A question from my Doctor.

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I was at my Doctors yesterday afternoon to start the process of getting an official diagnosis. He asked me what I thought would change for the better about my life with an official Dx. I thought it was a really good question so I thought I would bring it here.

For me its a matter of closure more than anything else. I don't think it will change anything about the way I live my life, I'm pretty set in my ways and my coping mechanisms work fine most of the time, but its nice to have an answer as to why I am the way I am.

What do you think are the benefits to getting an official Dx?

I suppose i'd rather just know for sure if i have it or not. I've only told 2 people that I think i may have it but i felt awkward telling them because I didn't know for sure

I think one good benefit of having an official diagnosis is after you find what is really wrong with you and getting a name for it, you can go from there to get yourself the help you need. I for one regret and am glad i got diagnosed, i regret it because its like a label everybody puts on me, i'm glad i got diagnosed because i got the help i needed right after. For example, i always struggle in college, after i got diagnosed i went to the drc, explained whats wrong with me and now get accomendations to help me through my classes. So it depends, on how you want to put it, i mean apart of me wish i was never autistic, just rather realllllly weird haha, and another part of me is soooo glad i'm autistic because it explains why i am the way i am haha. Ya know what i mean?

I guess I want one so people will believe my problems are real and I'm not just making excuses for myself... especially at work.

I want an offical dx for my son so the school will help him where he needs help. ALSO....so that people won't think I'm just making something up because I can't control my kid. (I've been told that) He's really a good kid but....he has issues. (Don't we all?)

On the good side, if you need special accommodations in school or in the workplace, you have to have documentation of need.

On the down side, some insurers will consider this a "pre-existing condition" and you might have problems getting medical insurance.

Be careful - everything ends up being reported to a central insurance repository of information, it seems - so there's no evading a formal diagnosis once it's made. If you need it, fine. But otherwise, research the potential negative impacts before you do anything.

Acceptance...I am more accepting of "who" and "how" I am. I didn't accept the diagnosis at first...but it was alot better than thinking I was just crazy...or weird.

I know who I am, and why I am the way that I am now.

I persecute myself a lot less for my shortcomings now. Because now I know no matter how hard I try...there are going to be things about me that I'll NEVER be able to change...and when someone around me says "what the he$$ is wrong with you, why do you do that, or why can't you do this, everyone else can?"....I don't get upset anymore...I just shrug and say..."because that's the way I'm wired, deal with it."

I agree with Nan, and at this point in my life (I'm 47) I've gone through most if not all of the stages in my life where a formal diagnosis would have helped or harmed me-I've been married, divorced, raised a child alone,survived a horrible and tough childhood, etc...didn't even learn to drive a car until I was 34--I think at this point in my life a formal diagnosis would do more harm than good. Besides, I know what I am...I am special...I've learned through much trial and error how to navigate through so called, society. There's a lot of information out there about Asperger's, so any questions one might have can be answered by just doing the research, and I didn't know why I was the way I am until about 2002, when I went back to college and my counselor suggested I do some research, which I did and then when I got this computer in 2003, I found a wealth of knowledge about the subject. It makes me think of a scene from the movie Blade Runner when Decker says, "how can it not know what it is?" That is how I feel, exactly...so, don't use Asperger's as an excuse for when you fail, but just adapt the knowledge about yourself as a reason you can ultimately succeed, and KNOW that you are not damaged because you don't function in society like an NT; because I believe you can learn to function within society as the very special person that you are, armed with the knowledge of who you are, why you are the way you are, with or without a formal diagnosis. Personally, I'm going to pass on the label, and skip being measured, marked and weighed.....knowledge really is a powerful tool.

I agree with Nan too. I have more to lose than to gain.

Besides, I trust my own evaluation better than any ""professional" around here.

Getting an official DX is important if:

1. You want to get on disability or your child
2. You want proof that you or your child really does have it so people will believe you that you or your child does have it since you have the paper
3. To get the education you or your child needs


That's all I can come up with.

I had enough diagnosis and labels, I'm looking for answers and solutions with specifics. I also care about ASD in general and how diagnosticians can be out of kilter with, and not contributing enough to the research.

I think for me it may help at interviews if a company knows I have it - not that I want to use it as an excuse to get a job I clearly couldn't do, but Ive been out of work for a year now, and keep missing out at interviews...

I am also deciding whether or not I should get a diagnosis. There is no real benefit to me, I do not need any government aide or anything, I just think it would be nice to have the closure & to know for sure.

After watching that Sicko movie i wouldnt get a greenslip for a stubbed toe in the USA.
Why would anyone want something that gives the insurance companies an excuse not to cover your medical needs.

I put a lot of thought into that question before I went in for my diagnosis. I made a list of advantages of getting diagnosed and a list of disadvantages. If you enjoy making lists like I do, then I recommend this activity.

The reasons I got diagnosed are primarily related to back-up plans in case of unexpected emergency-type situations. For example, if I ever need to be hospitalized, it might be good for the doctors to know I have AS. It would be good to have the option of using services that might be available at my school. If my AS characteristics cause any problems at work, I would like to have the option of explaining it. It is not a matter of seeking special treatment. Instead, it is a matter of having more options to choose from when things go wrong.

I should add that I considered the insurance implications and decided to go through with a diagnosis in the US because my psychiatrist does not take insurance. I even talked to her about it and she said that my insurance company woud not find out unless I told them. I ended up paying $65 to get diagnosed, which is nothing compared to the potential consequences of using insurance.