Concern regarding Diagnosis

Post Reply New Topic

Since about mid-october, when I signed up to Wrong Planet, I've been waiting for my initial referral to a psychiatric specialist to continue my diagnosis, do I have Asperger's Syndrome or not?

Now, it's a week until my first session, or appointment, whichever floats your boat, and I'm beginning to get a tad concerned, maybe it's the delay, having had time to talk or think my way out of this decision, but I'm wondering whether or not I should realistically go ahead with this, I mean, what happens if it's just a series of unique stimuli over my twenty three years plus which has led me to this point, maybe it's my strong dislike of 'labels' (my argument is; everyone is unique, end of story!) (Yes, I know that 'unique' is a label, but it's not a label label, if you get my point.

To cut a long story short, are there any Aspie's out there who were diagnosed later on in life, who were almost drawn away, but went through with it, I'd like to read how they got through with it, and any benefits which came from diagnosis, even if it was just a sigh of relief!

Many thanks in advance.

I only got diagnosed last month, although I self diagnosed about 5 years ago. I seriously considered cancelling my appointment. Since there's no treatment, why bother? But I went, and I'm glad I did. It's actually a relief to be officially diagnosed, it gets rid of that "What if I'm really just a hopeless freak?" voice in your head.

It's done wonders for my mentality, I can look back on all my problems and finally see why. I'm not sure how "later on in life" you're talking, but I'm 32.

Go, knowing one way or the other is better than doubt.

my dx was the best thing that has ever happened to me.

I now feel like an actor in retirement, as opposed to constantly rehursing for the next audition.

I would have ended my life if I did not find an answer for why I was so overwhelmed with playing and being with my little boy.

My dx has given me my humanity back. No longer do I have to fake being a fake (if you know what I mean) my dx has given me permission to slow down.

After 15 years of therapy and 12 steps groups, which has given me skills to greet the world, my Dx has given me the strength in order to tell the world where to get off.

go well with it all.

cx

Confidence increasing, concern diminishing.

When you look at the situation as shown above, then everything seems to seem less serious, and the benefits do seem to shine through. Although that won't take out the nerves on the day.

I'll report back as to how it goes!

I recently saw the psychiatrist, who after forty minutes, said that he doesn't think I've got AS, reason being, I can adapt, and have adapted, to social situations, I've learned to talk to people in pubs and clubs, he said it was hard wired in, and could not be changed, well, here's my two-fold response:

1) Hard-wiring needs programming, matey-boy, so there's something to make it run! So people CAN overrule hardwiring!

2) If you can teach dogs to adapt, to learn new tricks (Pavlov, anyone?!) then surely a human being with ten times, if not more, brain capacity can do it!

Maybe my adaptability has covered it up, but my advice, which I have already started to take myself, if pull out of that one, come back around, and go fetch a second opinion! In the end, the only one qualified to diagnose yourself is you, and those closest to you (parents!) the only reason we go to these people is so it's all nice and official-like!