Why do people here assume all ASD diagnoses are correct?

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I've noticed it here in the forums too and it's strange to me. It's like when a person isn't sure about their diagnosis they (other people in the forum) try to come up with any reason about how this stranger they barely know could still have autism even when that person doesn't think they do.

Some people have been misdiagnosed with autism people. It's just as easy to misdiagnose it like any other condition.

If people are misdiagnosed with anything, why would they even continue to tell people they have it? People can't scapegoat it if they don't know what someone is diagnosed with.

The problem is that the OP thinks that the diagnosis of AS is holding them back in life. I'm not entirely sure why they can't just not act autistic if they're actually not autistic...

How exactly do autistic people act? It seems to vary.

How exactly do autistic people act? It seems to vary.

I see nothing wrong about people questioning themselves about their own diagnosis, and asking other people for their additional oppinion to it.

As mentioned, just as with every other stuff as well, even experts can be wrong with their given diagnosis.

It only becomes a problem, when people would start questioning each other diagnosis. I have seen an german Aspergerforum dying from that. It started with people that thought to be superior upon others, that were not yet diagnosed. While even experts could be wrong, they thought to have themselves the ultimate knowledge of Aspergers and being able to tell yet undiagnosed members, if their suspect to have Asperger was true or not, and when they thought that those undiagnosed members had no Aspergers, they were bullied, their oppinion not respected, because of them not being Asperger according to these superior members and knows hell what. When some of those undiagnosed people, that were told to be not Aspergers, then got diagnosed with Aspgers by experts, it went further with these group of members starting to judge certain institutes and experts. It ended with stuff like "Only Aspergers diagnosed by Dr.Dr.Dr.Dr. Fartinger of the University of shit-puking can truly know if they really have Aspergers, because they are they only true people being able to diagnose Aspergers.... " In the end an forum, which most of german users were using, got ruined from that sh***y attitude. Some left because of them being bullied by these "superior members", others because they did not want to accept that sh***y kind of behavior, or because of them being friends of bullied members. In the end instead of one general forum, it ended with people using several different forums, which nobody benefits at all.

So absolutely nothing bad if someone, wants to question his own diagnosis and wants to discuss about it, why he thinks so, and wants others oppinion about that.

Its questioning others diagnosis, that is not wanted, simply because, when even experts can be wrong, there is not much use if we as non diagnosis experts, start doing so. Nobody wins from that anything, but almost everybody on the forum loses.

^^^

I think this applies to both self-diagnoses and professional diagnoses as well. Constant questioning of the validity of self-diagnoses even if not directed at specific people may have a negative impact on people looking for community or understanding.

I agree, unfortunately there have been self-diagnosed members on this site who have been driven away from the site because their self-diagnosis was dismissed or ridiculed by certain other members. Those members have a real need for support and help and WP is a support site above all. Since Alex has made it clear the site is open to everyone with any neurological condition it isn't acceptable for members to pull one another's diagnoses apart (professional or self made). Sure, if someone asks for opinions on their condition that is different; but I've seen unilateral attacks on some members calling them fakers, wannabees or accused of having other neurological conditions. That isn't acceptable and from a moderating point of view we are trying to put a stop to such belittling behaviour.

Ultimately it doesn't matter what neurological label(s) we have; the members are here for help and support. Wrong Planet isn't an exclusive professionally diagnosed club. Similarly snobbish behaviour regarding what neurological conditions are considered "cool" and those that aren't isn't acceptable behaviour. We are all here because we have problems and benefit from mutual support. It isn't a pissing contest between who has got what and who diagnosed it.

The power of suggestion. People have been expecting me to act autistic, disabled, more immature and weaker since I was four or five years old. That would have an effect on anyone. I can't just stop acting like I do instantly.

It's hard to change habits that are over a decade old. I really am trying to get my life on track and I have improved. Since I still have the autism label, that is all people see. I have tried autism treatments for years and they haven't been that effective. I can barely even get treated for my anxiety. Even if autism is the correct diagnosis I should be able to receive treatment for other problems.

This is true.

I am not formerly diagnosed, indeed I don't know if have an ASD or not. What I do know from testing during the 80s as a child is that I had asynchronous development, development that was different to that of my peers. Emotionally I was much younger than them but intellectually and morally much older. This meant that I had a terrible time relating to other children of the same chronological age. ASD or not my social difficulties continue on to this day.

ASD is a developmental disorder, I had developmental differences. I don't know if I am ASD but I also suspect strongly that I am not NT either. I come here because I find the people on this board more interesting to talk to than on other sites and I can relate to them more easily.

I can't relate to NTs at all..their world is just confusing to me.

So even though I am not formally diagnosed I'd still like to be able to come here without feeling like I am wrong to do so because I don't have a formal diagnosis.

Granted I probably have other comobids on top such as depression...you can't go through a life time of social exclusion and bullying without picking up a few issues along the way, but my developmental issues were always there all the same.

In a way I relate to devils kisses as I can understand how being at a different stage of development to your peers can cause problems with being able to relate to them socially.

However I have more than social issues to deal with in that I can become overly attached to routines , don't like sudden change, am overly intensive with my hobbies (even if I do have more than one special interest and some of my interests are not always unusual) and also experience problems due to a high level of physical sensitivity (crowded places give me problems due to noise for example and going to a supermarket is an uncomfortable experience for me, especially when it's crowded). I also get depression on top of all that as well as some mild social anxiety (from years of bullying).

Ergo I come here...although I won't self diagnose, I do suspect.

I would expect it to be over-diagnosed, particularly given the lack of standards with the diagnosis process (I myself at times doubt my own diagnosis).



I see nothing wrong with it either. Though, I am not certain why I would believe someone I have never met (from WP) versus a supposed professional.

This brings up another question. What is the criteria for evaluating whether someone is qualified to give out such a diagnosis? Do that many professionals really exist?



Mostly, I see people questioning the validity of self-diagnosis. I can understand this. I think it takes a tremendous about of self-awareness and self-assuredness to self-diagnose. For me, I lack both.

Professional diagnosis, self-diagnosis, other-diagnosis, the validities of these diagnoses, the effects of these diagnoses, plus misdiagnosis, overdiagnosis, underdiagnosis, these are all issues that should be open to discussion on WP and multiple perspectives included. WP should not enforce through censorship the specific opinions that self-diagnosis is completely valid and beneficial or that autism is definitely not overdiagnosed, two issues for which there have been no systematic studies and scarce evidence either way, so statements about them are personal opinions, and multiple opinions should be included.

Agreed. We should be able to have open and honest discussions here.

Personally I think that equating self-diagnosis with a professional diagnosis made by an ASD expert is tantamount to saying that the expertise of a psychiatrist, neurologist, psychologist ect. is completely useless. It's a very anti-science or at-least anti-psychiatry point of view. I agree that all behavioral diagnoses have a subjective component and psychiatry is far from an exact science. I agree it has its problems but it's still based on a lot of good empirical data, research. It still has some value, IMO. In my opinion, saying that your own assessment of your symptoms is just as good as these doctors dismisses their authority and utility completely. There might as well not be a diagnosis of ASD. Just the same way if you could diagnose yourself with diabetes or cancer just as well as any medical doctor, those doctors would be useless. Those things are easier to diagnose and the science is more exact but that doesn't mean that there isn't any science that goes into the diagnosis of ASD.

I think people who suspect they have ASD should be treated with respect and welcomed in any ASD community and should be taken seriously. However , I don;'t think people's own diagnosis should be taken as equal to a professional diagnosis of a neurodevelopmental disorder. That just seems completely irrational to me.

By all means discuss these issues, but what will not be tolerated by moderators is members belittling or dismissing other members who are self-diagnosed as I mentioned in a post above.

I think people should also remember that professionals and specialists are human beings as well. They can also make mistakes with diagnosing people.

The usual criteria is having a graduate degree in psychology with a specialization in clinical psychology.