bringing up Asperger's with therapist

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So, I have a therapist appointment today, which I have designated for bringing up my suspicions about Asperger's. For those who don't know, I am currently diagnosed with schizoaffective disorder, but I believe I am too high functioning to have any form of schizophrenia, or related illnesses.
So, my question is, does anyone have any tips on how to bring it up? Of course I also have the extra challenge of being socially incompetent, so this will be more difficult for me than it is for "normal" people. When I'm talking, I also have a tendency to leave out important information.

When you're going to a doctor, sometimes it is a good idea to write everything down ahead of time, and bring the list in with you. Otherwise, you might forget something.

Yea, that's definitely a thought. Although the main problem is bringing it up, period.

When I brought it up at my appointment 2 weeks ago, I was immediately told that I couldn't have AS because I'm married. She had no desire to discuss it further simply because she had that gross misconception. I was so dumbfounded by her statement that I gave up. I have a lot of information and examples prepared so that I can attempt to educate her about AS when I have my next appointment on Tuesday (she called in sick for my appointment this week).

So don't be surprised if you're met with resistance when you bring it up. There aren't a lot of therapists who have a good understanding of AS, and they usually don't believe that it occurs in adults. One of my main points is that AS wasn't added to the DSM until 1994 and I graduated from high school in 1995. So I had no chance to be diagnosed as a child, but I'm obviously still going to have it as an adult.

even if think are too higher functioning for schizoaffective,aspergers is not an alternative diagnosis to it,as aspergers is developmental-and is from birth,but is usually subtle enough that it does not get spotted till starting school,they're also very different.
however,if the basic compulsory traits were there from childhood,then it might be better to go to an ASD specialist if possible,this pysch. sounds like mental health and they are the worst ones to go for ASD assessment.
sorry if knew all this already but wasn't sure if had read it as meant,or not.

am agree with what pandabear has said to,write down all traits,and important history,bring someone from family if possible who can backup everything.

Do you have the symptoms of Schizoaffective disorder? It sounds like it's basically a combination of having two (or one if it's severe) of:

* delusions
* hallucinations
* disorganized speech (e.g., frequent derailment or incoherence)
* grossly disorganized or catatonic behavior
* negative symptoms (i.e., affective flattening, alogia, or avolition)

PLUS either a major depressive episode or manic episode.

To me that seems like it would be fairly easy to figure out if you meet those criteria. AS is very different, and to me at least is kind of hard to wrap your head around exactly what it is (I mean it's kind of easy to figure out if you're depressed IMO just because that's an easy concept to understand, not that dealing with it is easy!)

I'd look at the AS criteria, and see how you score on like RDOS' Aspie quiz, as it seems to be a good guide to see if you're looking in the right direction.

I agree with pandabear. Definitely write everything down in advance of what you want to say. I'm terrible when trying to describe how I feel to other people. And yes, a lot of psychiatrists just aren't well versed enough with it to really be good at diagnosis. There are a lot of misconceptions out there about AS (like you can't have it if you're married, you can't have it as an adult, etc.) If you don't feel like you're getting what you need with your current therapist, definitely look elsewhere.

My big question here is why am I diagnosed with schizoaffective when I don't fit many of the symptoms? When I brought this up with my therapist (as mentioned previously), she agreed that I don't fit the symptoms. Although if I DO have Asperger's, its co morbid with depression. Because I know for a fact that I have depression.

At this point, I realize the symptoms for Asperger's and schizoaffective are very different, but people (including myself) affiliated my social problems with the effects of the schizo part of the disorder. Obviously, I am not a mental health professional, but if they're misdiagnosing me, I need to call them on it. My point is that yes I supposedly have schizoaffective, but now that I've read about Asperger's, it seems to fit me soooo much better. It explains a LOT of things that schizoaffective does not. So, I don't know if that sheds any light on my confusion at all.

By the way, I got 170 out of 200 on the Aspie Quiz, and 28% NT.

My therapist also didn't seem big on the idea of me having Asperger's. I believe that's mainly because she doesn't know much about it. I'm supposed to see my psychiatrist soon and bring it up with him. Maybe he'll know more, who knows.

I had a therapist tell me she could heal me of AS, and it has yet to happen

Funny, my sister was diagnosed with schizoaffective disorder too, and I swear she's an aspie.

Adult AS is hard to recognize and normally requires a specialist to diagnose. Your therapist may not have sufficient training to see it.

I told mine a year ago I may have AS and he argued against it, only to suggest it himself in March. I was diagnosed by a specialist in July.

So I should get a referral to a specialist? I had a feeling that would be the case. Although I will first need to see what my psychiatrist says, maybe he knows something about AS.