was dxéd 3 years ago - at 60, after two years of research. That´s pretty late so there is a long list of people wondering, criticizing, examining you and trying to correct you, so even after more psychologists confirming the fact, any doubter can turn me upside down - because I´ve only been me. (Just had an episode of that).
I have to think: "If it walks like a duck, sounds like a duck and looks like a duck, it probably is a duck".

I found this very supportive: http://www.onandon.dk/index.php?link=aspergerbrochure

The psychologist who diagnosed me, used a variety of assessments. Still, it's my nature to doubt. Did the psychologist use the right assessments? Were they correctly administered?


Hi Jensen. I remember us being diagnosed at roughly the same time (I was diagnosed on April 22, 2013).

As a note, after being diagnosed, the psychologist stressed the importance of understanding: “What does having Asperger's mean to me and how do I move forward in the world”. This was excellent advice. As the whole Asperger's thing consumed me for about 2 years. Thankfully, it's no longer all-consuming (for me).