Board index › General Discussion › General Autism Discussion

Getting diagnosed as an adult... advice appreciated!

Page 2 of 2 [ 19 posts ]  Go to page Previous  1, 2

Previous topic | Next topic

IsabellaLinton
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 1 Nov 2017
Gender: Female
Posts: 72,422
Location: Chez Quis

13 Jan 2019, 1:24 am

Galadnarthiel wrote:
Thank you so much to everyone for sharing your experiences, advice, and resources! This is incredibly helpful information as I consider my options and get more information from the offices. Also, it's very encouraging to learn I'm not the only one, so thank you for that reminder too. :heart:


Quote:
Getting the diagnosis was a life changing experience for me but don't expect others ( parents ) to understand . It's far more important for you to understand yourself than it is for others to understand you . Seeking validation from NT's is , for me , like doing the same thing over and over again expecting different results .


^StarThrower Thanks for this reminder. I'm loyal to a fault when it comes to my family regardless of how they've treated me, but I'm slowly learning that my worth is not defined by whether they accept me, only by God's unconditional love for me.


Quote:
Bottom line to me: If you really want this assessment and it matters to you, do it right and seek the most qualified person you can find. I told myself "Go Big or Go Home". I didn't want to go through the process and have it deemed invalid in any way, so I sought the best I could find.


Quote:
Please ensure you find an assessment doctor who specialises in women with ASD, because we present differently, and the testing questions should be designed accordingly.


^IsabellaLinton Thanks for taking the time to write such a detailed response. I am also a perfectionistic details person and now that I've decided to get a diagnosis, I want to do it right. I'm not sure about the other two options, but the psychologist I mentioned has experience with adult females and has collaborated with Tony Attwood. I like the idea of making a giant book... I might do that myself. :wink:


Quote:
autism is a complex disorder, and a thorough assessment will often reveal autistic issues/traits that you weren't even aware of. These will become apparent through cognitive testing but not through a purely interview-based assessment. If you've already made it through college, chances are you don't suffer from any, but if you're thinking about grad school it's worth considering.


^AceofPens I hadn't thought about this but that's a good point to consider, especially since I was homeschooled and raised in a foreign culture all through childhood, so no one (including myself) suspected AS until an autistic friend mentioned it to me months ago. Thanks.

So much to think about...


My person studied with Simon Baron-Cohen.
There are definitely good people out there; it's a matter of finding them!


_________________
I never give you my number, I only give you my situation.
Beatles


Galadnarthiel
Hummingbird
Hummingbird

User avatar

Joined: 8 Dec 2018
Age: 31
Gender: Female
Posts: 18
Location: Somewhere in the Middle of Earth

13 Jan 2019, 1:30 am

Quote:
It’s good that these types of things should only need to be done once, then they’re done. :)


Indeed :)


_________________
For I do not want you to be unaware of the affliction I experienced. For I was so utterly burdened beyond my strength that I despaired of life itself. Indeed, I felt that I had received the sentence of death.

But that was to make me rely not on myself but on God who raises the dead. He delivered me from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver me. On him I have set my hope that he will deliver me again.

2 Corinthians 1:7-10, Holy Bible


Black Spot
Tufted Titmouse
Tufted Titmouse

User avatar

Joined: 28 Aug 2017
Gender: Female
Posts: 41

13 Jan 2019, 3:50 am

This is an interesting discussion. I had my first assessment just before Christmas and a full one last week. I'm 58 and have had years of practising masking. My report should be ready at the end of next week. While the Doctor said I had some traits, was OCD, he didn't think I had autism. I'm not sure he understood the differences between males and females with Aspergers. I asked if I could send him the checklist I was completing, to which he agreed. I actually did two, but tried to delete a lot of the duplications. I wish I could have had longer to do it, as I'm sure I missed off half of what was required. He didn't seem to understand that now, after the menopause, that I don't have the energy to keep up the mask and self made container around me, which I also failed to mention.

I was well rested prior to both interviews, and a lot of questions were about anxiety and levels of it. I wasn't feeling anxious at that time, so found it hard to recall periods when I was. Also when I said I liked to sit in a corner at parties watching people enjoy themselves, he said if I had autism I wouldn't even be able to go to a party. The main topic was around work and not my main special interest. Not much was asked about my early childhood other than schools, which I went to 10 in different countries. Then the interview got wrapped up quickly as someone else needed the room.

I felt deflated and very disappointed. When I sent the checklist, I also wrote a ton more about me. This week wasn't the best to do this as I have deadline at work, home and having to deal with someone wanting to commit suicide.

I don't want to get into a slanging match with him. I know me and he doesn't. I'll wait to see what the report says before I do anything.