Asperger's Doesn't Exist.

Post Reply New Topic

That's what my psychiatrist said today when I asked him if he thinks I have Asperger's. He said there were like 126 different genotypes for it and basically said he doesn't believe in it. I've been diagnosed but I'm not sure if I have it. I'm having a hard time dealing with my anxiety already and feel even more confused about Asperger's. Should I be offended by this? What do you guys think? Is he right? Is Asperger's just an amalgamation of different diagnoses? I'm not extreme by any means. I probably had very mild Asperger's before I got my panic disorder. Now it's probably mild or moderate.

A lot of people don't take it seriously because ever since it became a part of pop culture a ton of people started thinking they had it. It is indeed a real disorder because some people are suffering a lot from symptoms related to Aspergers.

He's an idiot. Excuse me, ignorant. He should know better.

I have been told by doctors that I have aspergers, then another will tell me know it’s only my imagination.
When I was growing up in the 60’s and 70’s my behaviour was put down to being born deaf in my left ear, I was a slow learner they said.
If they don’t know what causes autism and they admit to no cure, then what is an expert with no answers.
I had to work it out myself unfortunately. Not until I saw the rain man did I understand what was going on.
I look normal most of the time (Mild Aspergers) But when I become very stressed my mind slows down, I end up looking left towards the ground, I can no longer engage in eye contact with anyone, I babble and lose all my social skills, I can’t even tell you my name.
Once again the doctors don’t know what to tell me.
If you catch the common cold or cut your finger, you don’t run to the doctor and ask what’s wrong, you just know.
Research your symptoms and compare it to others, folk on this site maybe.
We all know when there is something wrong or different about ourselves, trust me, doctors are only human like everybody else, they get things wrong.
"There is no compassion without understanding, only ignorance...

1.) You should've said "Asperger's WHAT doesn't exist?" The technicality of your argument would've totally illustrated how very much you DO have AS.

2.) Definitely get a new therapist.

Well, I do agree with him actually, to a point. I feel like Aspergers is a diagnosis like chronic pain syndrome, fibromyalgia, etc. Yes, there's stuff going on, but generally for each case, there's a different cause of where symptoms come from. That is my personal opinion about Aspergers. Like I have NVLD, for all intensive purposes, it "acts" like Aspergers, and people have said I have it, but the cause is my verbal/PIQ gap, and that's likely due to right brain disturbance. So it's not a magical mystery thing, and in my case, it's not like something I can feel super proud of, as now I know it's a flaw in my neurology that causes it, and I wonder how I'd have gotten through life without that flaw. So knowing my "Aspergers" is sorta caused by my NVLD, I wonder how other people's are caused.

And psychs can just diagnose anything. They can throw the DSM out the window and say whatever they want. IE, I wasn't supposed to be diagnosed schizoid or schizoaffective at 17 years old, but was diagnosed it anyway. The people they referred me to for treatment said that they couldn't take me for that reason, that's why I totally disregarded my diagnosis from them entirely, it took my own independent research and multiple people to convince me of the truth behind my NVLD diagnosis. Psychology is basically in the eye of the beholder, one psych will say one thing, another will say something else 180 degrees away from the other. It's a pointless "science" really. Part of the reason he's saying what he could be about Aspergers, though, is there's no medication for Aspergers, or really much treatment. So it could just be him just avoiding something he can't make money off.

And yes, I've gotten told by a psych that I have Aspergers when I argued that NVLD wasn't Aspergers.

Unless Asperger's gets assigned to one of those 126+ genotypes then it remains a blanket term that refers to a number of different things that present in a similar way .... so to say you have Asperger's means you likely have one of those genotypes even if you don't know which one it is. A psychiatrist is unqualified to give you one of those more specific diagnosis. Imagine if efforts to bring awareness to autism suddenly broke off into 126 different parts each vying for awareness and separate support and if we ignored anyone who couldn't pinpoint their genotype, that would be a huge step backwards.

Definition of a syndrome: a collection of signs and symptoms known to frequently appear together but without a known cause.

Many diseases have started out as syndromes. Perhaps he don't believe Aspergers is "real" because it doesn't yet have a known cause, and therefore in his eyes is not "official". I only speculate of course. With DSM-5 Aspergers will be a part of Autism Spectrum Disorder, and therefore not a syndrome anymore, perhaps thats what this guy is waiting for. Who knows...

To read morea bout disease vs. syndrome, go here: http://chronicfatigue.about.com/od/copi ... ndrome.htm

As long as Aspergers is in both DSM-IV and ICD-10, it is real enough for the legal system, then it should be real enough to diagnose. Anything else is just personal opinions.

What does it even mean for Asperger's to not exist? It is a collection of symptoms. That's what a medical condition is.

So what if its physical representation in the brain is difficult to detect? That doesn't matter! The symptoms define the condition. Do doctors refuse to believe that you have a cough until they get to look at your lungs?

I'd imagine a lot of doctors think, "I can't treat Asperger's, per se, so it's not a quantifiable psychiatric diagnosis like depression, anxiety and so on." Since they can't wrap their fingers around it, and treat it, it doesn't exist.

Don't be offended, just move on to a doctor that studies this specific topic.

I've had a hard time being convinced this syndrome exists... and I know how difficult my impairments are.
Also, the dark/goth/emo culture loves to feel alienated and cry wolf on Asperger's. I'm very reserved on this topic.

If you go to a professional that deals with autism, I'm sure you'll receive better treatment. Don't let one opinion disencourage you from professional help.

Hope you figure it out.
Peace out.

Well, like others here, I think you should get a new psychiatrist.
That being said, it doesn't matter what label or name is given to the spectrum, it IS a spectrum and it IS very real.
But I am beginning to see that most Aspies seem to be (as per Meyers Briggs temperament indicator) Introverts, Intuitives (with a few sensors), Thinkers (with a few feelers and X's, like me) and a mix of Perceivers and Judgers.

The trend points to the fact that most of us tend toward introversion (as defined by Meyers Briggs, Kiersey, Jung); high intuitive abilities, and tendencies to rely on our logic rahter than emotions. I don't see this as a disorder or a bad thing. I think AS exists as a lot of people who share a spectrum of similar traits---but traits that are uncommon in the "main-stream" population.

Also, think of it tis way: just because the Neuro-typicals are greater in number, that doesn't mean that Aspies are defective or disordered because we are a minority. Neuro-typicals are the ones who decided we were disordered and needed a label.

Personally I think psychiatrists are only good to prescribe drugs, and psychologists are useless. We had a couple of those and none worked. My daughter was diagnosed by a neurologist and is treated by a therapist.

I do not think you should be offended, but certainly that is not the right person for you. Someone who says a very well documented syndrome does not exist should not be attending patients. His license should be removed. And no, he is not right. But yes, a person with AS shows signs of having different diagnoses, that's why getting the right diagnosis is so difficult. But funny thing, if you get treatment for one of the diagnosis, but not for AS, it does not work. Being there. My husband and daughter are both very mild as well, and I can tell you the therapy has done wonders for her. A therapist could maybe work wonders for you, too.