SO FRUSTRATED!

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Hi everyone, I'm new here, and I was hoping to get some advice/insight/anything you can give me.
I learned of AS about 2 weeks ago, and began researching it like crazy because it seemed to describe me very well. I spent every second of my time for almost a week researching, and I am positive. I gathered academic journal articles from my university, read all the websites i could find, scoured the wrongplanet forums, ordered a bunch different AS books including Pretending to be Normal, Nobody Nowhere, and The Feeling's Unmutual, and read them, and I am expecting more in the mail.
I started seeing a psychologist about 2 months ago for my Generalized Anxiety Dx, Social Anxiety Dx and Major Depressive Dx. I have had about 5 sessions with her, and in our session yesterday I told her about my discovery. She told me that I don't LOOK like an Aspie, and seemed to assume that meant that I was NOT an Aspie. I tried to explain to her all the reasons why I feel like I have AS, but I can't seem to explain it. It's like everything that comes out of my mouth reveals about 5% of the depth of what I'm trying to say. It has always been that way, it's so frustrating!
So I felt like an idiot sitting there, trying to explain it to her, all the while she was making comments to challenge my feelings. I asked her if she could do testing, and she said that they don't do testing for that (my psych is at my University Health Center), and suggested that I call a children's hospital. I don't know what to do to convince these people!

Your Aspie score: 170 of 200
Your neurotypical (non-autistic) score: 33 of 200
You are very likely an Aspie

Most psychologists don't have experience with autism, and probably feel intimidated because of their limited knowledge of it or being unable to treat it, and also the inability to medicate it. You will have to find a specialist if you want diagnosed accurately.

I have been told that I dont look like I have AS when I have been diagnosed since I was 8 years old! Go figure...looks have nothing to do with that. The fact you could not express what you knew to her tells me that you are an aspie. She was probably going by stereotypes anyway.
There is so many individual differences between us all. There are some like me, that make eye contact, although many of us dont. Some here are very high functioning and can compensate social difficulties with a high IQ, while there are others here who are lower functioning and daily life is a major struggle. There are plenty in between. Some here are even empathic and use that skill to overcome people problems while others are just totally confused about humans in general and choose to hang out with four legged friends instead. Some here can talk very well and others cant talk at all. There is sooo much variation on the spectrum...and that is why it is called a SPECTRUM disorder. You cant just look at someone at say whether or not they are AS. That is like looking at someone and saying that they do or dont drink coffee in the morning.
Becides she was probably jealous that she did not think of it first...psycholigists and "professionals are weird like that. It is like my brother who is tow truck driver told me. I know what I am doing...I do this for a living, but if someone came to me and told me that a mercades is supposed to be towed by the front, I would get mad because that person knows more than me so I would tow it by the back anyway.
He is an NT,...he cant help it.
Get tested by a neuro-psychcoligist who specializes in autism spectrum disorders.
Go into the parents section and ask them for a resource of autism specialists in your area, they may be able to help you find one...these parents got their stuff together. and been at it a while.

btw....You are welcome here!

I know how you felt, I have experienced almost every detail you described.
You will always know much more about yourself than anyone else, because no therapist will take insight into your daily life, experiencing
how the symptoms effect you. They wouldn't see your awkwardness while you interacting with people, they wouldn't know what subject you
are thinking about all the day (except you tell them, but I thought it's odd to talk my interest with therapists).

I never met anyone is able to diagnose me, some therapist even resisted to treat me because I am over 18. I had several treatment with different
doctors, they didn't care about what I want to tell, so it made me feel like I am a crazy person trying to convince others I have AS so that eventually
I gave it up.

I think there are only few therapists do care about this situation. For me, it is a lifelong issue I need to deal with, but it means nothing for the
therapists, it is just another diagnosis only.

Sorry, I am too pessimistic. If you come across a therapist who is ignorant about Adualt Asperger Symdrone, just switch to another one, If you
find someone is willing to understand you, don't hurry, be patient.

I wish you could find a good doctor one day.

Hi and welcome



I think it's good to read those, because they're written by actual autistic or AS people and not psychologists, who in the final analysis, only know what we tell them about our condition.

By the way, you might also want to get Donna Williams' followup ... Somebody Somewhere. Donna is such an engaging writer and so insightful.




Grrr ... isn't that infuriating?

Sounds like she's one of the clueless professionals (there's a lot of them). See if you can find a AS specialist.

Sit under a table, rock back and forth and scream?
Kidding.

Do you want a diagnosis?
If so, do you want a piece of paper for formal reasons, or would you be happy just knowing for yourself?

What I'm trying to say is, if you knew you had AS, would that be okay for you or would you want it to be official for everyone else to see?

I'm glad you read mine, Missy.

I struggled to get a diagnosis because I'm borderline Asperger's. I can make eye contact, I don't talk with a monotone voice, and so forth. BUT I AM plagued with social phobia, I do struggle with subtle social cues, I DO obsess about things to the Nth degree. I only got a formal diagnosis when I ran into some problems at work - but even then the psychologist was cagey about diagnosing it because he didn't feel fully qualified.

I hope you resolve this frustrating situation before long. Be assured there are plenty of people on here who know EXACTLY how you feel.

Will. x