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Self-diagnosis

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How do we feel about self-diagnosis?
I have a medical diagnosis and I support self-diagnosis 38%  38%  [ 17 ]
I have a medical diagnosis and I do NOT support self-diagnosis 31%  31%  [ 14 ]
I am self-diagnosed and I support self-diagnosis 29%  29%  [ 13 ]
I am self-diagnosed but I feel like if someone is self-diagnosed they should get a medical diagnosis 2%  2%  [ 1 ]
Total votes : 45

firemonkey
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13 Jun 2020, 12:18 pm

StarTrekker wrote:
firemonkey wrote:
StarTrekker wrote:
As someone who needs a lot of support to get by, I will admit to being frustrated and confused by those who decide to remain self diagnosed because they have no need for supports. Part of the definition of having autism is that, at the very least, you require some support to function. If you don't need support, you don't meet diagnostic criteria and therefore don't have autism.


What if you say you don't need support because of stubborn pride, or an inability to see you do actually need support ? At what point does one say a person is functioning well enough not to need support ?


I would say when one is functioning at a level equal to or better than the average of one's same age non-disabled peers.


Never worked
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No friends
Have help to keep place clean
Stepdaughter helps with practical stuff



skibum
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13 Jun 2020, 12:53 pm

firemonkey wrote:
StarTrekker wrote:
firemonkey wrote:
StarTrekker wrote:
As someone who needs a lot of support to get by, I will admit to being frustrated and confused by those who decide to remain self diagnosed because they have no need for supports. Part of the definition of having autism is that, at the very least, you require some support to function. If you don't need support, you don't meet diagnostic criteria and therefore don't have autism.


What if you say you don't need support because of stubborn pride, or an inability to see you do actually need support ? At what point does one say a person is functioning well enough not to need support ?


I would say when one is functioning at a level equal to or better than the average of one's same age non-disabled peers.


Never worked
Don't drive
No friends
Have help to keep place clean
Stepdaughter helps with practical stuff
You are definitely and always have been impaired. No one should question your diagnosis.


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firemonkey
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13 Jun 2020, 1:47 pm

All I know is that I live a rather basic ,low key life . I may be impaired, but I'm not stupid .



skibum
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13 Jun 2020, 1:49 pm

firemonkey wrote:
All I know is that I live a rather basic ,low key life . I may be impaired, but I'm not stupid .
Agreed. You are one of the most inciteful people I know. I think a lot of us are in that same boat.


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13 Jun 2020, 2:11 pm

I'm very lucky . I get good support now . Many are denied support either because they have no family to do that , and/or even health professionals think they are too intelligent to need support .



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13 Jun 2020, 2:37 pm

firemonkey wrote:
I'm very lucky . I get good support now . Many are denied support either because they have no family to do that , and/or even health professionals think they are too intelligent to need support .
That is one of my biggest problems. I keep getting denied support that I critically and desperately need because I appear too functional. And I have no family that is local that can help me. You are very blessed to have your stepdaughter.


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13 Jun 2020, 2:43 pm

My parents were not good teachers, but they were pretty reliable about telling me I wouldn't get anything if I asked for something not on their own list of options.



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13 Jun 2020, 2:54 pm

Dear_one wrote:
My parents were not good teachers, but they were pretty reliable about telling me I wouldn't get anything if I asked for something not on their own list of options.
That is so wrong on so many levels.


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firemonkey
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13 Jun 2020, 3:24 pm

skibum wrote:
firemonkey wrote:
I'm very lucky . I get good support now . Many are denied support either because they have no family to do that , and/or even health professionals think they are too intelligent to need support .
That is one of my biggest problems. I keep getting denied support that I critically and desperately need because I appear too functional. And I have no family that is local that can help me. You are very blessed to have your stepdaughter.


It's terrible that you and so many others can't get the help they need.


I used to live in Essex. I moved to Wiltshire to be near my stepdaughter . She had wanted me to do so since her mum died .

My previous mental health trust in Essex saw me as being, as mentioned in my psych notes , 'awkward,demanding and troublesome' for asking for more help and support. Other remarks were 'very dependent narcissist' and 'illness is very Machiavellian in its complexity'

An anecdote about how difficulties can be misinterpreted . It's nearly 40 years since it happened . Things may or may not be better now

Last psych admission . I was sent to the OT dept to do a cookery course . One day I was given the job of peeling the potatoes . I struggled to do it , because I'm not good at that kind of thing . I was seen as being deliberately uncooperative and kicked off the cooking course.



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13 Jun 2020, 3:47 pm

skibum wrote:
firemonkey wrote:
I'm very lucky . I get good support now . Many are denied support either because they have no family to do that , and/or even health professionals think they are too intelligent to need support .
That is one of my biggest problems. I keep getting denied support that I critically and desperately need because I appear too functional. And I have no family that is local that can help me. You are very blessed to have your stepdaughter.


I have a very similar problem. I’m not disabled enough to actually get most support/assistance but am too disabled to do without it. I’m very fortunate that my parents are still willing and able to let me keep living with them, I’m still pretty dependent on them.


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13 Jun 2020, 4:54 pm

firemonkey wrote:
skibum wrote:
firemonkey wrote:
I'm very lucky . I get good support now . Many are denied support either because they have no family to do that , and/or even health professionals think they are too intelligent to need support .
That is one of my biggest problems. I keep getting denied support that I critically and desperately need because I appear too functional. And I have no family that is local that can help me. You are very blessed to have your stepdaughter.


It's terrible that you and so many others can't get the help they need.


I used to live in Essex. I moved to Wiltshire to be near my stepdaughter . She had wanted me to do so since her mum died .

My previous mental health trust in Essex saw me as being, as mentioned in my psych notes , 'awkward,demanding and troublesome' for asking for more help and support. Other remarks were 'very dependent narcissist' and 'illness is very Machiavellian in its complexity'

An anecdote about how difficulties can be misinterpreted . It's nearly 40 years since it happened . Things may or may not be better now

Last psych admission . I was sent to the OT dept to do a cookery course . One day I was given the job of peeling the potatoes . I struggled to do it , because I'm not good at that kind of thing . I was seen as being deliberately uncooperative and kicked off the cooking course.
Oh my gosh, That is just crazy. It's awful. I am so sorry you had to be treated that way. At least you are close to your family now. That is a very good thing.


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13 Jun 2020, 4:56 pm

dragonsanddemons wrote:
skibum wrote:
firemonkey wrote:
I'm very lucky . I get good support now . Many are denied support either because they have no family to do that , and/or even health professionals think they are too intelligent to need support .
That is one of my biggest problems. I keep getting denied support that I critically and desperately need because I appear too functional. And I have no family that is local that can help me. You are very blessed to have your stepdaughter.


I have a very similar problem. I’m not disabled enough to actually get most support/assistance but am too disabled to do without it. I’m very fortunate that my parents are still willing and able to let me keep living with them, I’m still pretty dependent on them.
That is so great that your parents can still help you. It is so crazy how everyone is only concerned about Autistic children aging out of the system and how they will be supported but they have no concern for people like us.


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Deanne
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15 Jun 2020, 11:50 am

I first self-diagnosed and then got confirmation from a psychologist. The psychologist recommended I not go through the medical diagnosis process because it's difficult and not necessary in my case since I don't need the official stamp to apply for disability. I cope well, have a supportive workplace and am just a few years from retirement.

If it was easier to get a full medical diagnosis, I'd want one for my own peace of mind. Since it's so difficult to obtain a diagnosis, I think it's important to support people who self-diagnose.



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15 Jun 2020, 4:51 pm

I have no problem with self-diagnosis in general. There may be some specific cases where I think an individual may have incorrectly diagnosed themselves, but professionals also make incorrect diagnoses all the time. I do not think most self-diagnosed people diagnose themselves lightly.



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15 Jun 2020, 6:31 pm

The_Walrus wrote:
I have no problem with self-diagnosis in general. There may be some specific cases where I think an individual may have incorrectly diagnosed themselves, but professionals also make incorrect diagnoses all the time. I do not think most self-diagnosed people diagnose themselves lightly.
"All the time"?

Sir, with all due respect, do you mean to say that each and every professional diagnosis is an incorrect one?  Upon what statistical set did you base this claim?  Or are you merely engaging in hyperbole?

You may find that an objectively-obtained diagnosis by a professional is indeed more accurate than any subjectively-obtained "diagnosis" by an untrained amateur.


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15 Jun 2020, 7:48 pm

Fnord wrote:
The_Walrus wrote:
I have no problem with self-diagnosis in general. There may be some specific cases where I think an individual may have incorrectly diagnosed themselves, but professionals also make incorrect diagnoses all the time. I do not think most self-diagnosed people diagnose themselves lightly.
"All the time"?

Sir, with all due respect, do you mean to say that each and every professional diagnosis is an incorrect one?  Upon what statistical set did you base this claim?  Or are you merely engaging in hyperbole?

You may find that an objectively-obtained diagnosis by a professional is indeed more accurate than any subjectively-obtained "diagnosis" by an untrained amateur.

The expression "all the time" is often not meant literally. It usually means it is a common occurrence.


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