What happens to people with AS once the DSM-V comes out?

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What happens to people with Asperger's Syndrome when the DSM-V comes out and Asperger's is no longer a part of it? Does that mean the AS diagnosis is automatically turned into an autism spectrum disorder diagnosis, or does a person with Asperger's have to get retested for an autism spectrum diagnosis?

I've read that people with Asperger's will have to be retested for an autism spectrum disorder but am unsure.

A search of the term "DSM-V" yielded 10 pages of similar discussion threads on WP.

For the answers to your questions, it may be best to ask an appropriately trained and licensed mental-health professional.

As for me, I don't care. I know who I am and what I am capable of. My own official diagnosis does not define these things for me.

I agree with Fnord, I've been diagnosed. I don't let it define me and I don't care to get retested if all this stuff does happen. I know who I am, and I accept that. It won't bother me either way.

The mothership finally comes back to get us all.

I am going with what Temple Grandlin said, in that Asperger's should be considered "in" the spectrum, not something comprehensively eliminated. As there are many commonalities of people with Asperger's that are not present in Autism and vice versa (although there are shared elements, as well), I see it as a bit inaccurate to erase it, and just forget it all. How on earth is erasing data scientifically sound?

So, yes, I have Asperger's. Anyone with Asperger's is considered to be "Autistic" in that definition, but I'm not getting rid of it. I am not responding to being considered "Autistic" unless we're talking in academic senses.

Most of us will be shifted into "Autism Spectrum Disorder, Mild". Others will be Moderate or Severe. If Social Communication Disorder makes it in, those with social-only symptoms will be re-diagnosed with that; if not, they'll probably just put you into ASD as usual.

Well, the logical step would be to retain all personal diagnoses (autism, AS, PDD-NOS, and the rest) and consider them the same as the proposed new ASD in DSM-V. If the existing diagnoses couldn't be translated to one of the levels (1, 2, 3) automatically, an auxiliary (additional) evaluation should be enough to determine the level of the help needed in my opinion.

Anyway, I'm glad that PDD-NOS will be done away with.

A lot of people seem to think that the diagnosis just disappears. Not so. Most will end up with ASD 1, with a few possibly qualifying for ASD 2.

I was told that it would just be called ASD instead, but they'd still call it Aspergers to people who call it that.

You know this, reminds me of something else about this I do not like: Calling it a "disorder."

ASD/Asperger's/Autism are different orders, not disorders. It's a complete misnomer.

There really needs to be more talk on neurodiversity.

To call it a disorder, is akin to calling homosexuality a "disorder." Neither are that.

They're part of the larger range of what it means to be "human"...

Homosexuality doesn't prevent you from doing things that most people are capable of doing. Autism does. Asperger's does.

But that doesn't mean its not part of human existence.

But so is blindness. But so is deafness.

Disability is part of human existance.

I am disabled. I have a disorder. To deny my disability is innately harming to me. It is not a misnomer to call something that means I am impaired a disorder.

You are required to have clinically significant impairment to be diagnosed. Clinically significant impairment is what leads to it being a disorder.

But that doesn't mean that neurodiversity means nothing.

It just means that its not wrong to have a disorder. And its not just limited to autism. I'm not lesser because I'm autistic, and someone else isn't lesser because they're schizophrenic, and someone else isn't lesser because they're blind and someone else isn't lesser because they have a TBI, and someone else isn't lesser because they're unable to walk do to an injury, and someone else isn't lesser because of MS.

Disability is part of the human experience. We're all people too.

But that does not mean, that I'm 'just different' because I'm autistic. Because I need help. Because I am not capable of taking care of myself. Because I am impaired. Because I am going to do whatever I can do for myself, but I require accommodations, and someone who is "just different", does not need help and accommodations. Someone who is "just different", does not need to go through the state's vocational rehab group, and then be deemed unemployable, and be looking at SSI. Someone who is "just different", doesn't need to be going through and seeing 4 different professionals every week and looking at the possibility of a service dog.

I'm not just different. I'm disabled.

I'm not ashamed of that fact.

After things are changed around somewhat, I'm not even sure whether or not I'll be on the spectrum, anymore.
I met enough criteria to be diagnosed with AS, but under the new headings, I'm not sure whether or not I will be still on the spectrum, anymore.
Guess I'll have to find out from my counselor (who diagnosed me) on Friday. *sigh*

_________________
An Asperger's man who has Autism Spectrum Disorder level 1- mild, with a sprinkling of Synesthesia.