Getting diagnosed?

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So, I've been doing some reading and have come to the conclusion that I probably have Asperger's. The evidence is overwhelming. Reading about the symptoms almost read like a life story. I don't even know why I used the word probably - I am positive.

I'm 25 and am wondering how to proceed from here. I am thinking about getting diagnosed in that it would probably lead to a higher quality of life. As in, it may allow me to fuller improve on some of the negative aspects associated with Asperger's.

So any thought on this? I assume I just go to a doctor and order one Asperger's diagnosis please?

Thanks!

Which country do you live in?

Are you in the UK? I'm assuming you are, and that you'll go via the NHS, not private.

I approached my GP and asked for help. I initially had a 1 hour meeting with a psychiatrist, who dismissed it with four or so questions he didn't really let me answer. So I went back and asked again, saw the intake team of a social worker and CPN, who passed me onto a psychologist. I saw the psychologist for 12 or so sessions (ostensibly 1 hour, often running over by 20 or 30 minutes), and he did ADOS and EQ and AQ and IQ and asked a lot of questions. Then the diagnosis.

But my querying ASD was part of my mental health concerns, not a thing in itself.

So yeah, just go to your GP, say you think you have Asperger's and would like to be tested, and they'll set up an appointment.

If you're not in the UK, then I really wouldn't know. Wherever you are, good luck with it.

Oh yah, sorry, I'm in America.

You would probably need to just go and see a psychologist or psychiatrist, and bring a list or information that you can refer to, if you have trouble explaining it verbally. You could say that you have some issues which point towards AS and that you want to be tested and assessed to be sure if it's this or something else.

You can probably diagnose it as well as most shrinks. The shrinks I dealt with try to convince you it's "mild," even its impact on your life may be substantial. Being diagnosed would allow to claim disablility when applying for jobs. My feeling is your knowing is important, but having others know is equally important since they must also deal with our idiocyncracies.

I looked for a Neuophych center that specialized in working with children, called them to see if they also work with adults (they did), took a bunch of test, saw a Psychologist for 7 visits, got diagnosed.

Well... Thankfully you are not in France! At any rate, getting a diagnosis in the US will be expensive if you can't get insurance to cover it. It's one of the reasons I haven't done it myself and have instead just decided to try and learn the necessary coping mechanisms by reading what other people do instead. There is no medication for autism itself, just for the comorbids of depression, anxiety, etc. The biggest thing will be learning proper conversational patterns and how not to refer back to your own life every time you need to try and relate to another person's troubles when talking to them.

That's why I'm nervous about going to my shrink. I have this feeling he's going to try to down play it, I've brought things up before and he's sorta of brushed it off. I asked him what's wrong with me in the past and he basicly said some depression, (duh) and a little to aware of things. I KNOW there's more wrng here then just that.

Do you really feel it's "wrong" and not just "different"?

I personally think the latter leads to a better self image.

If you have the choice - seek someone who is experienced with AS in adults. Some shrinks just don't like 'labels' - which is good-hearted, but I think they miss the personal importance of understanding 'why'.

well. i contacted Autism New Zealand and spoke to someone there, they paid for me to see a private psychiatrist with experience in this area and he diagnosed me in a 1 hour session.

that was a week and a half ago.. and to be honest i am just as confused now as i was before and i cant help wondering if i have shot myself in the foot... aspergers people might just be too modern... imagine if you took someone from the year 4000 and raised them here and now

Thanks for the information. Pretty obvious to me that I have Asperger's from dealing with other people with Asperger's (best friend and uncle) and from reading about it. Not sure how I never got diagnosed seeing that I am 25 and have had been treated for some of the comorbid conditions before.

You sound almost identical to me (I'm 29). I'm at the point where there's no "maybe" about it: I know I have Aspergers and it's almost laughable how I was never diagnosed (but suspected of a long range of things: ADD, ADHD, OCD, etc). I'm going to ask my GP for a referral but I already know he will give the usual answer he gives "you're fine, you don't have it".

I'm not sure if I'm reading this correctly but if I am, I couldn't agree more. It's become obvious that many of my ideas (i.e. as a kid I talked about how absurd it was people were allowed to smoke indoors) are just years ahead of their time although back then they were laughed at all the time. Many of my other ideas as a child have started to be implemented 20 years later (LED street/traffic lights for example).

I'm the most unsure, unconfident person I know and I can still say beyond any doubt whatsoever I'm as Aspie of some form. To deny it would be nothing short of delusional at this point. However, I doubt a diagnosis will be any good whatsoever even though I am pursuing it just for formalities.

We found the person who diagnosed me by contacting the local autism resource center and asking them who the recommended people for evaluations for adults would be in the area. Even though the autism resource center almost entirely works with children they still had that information.

Well first it doesn't hurt so much but your foot will not so easily stop hurting.
I am also hobbling around although not yet diagnosed. But there is no way back, if you have now the diagnosis or not.
Once you have come here or read some texts from aspies about being an aspie you are lost into it

Hope I will stop hobbling at some stage, that looks so strange and raises a lot of questions

@Id13

So from that point a diagnosis is only positive when you are suspecting yourself to be an aspie. You will find out that anyway.
Apart from the money you will have better possibilities in any case

And the earlier in your life you realize it the better
Maybe they have also some good therapy.

(That's why I want it)