Why Do So Many Desire An Aspergers Diagnosis?

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Ditto!

With me it was an explanation of all the personality quirks I had over 60 years. Knowing the truth enabled me to understand myself so much better... but also brought with it an increased awareness of things that I had probably never noticed that much before. It is a two edged sword.

Because it's less stigmatizing than other diagnosis? There's also the issue of it being commonly misdiagnosed as other things. and some docs are stupid. actually, many are. specially the types that advocate dope and surgery a lot.


http://apt.rcpsych.org/cgi/content/full/7/4/310

Do all of us and yourself a favor and go look thru the "When did you first realise you were an Aspie? " thread - you might start to begin to have a clue.

Those references to "mild, mild" autism are again either flat out stupidity or ignorance - a boil on your arm can be a humdinger huge debilitating bastard of a thing - maybe with fever etc. - or a smaller non debilitating type thing - get the difference?? With many things there are OF COURSE varying degrees!!

I don't think anyone actually aspires to have aspergers but I can defiantly relate to spending your whole life feeling different from everyone around you. I used to cry myself to sleep when I was about 15 because I wanted so badly just to be normal and I didn't know why I wasn't. My mother even took me to the doctor because she was worried about me but the doctor just told us I was feeling down because being a teenager was hard.

It's doctors like this without proper mental health/syndrome training that cause people to self diagnose. This meeting with the doctor stopped me seeking help again even though my difficulties were making me depressed on and off. I think a lot of other people are also scared to go to the doctors and ask for help which is another reason to self diagnose.

It's only this year after reading a book about ADHD and could not believe how accurately it described me that I sought professional help to see if this was the explanation for being so different from everyone else. I did get diagnosed with ADHD but also aspergers which was a big shock to me as I really didn't know much about it. It's not particulary something I wanted To be labelled with but it's a huge relief knowing there is a difference in my brain and I'm not causing it myself. I think this is also why so many other people search for answer.

I had as*holes on WrongPlanet tell me I was NT because I was self diagnosed so I went to get an evaluation to prove them wrong. The first psychologist I went to admitted to me after the third visit that he did not believe in titles like Aspergers Syndrome he wanted me to see him for at least 12 more visits before he could make up his mind about me. So people on here told me to dump him which I did. The second psychologist I met with told me he figured I was somewhere on the autism spectrum so he tested me to figure out where. The 7 hour test showed that I had Aspergers. That psychologist refered me psychologist that also has a Asperger's Syndrome he has been a great help to me.

going to multiple visits before diagnosis isn't a bad thing. it gives the guy time to get to know you so that he can be more accurate. many times those types are the most productive.

Yeah - they also rack up alot of fees before they even get to the 'testing' part.

The man said he did not believe in titles I wanted to know if I had Aspergers it would have been a waste of money and time for him to see me if he was not going to give me a diagnosis. It costed me $20 a visit I was into him for 3 visits. $60.00. He wantred me to do 12 more visits = $240.00. The neuro psychologist who did my evealuation charged me for 2 visits $40.00 + testing $150.00 grand total $190.00 and he diagnosed me with Aspergers syndrome not to mention told me I was not learning disabled my second doctor was more cost effective. My first doctor wanted to get 15 visits then test me.



Read above and do the math. He also kept bragging about a book he was writing. He would waste 10 minutes of my time each visit talking about it.

WHY DO YOU GIVE A SH*T?

lol.

I'm just asking.

I tell ya what. on the inside, I am 99% like a lot of the people diagnosed with AS on this forum, and before I found this place, I thought there was something seriously wrong with me. I thought I was defective and I had really never met anyone who could relate to the things that I go through or to the things that are talked about here.

BUT, I realized that, in real life, I probably have an easier time functioning than most people with AS do. Even if this is an act or functioning on *NT mode*, or whatever, the FACT is that I *am* able to pull off an NT way of being most of the time. I don't piss people off too much, I can charm people when I want to (most of the time) I don't have a ton of social anxiety anymore, and even though I still feel like most of the Aspies here on the inside, I'm probably not viewed that way by most people.

Which is true for some people with a diagnosis, as well. My point is that I've realized that even I do have a ton of AS traits, it doesn't hamper me too much. SOMETIMES it does, which is I still hang out here and post occasionally, but for the most part I'm normal-ish and don't have a lot to complain about.

Others have more to complain about. They legitimately do because they are more affected than me and need help. They have found the answers they've always been looking for here, and now need a diagnosis to get help.

Okay? lol. Is it that difficult to understand? Maybe a very small percentage *want* to have AS, I don't know. I think most just want to do whatever they have to do function in society.

When I found this website I was very relieved. It allowed me to talk to people on the spectrum about certain traits and life experiences I had begun to suspect might place me on the spectrum as well. And as my nickname and profile suggest I have been honest about my lack of a diagnosis from the start. I try not to talk about myself as an Aspie or Autie but rather compare personality and behavioural traits with others while I await testing. Even if I don't have an ASD it's clear I have so much in common with some people on the website that I belong here as much as anyone else if only for my "traits". As for people desiring an ASD diagnosis I can only speak for myself. Yes I do. Some of the most troubling things I have experienced during my life include the following;
1. Lacking the ability to express or share my phsyical and emotional distress and suffering leading to "suffering in silence".
2. Lacking the ability to connect with other people (eye contact, making small talk which I find as repugnant as others seem to find it enjoyable etc)
3. An emotional "numbing" in early 2005 which has only recently began to improve in recent times so I can deeply enjoy stuff like sunsets and music again.
4. Not showing the thoughts and feelings I have on the inside on my face which people have pointed out over the years, some of them cruelly.
5. Not knowing how others feel or what they might be thinking just by looking at their faces. I sometimes feel ambushed when people erupt because I couldn't see it coming.

So an ASD would, for me, be the most relieving explanation for who and what I am. I believe I am essentially a good person. But it can be hard to believe that after a life time of people talking about you behind your back calling you a freak, psycho or simpleton. I am getting tested this year. If I find out I'm not on the spectrum then I'll be worried to find out why I am the way I am. Asperger's or something similar is basically the only explanation I'm not frightened of and would even be proud of. I have attached a certain level of status to the condition because of some of its advantages.

I'm 54 and have been different all of my life. I haven't been diagnosed with AS but do have most of the AS traits very strongly. I have had difficulty keeping jobs, in part because of some of my AS traits. I don't need services, don't need an official diagnosis.

Why is it important for me to conclude that I most likely have AS? Because it helps me understand that I am not alone. I have felt so different and so alone for most of my life. I want to understand myself better and having a recognized pattern of behaviors that fits me so well feels like coming home.

Your Aspie score: 176 of 200
Your neurotypical (non-autistic) score: 37 of 200
You are very likely an Aspie