ignorant doctors

Post Reply New Topic

Today I went with my mom to a psychiatrist and had a psych eval. Instead of going off of the dsm-iv for aspergers, she found some points from I don't know where that weren't even right. She said the 3 things I had to meet was

1. Not wanting any social interaction or friends, and never wanting to share your interests with anyone
(ok from what I have read in every book, article, scientific journal about aspergers people with high functioning autism WANT friends but don't know how to make them) I have horrible social anxiety, trouble with eye contact, small talk, phones, etc but she said since I have a desire for friendship and like talking about my interests I cannot possibly have aspergers

2. Repetition and tics
This one she said I had.

3. No childhood development delay with language
I also met this one.


So after all that she said I'm bipolar because I get irritable when people interrupt me while doing something I'm focused on.

WTF @ doctors. Does this make any sense? Is there anything I can do about this? I'm so pissed off about this, I ended up storming out of the room before we were done because of how stupid it all was

WOW!! !! !!

The DSM says not being able to! That implies you DO want friends and more interaction!



People with AS often DO want to share!! !!



EXACTLY!



She's an IDIOT!



That doesn't really mean anything!



WOW, she got one right!




She can't even diagnose bipolar!! !! !! ! Bipolar has NOTHING to do with being irritable or focus! It is simply going from chemical depression to mania. How can psychiatrists stay in business when they don't even follow their OWN criteria!?

Well, first of all, its a spectrum.

But no asperger i know "well" actually wants to socialize. That is usually a major trait of any autistics spectrum disorder(well, syndrome rather). People live in their own little world and is most comfortable there.

My shrink(Despite how bad he was) did a lot of asking if i wanted to socialize. If your NLD, you want to socialize but cant, asperger you cant and you really dont want to.

But trust me on this one: If you dont like your shrink, get the hell away from that person. Its not good for your sanity.

I think it's to a certain degree that aspies actually don't want to socialize. I want to make friends, I think about all the time but at the same time I've been too myself for sooo long that I don't have the desire to actually go out and socialize with people. I think your mom is getting confused is that she see's you talk sometimes and think well you're just shy. She thinks that aspies don't like to socialize "AT ALL" which is not the case. But the truth is that we have Troble socializing

Just like people with asthma have trouble breathing.

I think that about sums it up...

Yeah, the one that's hotly debated.

The lack of spontaneous interest in sharing, and lack of interest in other people, is situational and may not apply to even the majority. While someone who needs as much social stimulation as I do may fall under a more intense scrutiny, 'aspies' are not complete aliens.

It actually sounds like she used the DSM-IV-TR for Asperger's, but she perhaps wanted you to meet more than is required, or you didn't meet it:

You need two of these.

The doctor needs to go back to the books and the internet. She still has lot of learning to do about AS.

I fear my daughter will be stuck with a 'quack' as she has been referred to see a psychologist after i took her to my GP, telling him i think she has AS. Still waiting for an initial appointment. And Daniel, i sincerely believe i can describe Hayley with all 4 of those things in your quote.

Maybe our definition of socialize and want is different. I, for example, don't want to do a lot of things like go to the bar, the games, parties, etc... But I would LOVE to make friends and maybe a bit more. That is part of my problem right there. The two are often connected. I HATE small talk, but LOVE talking about things having to do with interests, etc...

As for being a spectrum, the DSM says no language delay, though gilberg says there can be, and the rest, that were listed here, CAN be there for AS but aren't things even considered in a diagnosis/

I agree with 2ukenkerl,

Depending on personality, people with ASDs wish to socialize just like anyone else.

The better question for the professional to ask would be, 'Do you want to socialize, but you find it difficult, or maybe you don't know how to do it at all?' Then ask questions relating to why you cannot socialize and the social failures you've experienced.

That doctor seems like a Grade A loser to me.

Sheesh! Some docters can be jerks! Some of the onces I met as a kid where too, very little was known about AS and Autism when I as a kid, so many tests had to be done to get a diagnosis and for research reasons.

I had the classic symptoms: Wanted friends, but bad at making them. I preffered my own company, I did not start talking until I was 3. Even today I have issues with eye contact.

I did have fun with one doctor once. I was 4 years old and I was placed in a sound booth (so I would not get distracted with other sounds) with primary colored blocks and a box, the doctor would give me different commands like take the red block out, put all the blocks in, ect.

The doctor asked me to take out a purple block to see what my reaction would be, of course he would think I am supposed to say 'there is no purple block' but instead I took out a blue and red block, he said "no no, that is wrong"

I told him "But red and blue mixed together makes purple"

I remember that moment as if it were yesterday, but it makes me wonder to this day what he wrote in my medical history.

It should also be pointed out that there is a difference between most social interaction and having a friend. I have no desire whatsoever to go club hopping,to house parties,to chit chat at the mall, but i do really like to talk to one or two people that i get along with on occasion. I think many people with AS want to socialize or have friends but merely wish to socialize differently than NTs so it appears as if we don't want to.

You should get a second opinion with a doctor who knows a little more about ASDs.

Some psychs read the manual once or twice, don't have any real experience ASDs and think they can adequately diagnose someone. It's almost like some of them believe that, just because they carry the psych label, they have innate knowledge on the subject, when clearly they don't.

I don't know what they teach psychology/psychiatry majors but from the professionals we see today, one would think "not much".

Last edited by SilverProteus on 29 Mar 2008, 12:09 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Totally agree! When I was a teenager many of the snobby NT girls at school would say things like "What's up with her? Doesn't she want to make firends?"

Well yeah I do! Just not with them! Some NT's just don't get it.