Wrong diagnosis?

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Hello everyone,

I am really sorry about this. I know how uncool it is to bother people on the internet. I want to go get my diagnosis checked again, but no psychologist in my area will do it for less than $2000. None of them will take insurance either! I am a graduate student. I don't have that kind of money.

Anyways, when I was 19 I was diagnosed with ADHD. I still have a copy of the report. Basically, on the WAIS-IV my Verbal Comprehension Index is "Very Superior" (141), my General Ability Index is "High Average"(115) and my Processing Speed Index is "Low Average"(86). Everything else was average. However, I think I might have Asperger's syndrome, not ADHD.

I was also given the W-J III. I was "advanced" in all of the reading categories. I was within limits for all of the math categories and advanced for all of the writing categories. However, I got "mild functional impairment" on "story recall" and "understanding directions". My delayed story recall was within the normal limits.

I have had problems since I was a child (4-5). When I was young, I was very shy and not interested in making friends. I wouldn't make eye contact with people. My parents were very strict. I was punished for my "anti-social" behavior and started acting "social" because I was afraid of getting time-out or having my toys taken away. I also hated getting yelled at. I still hate yelling/sudden loud noises. I break down and cry when people start to yell. I can't handle it.

I was raised in a strict, Christian household that really emphasized rules and conformity. Not conforming to rules was a really bad thing and it meant you were going to hell. I grew up in the country and spent most of my spare time riding horses. I used to know the names of all of the breeds and a ton of stuff about equine science. In high school, I was obsessed with marine biology and learned the scientific names of tons of local fish, cnidarians and echinoderms. I didn't have many friends and I spent most of my spare time outside riding horses or looking at marine life.

Anyways, I have had academic problems since middle school. I barely passed algebra and physics. I almost failed out of undergrad. I have trouble focusing/staying organized. I constantly forget stuff. I've gotten better, but I still can't "multitask". I also used to be very impulsive. Insignificant things would make me extremely upset and I had some really awful coping mechanisms. I have gotten better about this one.

I chose not to take the ADHD medication because I was really into drugs back then and was afraid of being pressured into selling it. I also was afraid of abusing it/mixing it with other drugs.

I have gotten a lot better about most of these things. However, I still struggle in professional situations. I work in an office and I SUCK at talking on the phone. I always have, but now the stakes are really high. I also have trouble with "small talk". A lot of my colleagues think I am awkward and abrasive. They gossip about me behind my back. I've been fired from several jobs because I didn't get along with the boss.

I am a lesbian and on the androgynous side. I used to chalk everything up to homophobia. However, I now work with other LGBT people and they don't have these problems.

I'm almost 26 and I still struggle in professional situations. I thought I would grow out of this. I'm terrified. What is going to happen to me when I finish my MA?

Thanks everyone! I appreciate it.

I don't know you so I can't say if you are misdiagnosed or not. Impulsive isn't a symptom of autism. I have never read anywhere about autistic children being impulsive and seeing it being listed as a symptom or being common in it. It's possible to have both ADHD and Asperger's.

PS what you said about LGBT, I realized when I was ten I had more going on than my language because there were other kids in my school who also talked funny and they didn't get treated the same way as I did.

Greetings. So just by reading the first two or three paragraphs, the first thing that comes to my mind is non-verbal learning disorder (NvLD). Many people with Aspergers have this also. 80% of people with Aspergers were found to have NvLD according to one study. You report having a high verbal IQ of 141, and just average IQ on everything else. If you don't mind though, what was your perceptual reasoning IQ? But if it is in the average range, that is considered a big gap between the two scores. You also said you have problems with math. Many people with NvLD have difficulties with me. Also, problems with directions is quite common with NvLD.

Also, NvLD is very similar to Aspergers, since both have problems with social skills. The reason why people with NvLD have difficulties is because they have problems reading people (faces, body language), and also struggle with being very literal.

Here are some links to information about NvLD:
https://www.understood.org/en/learning-attention-issues/child-learning-disabilities/nonverbal-learning-disabilities/understanding-nonverbal-learning-disabilities
https://ldaamerica.org/types-of-learning-disabilities/non-verbal-learning-disabilities/

It's not considered a diagnosis in the DSM-V nor ICD-10, but professionals and schools recognize NvLD as a learning disability, and you are able to get accommodations for it. I'm not saying you do have it, but to be honest, I'm surprised you weren't diagnosed when you had the WAIS-IV done. Was your psychologist or whoever tested you familiar with learning disabilities? If not, I can understand why. But sadly, since this person didn't notice this, it may cost you more money. I wish the place would allow you to bring your assessment back and assess you for this.

Anyways, here is a list of symptoms of NvLD from the first link I posted above: