So Im back from the doctor, and it is official enough.

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ebec11
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05 Jan 2009, 10:27 pm

pensieve wrote:

Tracker wrote:

My only complaint was that the psych seemed to underestimate people with AS. He was surprised I could live independently and hold down a job. My guess is that this is because most people who are high functioning enough to live and work independently dont visit the psych for help, so he probably wasn't getting the full picture.

I know someone that worked in psychology and she was surprised that I could even write the way I do. She said the people with AS she met wouldn't be able to string two sentences together.
I don't work though and so can't be financially dependent, so I guess your psyche wouldn't be surprised about that.
My psyche thought I did rather well for being undiagnosed for so long.

Anyway, I hope your reason for seeking a diagnosis has been achieved and that it helps you better understand yourself. If you start to feel down about it (as I did) you can visit the 'diagnosed later in life' thread which is around here somewhere.

One psychologist I went to didn't believe I was Autistic because I was so high functioning, and said I was an Aspie. The fact that I didn't speak until I was five and was horribly Autistic for years didn't seem to change his decision. Since I'm able to fake being social now, I'm an Aspie, not a HFA person.

NocturnalQuilter
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05 Jan 2009, 10:38 pm

ebec11 wrote:

Since I'm able to fake being social now, I'm an Aspie, not a HFA person.

See?
People can learn and grow out of it if they really apply themselves.

sinsboldly
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05 Jan 2009, 10:53 pm

neshamaruach wrote:

sinsboldly wrote:

millie wrote:

Quote:

NocturnalQuilter wrote:

pensieve wrote:

My psyche thought I did rather well for being undiagnosed for so long.

Try being 40 before getting any kind of diagnosis!

try 46. woo-hoo

aww geeze, guys. . I was 58!

Merle

I was gonna say "try waiting till 50," but I am now humbled.

well, when garyvw or Lau or even Paolo give their ages, I get humbled, too.

by the way. . .pensieve, CONGRATULATIONS! you're an Aspie!

Merle

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StarDragger
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05 Jan 2009, 11:05 pm

I think that underestimation is quite common. Through a chain of events that is unnecessary to go through here, I happened to mention to my aunt that I was starting to see the possibility of me having Asperger's. Now, I thought it was widely understood that aspies tend to be pretty smart, and are often remarkably intelligent people. But the first thing she said in response was "But you're so smart, why do you think you have it?" Not, "but you've never [insert some Asperger/Autism myth here]", which is what I honestly expected because I've been able to (unconsciously or consciously) hide many of the symptoms of AS.

That high-functioning factor is a lot of the reason why I'll probably not worry about getting diagnosed, because I'm not sure I would be anyway. Plus, a good friend advised me about some of the issues, such as insurance and such, that come along with having an official AS or other autism spectrum diagnosis.

But still, congrats on having confirmation of what you thought.

ShyGorilla
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05 Jan 2009, 11:41 pm

after I began to suspect that I had AS I got in touch with an uncle of mine who is also a clinical psychologist. I shared my suspicions and he replied that had considered that (AS) for some time. over the summer we were able to sit down in person (he's in Kentucky, I'm in Texas) and had a really good, long chat. not exactly "official", but really it was what I needed as well. congrats on getting your suspicions confirmed.

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Danielismyname
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06 Jan 2009, 2:36 am

Well, the majority of individuals with Asperger's who meet the criteria for the disorder don't work and live at home (40% employed is the highest figure I've found in the text; most are under 20% for AS), so it's not exactly an underestimate. This for young adults and adults alike.

Half of all adults are probably undiagnosed (or most likely, misdiagnosed with something like Schizophrenia, so their outcome may just be the same).

"On the spectrum" generally refers to the most prevalent diagnosis; PDD-NOS, and this can include "mild" Asperger's which don't meet the full picture.

ike
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06 Jan 2009, 3:50 am

sinsboldly wrote:

aww geeze, guys. . I was 58!

Thanks for making me swat my notebook monitor by the way.

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Age1600
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06 Jan 2009, 3:51 am

Way to go! and officially welcome to the spectrum hehe.

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06 Jan 2009, 4:24 pm

ike wrote:

Thanks for making me swat my notebook monitor by the way.

I very nearly did the same thing. Jumped a little when I saw it and then realized that it was just the icon.

garyww
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06 Jan 2009, 4:30 pm

Our numbers are growing daily. It's only a matter of time until.....................

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garyww
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06 Jan 2009, 4:30 pm

Our numbers are growing daily. It's only a matter of time until.....................

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0_equals_true
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06 Jan 2009, 6:26 pm

sinsboldly wrote:

neshamaruach wrote:

I was gonna say "try waiting till 50," but I am now humbled.

well, when garyvw or Lau or even Paolo give their ages, I get humbled, too.

by the way. . .pensieve, CONGRATULATIONS! you're an Aspie!

Merle

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HSQeMBzHR0o

ike
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06 Jan 2009, 8:49 pm

garyww wrote:

Our numbers are growing daily. It's only a matter of time until.....................

Aspalooza?

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StarDragger
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06 Jan 2009, 9:42 pm

ike wrote:

garyww wrote:

Our numbers are growing daily. It's only a matter of time until.....................

Aspalooza?

Either that or until we take over the world, I'm not quite sure.

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Mw99
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06 Jan 2009, 9:57 pm

Tracker wrote:

In the end he agreed with me that I do 'fit somewhere on the autistic spectrum', which I'm willing to accept. I wasn't looking for an exact title. I was just more so looking for confirmation of my suspicions from somebody who has personal experience with other autistic people. Call me paranoid, but I didnt get it officially written down on the record, because I didnt want it used against me. Since I work as a mechanical engineer on military projects, I will likely get a security clearance soon. I didnt want any flags popping up when the government starts looking through my records.

How do you know the doctor didn't get it officially written down on your record? Do you think doctors write in their patients' records only the info their patients want them to write? No, I wouldn't call you paranoid. All the opposite.

ike
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07 Jan 2009, 1:35 am

StarDragger wrote:

ike wrote:

garyww wrote:

Our numbers are growing daily. It's only a matter of time until.....................

Aspalooza?

Either that or until we take over the world, I'm not quite sure.

I think Aspalooza sounds like more fun.

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