Is a diagnosis worth it?

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When I found out a third close friend had been diagnosed with Aspergers and started telling me why she was diagnosed, I thought to myself, "You mean those things aren't normal?" And also began wondering if that was why I got along with them so well. After doing research, reading online, and taking online tests that seem to point that direction, I am wondering if a diagnosis would be worth anything. For the most part, I am socially functional. I think it helps that people and societies have always fascinated me. I feel the biggest difficulties I have are organizational skills and a horrendous sense of time. I have lost numerous jobs because I was late too many times. No matter what I do, I always seem to be frequently late. Anyways, I am not sure if getting a diagnosis would help me at all, or if it would just be a hassle for nothing, like my diagnosis of fibromyalgia (for the most part, I am physically functional, too. ). So I would like to know some opinions one way or the other, and the short version of your stories, especially from those like me who straddle the worlds of the "normal" and the odd.

So you've been through school and you've worked? I think you should get a diagnosis if you really had areas to improve. You having poor sense of time could easily be fixed with simply writing things down. I have a very poor short term memory, but even after being diagnosed nothing much has changed. I guess I should take my own advice and write things down. Also, doing brain training exercises like those games on Nintendo DS work well for getting a better memory. You can even just buy books like that.
It also depends on after a diagnosis if you could get more help from work. In my country there is the Equal Employment Opportunities Act, which I'm hoping will do something for me.

My story is that I've never worked, I have poor social skills, sensory issues and problems with controlling emotions so I went for a diagnosis. There is a period of feeling low after it because once it is official you feel like you're stuck this way forever, which isn't always true. I was like that a few months ago, but I started to accept it and am now looking for ways to improve myself.

A lot of people have a hard time dealing with a diagnosis, so if you think that you're doing well for yourself then it's not really necessary. It's up to you.

For me, it was nice getting a confirmation of it. Before then, there was always the doubt in my mind that I was 'normal' and falsely attributing my difficulties to something I didn't have, which I should not be doing due to its attention seeking nature etc.

As you are not a child, there won't be many services out there for you if you do get diagnosed. Unless you want to/need to try and claim disability payments, I don't think it will have any practical value.

Yes.

I agree that a diagnosis can be worth it if you have deficits and impairments that make it hard or even impossible to do something you need to do or want to do.

ASD therapy, if available in your area at all, only works if you know that you have a problem that you truly want to solve.

That was what I did. I knew I had lots of issues (though at the point I tried getting a diagnosis I didn't know just how many) and needed to find a way to improve my functioning-level.

Whether you actual ASD symptoms are the problem or whether you have secondary disorders that stem from living with your symptoms and traits - to know your ASD is the original for all of that is important if you want to tackle such.

Of course, for some a diagnosis can be important also for their own... not sure how to phrase this... confidence? Self-awareness? Happiness? Something like that probably.

Just knowing they have an ASD can help some people.

Being "socially functional" is less meaningful with females since it is less needed and they are considered better with it anyway. A LOT of people are late to work! I made a mistake one time and, because of it, have been 30 minutes late every day for 2 YEARS!! ! WAIT FOR IT....... The REASON why I kept up with this? The REASON why nobody seems to care? Most OTHERS are 1.5 to even 3.5 hours late every day! And I generally leave on time, and THEY often leave early! Oh well, the boss doesn't seem to care as long as they are there when he knows they are needed. *I* get things done early, and nobody is there to give me new work ANYWAY! Still, if there is ever an audit, the company will end up finding they owe ME time. The others won't be so lucky. Sometimes, audits DO occur!

My point in all that is that MOST of those people are NT! I only knew 3 other people there that were AS, HFA, or associated with AS. One was fired, for hyperfocus. One was laid off, because he got blamed for others problems. One left for something better. The fourth has an AS daughter, and is still there. I don't think she has AS or HFA though but she DOES appreciate and seem to get along with her AS daughter, who looks almost like a clone of her! BTW almost all the people there have organizational problems.

One thing. I generally use an alarm clock. I USED to have it set to a nasty radio station to make sure I would be jarred awake, and not get used to it. For ME, I get up 2 hours before I have to leave. I usually take 30 minutes to rest, plan out the day(if needed), and do whatever else. It usually takes me 30 minutes tops to get cleaned up and ready. That is ALSO time I can use to review the past, and plan my day. That gives an hour, just in case. I think I might start using half that for exercise time. IF I didn't make that mistake, I would have had about 30 minutes here. I always tended to be far too prompt. Heck, it REALLY only takes me 15 minutes to get to work. You never know about ice, snow, etc... I was twice delayed in my life over 3 HOURS for short trips. ONCE because of an idiot flooding a city, and once because a long trailer truck jackknifed on the freeway.

We live in a day where organization should be rather easy. BTW, today I use my blackberry for an alarm clock.

I think if people are having problems in their life or finding certain things or areas hard to cope with then maybe it is worth getting a diagnosis.

I, however hate labelling. Also stigmatising. It makes me really angry especially when there are certain stereotypes attached.

I think if a person's executive functioning is very poor or social difficulties cause extreme anxiety or panic, then a diagnosis may be called for. A difficulty with being on time could be the result of an inability to judge clock time due to dyslexia.

In my case, I am a bit anxious in social situations, but not entirely incapable. My executive function is good and work and I'm typically early. My dominant AS trait is in the special interests category. I have no one single obsession, but a group of different interests. I have accumlated a great deal of facts over my lifetime.

I'm in a similar situation - I have a job, I'm married and quite functional in most situations, so I don't really expect a lot of professional help.

But after reading older threads on the subject, I feel inclined to go for the diagnosis - I think it can bring closure and make a few things easier.

Thanks, everyone!

It depends how old you are, to be honest. But if you have to pay for it I would say no unless you're in school and could benefit from support.

I think people can get certain types of insurance if they have a diagnosis.

2.98 years ago (17th Feb 06, 12pm - 2pm), I saw an educational psychologist who had instructions to asses my cognitive abilities for a specific purpose I cannot mention for legal reasons. She (as I understand) is among the top 10% in London (possibly even the UK), with over 30 years experience in the field of psychology.

She ran a series of tests, and mentioned in her report (and to me at the time) that I manifest symptoms possibly associated with Asperger Syndrome. I had never heard of it, so I set off in search of more information. 2 years of intense, continually updated, study later, I have been 93% certain through self diagnosis. I also took an online 'autism quotient' (AQ) test, and scored 43, which is high, even for an aspie.

I booked an assessment in October, with the aim of official diagnosis. Finally, last Thursday, just 5 days ago, I had that assessment. Two women, rather young in my opinion, spoke to me for 30 minutes, and concluded that there was no diagnosis to make, that I do not have Aspergers.

They offered their reasoning, which to me seems hugely inadequate. From knowledge I have gained along the way, I understand that a lot of the questions they were asking were of little relevance. An example would be them asking about language delays in early childhood. As I'm sure most of us here know, such delays are not associated with Asperger Syndrome.

I left there somewhat bemused, considering I may well have been overjoyed to learn I have no problems, but also somewhat disturbed at not having any reason why I'm always so confused by people. Not to mention the fact that I felt I was more qualified than two professionals!

Instead they said I simply have low self esteem and recommended counseling. But I am not traumatised! I need no help getting over some event (though some events I have come through maybe I should need it).

I may consider looking for a second opinion, but first I need to know if it is a worthwhile endeavour. Why am I so bothered by it? Have I been wrong for the past years, but won't admit it, or is the NHS just useless?

'??? ????? ?? ????' is my official statement on the matter.

Judging by the question marks, Cyrillic characters are not supported. Oh well. I'll try home romaticisation. 'Eta kuram na smekh'

((((hugs))))

~Loving Light~

I don't see any use for a diagnosis. What would you do with it that you can't do without it?

I think the best reason for 'good' diagnosis is not so much to confirm or deny whether or not you are autistic as it is to look for the possible comorbid conditions that often cause far more functional problems than autism or AS.