Got AS Diagnosis Today

Post Reply New Topic

It took a year, but I finally got an official diagnosis of AS today from a psychiatrist who specializes in Autism and AS. He was excellent. Had toys all over his office so I could sit there and play with them while we chatted. He didn't give me any tests at all, just asked me questions for about an hour. At the end, when I asked him about not taking any tests, he said that some of the things I'd mentioned on my own were diagnostic of AS, particularly when I told him the story about learning at 13 that others couldn't read my mind. Another diagnostic criteria is my inability to dissemble, or "tell the polite lies tha are a standard part of social intercourse". He definitely did not go off the DSM criteria, which is cool, even though I do meet those criteria. He's also a professor at the local university, so I really trust him.

Anyway, it's a relief to finally know for sure!

Hey, aylissa, congrats! He sounds like a good psychiatrist.

Hey: IDEA... Would you mind giving his name and general location so that people on WP in future who are in your area or nearby seeking a diagnosis can go to someone who's tried and tested?

It would be nice to begin collecting together some more personal resources for newbies.

that is fantastic! Will you ask if he knows anyone in SC that is familiar with AS? LOL! I go to my theripist tommrow to see if he is as nuts as the shrink I saw a couple weeks ago... lol!

Remember this does not change You, it though can give understanding who You are in the end.

Congrats as well too.

Dr. Bolman is located in Honolulu, HI and is 76 years old. I asked him what the state was going to do without him and he said he had two new psychiatrists in his office that he's training. So if you can get to Honolulu in the next year or so, you could probably see him.

My recommendation would be to see a child and adolescent psychiatrist and ask them for a referral to someone who specializes in Autism and AS. Otherwise you never know what you're going to get.

And Kev, I beg to differ. Knowing I have AS as opposed to speculating that I might have it is very different, and I can attest to it having been through it. I feel better about myself - I have AS, I'm not just some random weirdo from another planet. I can read the literature and use it to understand myself better. For me it is helpful. Everybody has their reasons to get a dx or not get one, but for me this was absolutely the right thing to do.

Aylissa- it's kind of like the last piece of the puzzle, isn't it? Isn't it strange that there could be so much self-discovery at the mid-life point?

Bland - your post made me smile. However, I STILL wish there were a book of operating instructions for social skills - no I wish there were an operation where they could instill them in my brain.

Congrats!

I agree that a diagnosis is helpful. For me, it made all the difference in the world. I was actually worried that they might say"sorry, you don't have it", which would sort of put me back on square one. So it's a relief, and it makes a difference, and I feel good about it. It's only been a week for me, but I doubt I'll feel different about it in a year.

Congrats!

Social Skills are overrated. I mean, just when you think you have it figured out, you find out that you don't. Example:

Rule: Be genuine. Nobody likes a phony.

Friend: Hey, Bland! How do like my new outfit?

Bland: I don't.

Friend: (in a whiny voice) What's wrong with it?!

Bland: Nothing's WRONG with it, I just don't like it.

Friend: Thank's a lot, Bland!

I quit.

Why, what an interesting color! That's a great fabric, you must have chosen it to match your eyes?

What's really weird is that we wouldn't ask you about our clothes if we weren't already unsure of how we look. We're asking you to help us feel more confident about how we look.

When asked how YOU like it - what they really mean is how do you like it on them or how do you think it looks on them, not if you would want one for yourself.

When we do small talk, we tend to leave out some of the words. With my ASD child, I'm beginning to see that.

I understand about the dx too Aylissa - my son's therapist first suggested it in June. I read up on it and tried to learn more about it, but his m.d. said no. Then, his new psychiatrist said yes and it went from a what-if to a real thing. As his mom, I'm going back to the websites and books and working harder to actually do the things I've read about.

three2camp wrote-
When asked how YOU like it - what they really mean is how do you like it on them or how do you think it looks on them, not if you would want one for yourself.



That's exactly what I told her! "I wouldn't wear that if you paid me a million dollars!!"

Really, though, it didn't look very good on her, not in my opinion but I don't even like most of today's styles.

I've always had problems with what to say if I think it's ugly. I mean, I know I'm not supposed to say that so I hesitate before saying anything, which the NT interprets as "he doesn't like it".

congrats!! !! !

getting the formal diagnosis was a huge relief to me too.
april

As far as I know, I'm NT with an Aspie son so believe me, clothing, particularly on women, is not an easy thing for us either. I may think: Whatever possessed her to buy that color?? Umm, don't they make clothes long enough to cover that gut?

But, I say: What a wonderful fabric - it looks so soft/smooth/silky - I mean something that doesn't mean I'm lying, but it doesn't make her feel bad either.

I'm older and out-of-touch (so my kids tell me) so I really didn't realize that people are supposed to see your underwear these days (umm, ooooooooops!)

And, you don't have to be an Aspie to hesitate - like I noted, the wearer is already somewhat suspicious that perhaps it wasn't the best outfit. This is a situation where no one, NT or otherwise, is going to *win.*

But it's hard, and NTs seem to handle it so much better. (Now that I think of it, it's always about clothing on women; men won't ask.) I guess I hesitate longer than they do.