Getting diagnosed in the US

Post Reply New Topic

I have been reading this thread and am fascinated by your point of view, though I don't necessarily agree with your final assessment. For NT's times are hard enough; for those deeper in the autism spectrum it is becoming very trying. I admire your idealism, I do. But the world requires more compliance, more fitting in, more than ever. Many places of employment are operating with reduced staff so the amount of work on individual employees is greater, and many on the spectrum are finding it harder to cope with that added stress. For instance, one of the fastest growing areas is the service industry, and this is an area where many Aspies are going to have serious issues. I truly believe that those on the spectrum have a great deal to offer, that much I do agree with. But I temper that with a bit more of a harsh view on our current reality.

hey man this is why I dont want to hate on people, some people do have reasons for their veiws and the best thing to do is just try and discuss it without trying to make a bunch of judgements.

It's all just bricks in the wall. (Another long time Floyd fan here.)

I have been wondering, does anybody know of a good psychiatrist with experience diagnosing AS to see in WI? I'm looking for a formal DX and I don't want to throw what little money I have down the drain with a poor evaluation. Maybe I should make my own thread..

So remove the 85% from the Google search, and you will still come up with about the same results. Some of them higher then 85%.

Google: "unemployment rate for aspies" About 429,000 results

The lack of academic sources in its self, does not disprove the numbers. Most of the statistics come from people who deal in employment issues for Aspies.

"From the time they are children, we've allowed them to develop a tremendous amount of skills and go to college but there's still an 80% unemployment rate because of the challenges they face with social skills and sensory issues," Marcia Scheiner - Asperger Syndrome Training & Employment

"While there is no official data, most experts agree the unemployment rate among individuals with Asperger's and other forms of high-functioning autism is as high as 85 percent, despite their typically above-average education, intelligence and technical aptitude, according to Aspiritech, a nonprofit that trains adults with Asperger's." Eric Hogan - Autistic Advancement

Like who deals with the homeless more harshly than America? What exactly are you saying?

What he's saying is... I came, I talked a lot of crap, I left.

There is something seriously wrong with you, and it has nothing to do with the spectrum. As someone else said, why are you even on these forums? Shouldn't you be out there being productive and contributing to society, not wasting your time amongst all these people that are so obviously below you and deserving of your scorn and contempt?

And yes, the social phobia that I've suffered for the last 31 years must be a temporary, easily treatable condition, I just needed a self-righteous jerk to let me know. I'm not in a coma or completely catatonic, so that must mean I'm just fine. You've opened my eyes, I'm cured! And I completely agree, we need to force all these lazy good-for-nothings to start working for the good of society. I've always admired the gulags that Stalin installed in his country, I bet we could do that and improve on it! We are the best country in the world after all. Let's ship all these fakers with "disabilities" off to camps where they can accomplish something useful for once in their poor, parasitic lives. You should consider running for public office, your charity, compassion, and common sense are just what this country needs. I eagerly look forward to when you are able to enlighten the entire country as you have us poor, lazy sods. I don't know what I would have done if you hadn't come along and shown us all that we just need to stop our whining and get a real job, because I'd never even considered that before. Just imagine, all this time all I needed to do to secure employment was to want it! Thank you, cavendish, you've saved us all from our wicked indolence!

i am sure that you are dealing with serious problems, and need and deserve some type of help. What is the right approach to take? That is the source of the disagreement. When I see young people wanting to get diagnosed so as to get all types of benefits, that makes me very concerned as to what is really in their best long term interest.

So your generation is the first one to deal with these issues? Hardly. Others throughout history have faced much worse. Appreciate what you have, work hard to achieve your goals in life, and don't expect much sympathy from the world. Rely on friends and family, rather than the government and the mental health system.

There's that compassion I was talking about. I really appreciate how you show me my problems are meaningless in the grand scheme of things. You are 100% right. It's not like I'm dying of the bubonic plague or being tortured in the Inquisition, so what do I need to worry my silly little head about anyways? I should learn to appreciate that I have nothing but aging parents to support me and stop trying to cease being such a burden on them, I'm sure they really enjoy taking care of their adult child and look forward to dying and leaving him with absolutely nothing no one he can rely on for any kind of help or support. And you're also right about working hard, I've never actually attempted anything before to try to improve my life, silly me, what was I thinking? I guess all the glamour of these chic mental problems blinded me, I know everyone wants to be mentally and socially crippled, it's such a fun lifestyle, but I guess only the horribly mutilated or complete brain-dead will ever achieve the dream of true disability. Thank you once again, for a minute there I thought I might get a swelled head. Thank you for putting me in my place and making me remember what a wonderful, full life I lead.

I've known people that leech off the taxpayers. It disgusts me because they are taking money that the charitable people of America put aside to help people that cannot help themselves. But being homeless is often a byproduct of a disability or mental illness that could not be overcome, that's why they are homeless. Children that are homeless are often running away from an abusive home situation.

I have been homeless and it was terrifying and miserable. You are often cold (I've had frost bite) and starving and sick. Go spend a weekend out in the cold with no food or TV and tell me how lazy it was. Also I'd like to know how to overcome my social phobia because it's been crippling me for over 30 years and I'd love to know. By the way, I never got any government checks, I've worked for everything I've got and I don't mind sharing it with people that need assistance.

I'm sorry, I know I should just let this go but I couldn't.

Well I don't really know what the 'right' approach is all I know is I need something to live on and getting SSI would also get me medicaid that could help with getting things treated. I mean getting a job is out right now.....other then trying to go homeless(but considering my lack of social skills I don't know how long I'd survive) it seems SSI is really the only option.

Also I am trying to focus on what my best long term interests are............and pushing myself too hard like I've been doing in an attempt to please the tax payers by not getting on SSI is not something I feel is in my best interest.

There are indeed people who truly need help, and many of them have legitimate and serious medical disabilities. One can't necessarily blame the individual.

Every situation is different, of course, and I am sure that you are valiantly struggling to improve your life. Ideally, the "system" should be offering enough support so you can go forward with your life. If the only way you can get medical assistance is to get SSI, then I can't blame you as an individual for choosing that path.

So aspergers isn't a legitimate disability, if you're homeless you're lazy and if you're young you should just get over it? If I have misunderstood you then a sincerely apologies but this is how you've sounded to me.

It's not just you, he's managed to endear himself to many people by talking like this. I don't know about you, but I really appreciate someone who takes time out of their busy day to come on a forum for people looking for support so he can tear them down and tell them to get over their whiny problems because they're lazy and don't matter in the grand scheme of things. He's just a wonderful, helpful person making sure we don't forget how worthless we all are.