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JonathanCampbell99
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17 Feb 2016, 10:11 am

I'm completely sh*****g myself for tomorrow, it's my first appointment with a psychologist/psychiatrist and I'm wondering what will happen during the appointment? Would they diagnose me with Asperger's on the first visit if I tell them the problems I have had in my life in relation to the traits of Asperger's? How do I say to them about the problems? I'm actually going to the psychologist/psychiatrist for Social Anxiety/Generalised Anxiety but could I tell them that I think have Asperger's due to having the traits and problems that are associated with it? Sorry if this doesn't make sense, I haven't slept last night at all. :cry:


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BeaArthur
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17 Feb 2016, 10:17 am

Please relax. The person you see isn't going to DO anything to you. They will just talk, ask you a lot of questions, possibly give you a paper-and-pencil test of some sort. They may want you to return for further evaluation. You might get sent home with some homework.

It's okay to admit that you are nervous, when you see them. It's also okay to wonder if you should tell them about your Asperger's concerns. But they may want to go in a totally different direction. Try to keep an open mind. It's about like going to see a fortune-teller ... only with considerably more scientific rigor.

Please feel free to come here and "debrief" how you felt in your session.


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18 Feb 2016, 2:36 am

JonathanCampbell99 wrote:
I'm completely sh*****g myself for tomorrow, it's my first appointment with a psychologist/psychiatrist and I'm wondering what will happen during the appointment? Would they diagnose me with Asperger's on the first visit if I tell them the problems I have had in my life in relation to the traits of Asperger's? How do I say to them about the problems? I'm actually going to the psychologist/psychiatrist for Social Anxiety/Generalised Anxiety but could I tell them that I think have Asperger's due to having the traits and problems that are associated with it? Sorry if this doesn't make sense, I haven't slept last night at all. :cry:

So many people here seem to believe that getting a diagnosis is everything. A diagnosis isn't the story... the story is how do you relate to the world, and the people that are in your life. Having a psychiatrist is having a relationship with a very educated person, who knows a great deal about the ways that people relate, and they can often help you mature and grow in the way you participate, and deal with your experiences.


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18 Feb 2016, 2:43 am

I'm always nervous before an evaluation, even though I have had many. But nothing to be nervous about.
Tell it like it is. Nothing is going to change in one visit. It's a process.



eggheadjr
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18 Feb 2016, 3:38 pm

The therapist is there to help you, whatever your issues may be. I speak from experience on this one.

It'll be fine. :D


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18 Feb 2016, 5:02 pm

How did it go?


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JonathanCampbell99
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21 Feb 2016, 4:23 am

It turns out that I have social anxiety and depression, the clinician can see that I have traits of Aspergers, so she's going to refer me to the Adults Autism Diagnostic Service, I don't know when though, she said she's going to look into it, to see if she refer me to the service herself rather than referring me through a GP.


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EzraS
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21 Feb 2016, 4:49 am

I do not think there are many who don't have social anxiety and depression in addition to autism.



JonathanCampbell99
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21 Feb 2016, 5:19 am

Quote:
I do not think there are many who don't have social anxiety and depression in addition to autism.


Could the Aspergers be masking itself as Social Anxiety, do you think? The depression is from dealing with homelife and a recent bereavement, I also haven't dealt with my grandmother's death, she died a year ago.


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EzraS
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21 Feb 2016, 6:37 am

JonathanCampbell99 wrote:
Quote:
I do not think there are many who don't have social anxiety and depression in addition to autism.


Could the Aspergers be masking itself as Social Anxiety, do you think? The depression is from dealing with homelife and a recent bereavement, I also haven't dealt with my grandmother's death, she died a year ago.


A person could just have social anxiety and not autism. But I don't know of many who have autism, but do not have some type of social anxiety. Depression can be separate from autism, but still caught up with it. What they call comorbid. But like I said, most of us have problems with depression. And depression and anxiety must linked because they often give a person depression medication like Zoloft or Prozac to help with anxiety.



Chickadeesingingonthewrongplanet
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21 Feb 2016, 6:59 am

It's natural to be nervous. I think it's fairly unlikely to get an official Dx in just one visit. There are official guidelines in the UK about the process and there are these set interviews and activities that are part of it. Also, it's likely that only the diagnostic service is allowed to make the diagnosis.

The real point is that it's all a chance to get some support and maybe insights that will be useful--that's what I'm hoping for myself anyway. Label or not doesn't change who any of us is.

Like many people here, I was reading and scouring the web in the time between the initial referral and the actual screening. It's still full of emotional ups and downs, questions, sorrow, relief and lots else..it is a very big deal in some ways to face this stuff and go into a system for diagnosis, but in other ways, hey, I've lived inside my head for my whole life and a few hours of screening, a report and a label don't change who I am.