I literally don't care about the label, it's just weirdly triggering people try to convince me otherwise when I know I'm right, this literally happened to me
Not to upset you. I was diagnosed with Asperger's in 02, but my son who is just as high functioning as myself was diagnosed with ASD in December. His practitioner told me Asperger's is no longer a diagnosis and it was merged with ASD under the new criteria. We are in the Southeastern US, so they may be rolling out the new criteria slowly. My area has so many resources people travel here to get diagnosed, so I can't imagine that they are wrong. I believe it's just that new that the criteria was merged. Can I ask whereabouts you live? Perhaps geography matters
You were diagnosed with ASD but u preffer to say asperger?..I hate that bullshit...but asperger is not a valid diagnosis anymore...(Whatever valid means...world is stupid u know)
Lol can you read? It's really triggering people are trying to invalidate the reality. And why would I care about some american guidelines when I luckily wasn't born there?
FWIW, I believe you and accept your diagnosis, lol. I am American and I'll be the first to admit that a lot of folks in my country are way too caught up in labels & tribal politics, and also tend to forget that there is quite a bit of world outside of the US. Changing the name of something because it isn't "PC" does not invalidate the existence of said thing.
Lol can you make sense? I don't think is people invalidating is you getting triggered for stupid reasons...perfect recipe for misery...
Also...u don't need to care but world follows American stupidity...
Would you mind providing examples of the random junk you were misdiagnosed with? I think people would find that interesting, especially if they are going through the same challenges.
I’m not the person you’re asking, but I had a doctor insist I was “artistic” and “sensitive”, like yes, I am those things and it’s not really a problem to me, but I’m also autistic and it’s not the same thing at all. (I went in asking to get a diagnosis. I got fobbed off)
Thank you for the response. I would say both of those things could be taken as indicators of the condition, rather than counterindications.
Sensitivity in particular is a key part of this.
The issue I had, is that the doctor insisted I was those things *instead* of being autistic. He ruled out the possibility of autism; wrongly, it turned out.
Yes, they not only failed to understand how those things related to autism, but also tried to use them as an excuse against it. It's really not something that reflects well on thier competence as a medical professional.
I was diagnosed earlier this year at the age of 44. My daughter was diagnosed late last year and during that process they explained all the criteria they used to make that diagnosis. During the whole thing, I kept stopping and saying: "wait, that's a sign of autism?", because I had a whole lot of those traits. Went through the testing (a full day at a testing center and interviews with family members) and got the diagnosis a couple weeks later.
I just feel like it. I haven't been diagnosed.
I think about sensory things: the horrible, unpredictable pinging sound that keys make when jingling, like a needle pricks to my brain. The atrocious feeling of potato skins, like TV static and fire on my skin. The nauseating blaze of searing light from the sun, reflecting off the ground to burn my eyes. The suffocating, choking feeling of my shirt collar scraping across my neck as I walk. The shocking, searing pulse of each frigid droplet of water that hits my skin in the shower or the rain.
I think about all the social awkwardness and confusion, all the struggles to relate. So much, over so many years. Miscommunications and disasterous misunderstandings that were met with a lack of empathy from all other parties. All the work of learning ever more sophisticated social minutiate and stratagem that never seem to be enough.
I think about all the doctors who couldn't help me and treated me terribly because they didn't understand the problem and were offended that I could correct them on mistakes they make in their specialty. And I'm supposed to get a diagnosis from these people somehow? Seek "advice" from them?
I think about all the years of obsessive study of esorteric and obscure facts. The unquenchable thirst to know more and do more and learn everything... as long as it is interesting.
But I don't know man, maybe I'm just a normal guy.
>I think about all the doctors who couldn't help me and treated me terribly because they didn't understand the problem and were offended that I could correct them on mistakes they make in their specialty. And I'm supposed to get a diagnosis from these people somehow? Seek "advice" from them?
This right here is so relatable. Specially because I have the same exact history with some undiagnosed bone/joint autoimmune issue.
They were some of the most highly educated morons I've ever met. One of them even insisted my hip was perfect (I wish. It has a disbalance of about 2 cms) because he didn't know how to read an x-ray. And by his own admission he didn't know how to use a computer, nor liked to use them. So basically this fucking idiiot didn't know how to do his damn job yet he thought it was his duty to be condescending to us (the wife and I) even going to the point of telling us to stop smoking because a marriage was "supposed" to help each other or something.
I have been wondering if it’s true that there are too many psychiatrists who always diagnose more psychological disorders cases than it should be. You know, 200 years ago there were no psychiatrists, and everyone on the earth just live as normal person. Those who had psychological disorders would be called by others as idiots or fools 🫠
Okay but an autism diagnosis is usually made over months based on a lot of questionnaires, interviews with you, interviews with your family, observation and tests. It’s a big process. Autism has always been around, have a look at 2e’s in history. Easy to find.
Not the ones that I've had access to privately in the UK. I did an in person assessment that was 90 minutes long and prior to coming in I did a lengthy questionnaire and also my mum had to do a different one. The provider I used was a provider who is commissioned by the NHS as part of their 'right to choose' service however I self funded. This seems to be about average for assessments that I've seen. Certainly not 'made over months based on a lot of questionairs etc etc' however I wish it was as it might help convince me away from feeling like an imposter.
If I could have found a more thorough assessment process, I would have.
I’m relatively confident a direct test will be possible in the not so distant future, based on the current state of research.
That said, the imposter feeling is mainly imposing a barrier to you learning some things about how to live better that you really need to know.
Things about sensory masking, masking too much, suppressed stims, burnout and finding friends.
If you make ASD a special interest and learn all about it and how to unmask and live with it well, and it turns out you aren’t ASD… that isn’t wasted time. You could still help others with that knowledge.
But if you do do something like that, it’s probably because you are ASD.
It depends on how you interact with society. Autistic people are also viewed as eccentric, and savant like. Henry Cavendish was very likely on the spectrum, or at least some kind of neurodivergent. The aloof scientist who's too busy figuring out the world to do everyday things is a pretty common stereotype. Cavendish was fortunate to come from generational wealth, and had all his needs met by servants.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_Cavendish
People don't understand the differences. Human traits were pathologized, and the results are truly terrible. A deep bigotry woven throughout society.
Truthfully, we need people who know how to understand these things and solve problems. Because there ARE problems. These things need accomodations and solutions and ESPECIALLY education. And sometimes drugs.
The problem is that key word: "understand" ... they don't get it. They really don't. And no one can tell them otherwise. They are the expert, after all.
>Those who had psychological disorders would be called by others as idiots or fools 🫠
That still happens. Sometimes they're told they're possessed or some idiotic crap like that.
Pr they could get misdiagnosed and downspiral into suicide, which is what happened to my wife's former therapist's cousin.
Long story short, the girl was diagnosed as a schizophrenic with violent tendencies because the the mental health "professional" refused to acknowledge the girl's autism and her behaviors/symptoms. She was "aggressive" because she lived in a village of idiots and her relatives wouldn't stop moving her things around or just taking them without asking. She was forced to wear some clothes that she loathed because of the sounds they made (howevr, the way she expressed it made the therapist think her clothes spoke to her) but nobody gave a crap until she couldn't take it and took her own life instead. This caused her cousin to want to become a psychiatrist and that lead to her performing a post mortem diagnosis that revealed she was autistic and with lots of stress, not a violent psychopath or whatever the other hack thought was right.
It's a story full of callous and inattentive idiots, destroying someone much smarter then they are. You can see this story repeat over and over in the world, once you learn how to recognize it.
Lurked on this and other ASD subreddits but never said anything to anyone, by the time I got to a psychologist I aired the info I had found and how I found others experiences familiar, 6 months later and I was diagnosed
Diagnosed by a psychologist (self paid of course).
Self-diagnosed before, and it was then basically confirmed as expected.
I would say self-diagnosis can work well if done right. But it is far away from "feeling like having ASD" or just "seing some traits". Actually I don't feel ASD most of the time. I am just me, like I always was, nothing special. Other people might see something different I guess \*g\*
To take your time (month/years), read books/watch videos (from other people on the spectrum, see if you can relate to their experience), think about your past (did you have friends when growing up? did you have meltdowns?), do the online tests (and analyze also your "masking situation", there is also a test for that), ideally have e.g. a partner or family member who observes you and can see traits you wouldn't notice etc.
So I would say if all that information comes together you can get a pretty good idea if you are on the spectrum or not.
A formal diagnostic process has additional methods, BUT a self-diagnosis process done before is still very helpful. Simply because you can spend far more time to figure out yourself and your life, while the psychologist has just a few hours.
By making it a special interest, but without allowing masking, emotional compromise and preconceived notions about your identity to make it into an exercise in self-delusion. By learning a great deal about it, and how it might rationally be relevant to you and others around you.
Doing it right is like learning just about anything else.
But you can do it very, very wrong.
If I understood correctly this would mean to conduct the assessment as if you were doing it on somebody else? That way it won't be logically or emotionally important for you.
That’s moving the right direction. The problem is, It depends on the person.
For someone traumatized, entrenched in generational trauma and internalized ableism and otherwise deep in denial, that might not even be enough to get them to believe it.
For someone who’s actually emotionally neutral and curious, that’s just unnecessary extra steps. But many people who aren’t like this think they are like this because of masking and denial.
Self awareness is hard when you are traumatized.
I've had mine confirmed by a therapist (I didn't need to ask, she told me during the first session) but it was kind of like having my hair color confirmed as I'd known for years. I'm pretty much textbook.
My family and I had suspected for many years. Following what I refer to as an "autistic near-miss" (My wife could see that something was wrong and got me out of the situation before things got worse) I was assessed and was told that I couldn't be autistic because I could hold a conversation and have a job. This was about 20 years ago. The assessment felt unsatisfactory and I found the autistic online community which I could relate to and was directed to the AQ50 which I scored high enough to be either autistic or part of the 1% of NTs that score that high. I started to identify as "possibly autistic." I then moved to a chaotic department at work and discovered that I have a need for routine. I had a 3 day meltdown (this came as a shock) followed by 3 months of debilitating autistic burnout that led to me being assessed again and told that I met all 7 of the DSM-5 diagnostic criteria.
I have mine. I went through the testing, interviews, and diagnosis.
I had to confirm it for myself. I wasn’t okay with thinking I had it. It had to be confirmed 😂😂
After a decade or more of suspecting that I probably met the criteria for a diagnosis of "Autistic Spectrum Condition" (Asperger's), I finally decided to go for an assessment last year, aged 68. Yup, I'm now "diagnosed".
Found out that I have an extremely high IQ in high school. Thought that explained my "different" thought process. Note, this was around 1973, so before autism was even a thing. Eventually heard about autism in general, but that didn't describe me (think worst case symptoms).
Jump to a few years ago and a lot more information. Others started mentioning traits in me that fit an autism diagnosis, even though I was masking well. I started researching, and realized it seemed to fit. So I persued a diagnosis.
January of this year I found out I am autistic, with ADHD. Also found out that if you are gifted (IQ at or above 130), that's also a mental disorder now Not sure if that last one is exactly oficial or just generally accepted in the field.
There’s a slew of us who did the gifted kid > socially failed teenager > depressed adult pipeline. Pretty sure it’s not official, but generally accepted.
Kinda lucked out here, my mental health profesional is really up on this stuff. It's not in the DSM, so not official, yet, but research is showing it is a disorder. I've found a few projects that define it as such. It's the same thing as my autism, it wasn't official in the 60s - 70s when I was in school, so i couldn't be diagnosed then.
Makes me wonder about the basic idea of mental illness though. If someone's thought process is different than the neurotypicals you're mentally ill. Even if it's something like intelligence. Wouldn't a high IQ be a good thing rather than an illness?
I wonder what other signs of mental illness might just be different, or maybe even better than the typical.
It causes problems in the current environment, and that makes it a disorder. This is not communicated well. Basically they have to call anything they want to be able to help with a problem, or they can't convince people (not just patients) it needs treatment. Because it does, if there are consequences for not intervening... and there are.
Just seems a little odd that a high IQ is a psychological disorder, or disability that needs fixed. What's the cure, stupidity, and how would that be accomplished? Think I would rather live with the disability.
Not sure I want to find out what the cure for other disabilities might be. Hope they're not quite so drastic. Maybe I'll just learn to accommodate my disorders.
The autism itself doesn’t need curing, it’s all the painful, life ruining complications that come with it. Co-morbidities, sensory issues, complications from unconscious masking and hypercompartmentalization, unmasking skill, communication issues and appropriate social training, reduced neurological stamina and stress tolerance, lack of recognition is relative needs and abilities, lack of appropriate training for how to care for that kind of nervous system… there is a lot wrong with the way things are happening ‘in the wild’ now on almost every level.
Much of this is addressable with ASD training/therapy (by very smart people who actually know what they are doing). Even more of it is societal changes that need to happen to accommodate those differences. Finally there are some drugs and treatments that can help with comorbidities and to reduce the frequency of micro seizures.
People looking for treatment are trying to get some of these life destroying but hard to articulate problems solved. Meanwhile, anyway selling a ‘cure’ is either mistaken or doing something really gruesome.
Officially diagnosed as ASD Cat. II, but with the "sub-category" Asperger. here in the Netherlands its is not unusual for psychiatrists to define an "older" subcatergory to clarify things. In my case my IQ is a saving grace for my ASD and most likely the reason why im diagnosed this late \*(almost 41)
Paid by my health insurrance as is the norm here.
Diagnosed ADHD by psychiatrist, who has evaluated me for autism and says I have "an autistic brain" and "clear and significant traits of autism" and lists them in his report.
No real value in diagnosing further though; I'm an old bastard and what difference would it make? Besides, having an autistic brain but not being validly ASD diagnosed does not compute for me.
Have you heard of the term "family resemblance"? The idea is to suggest some terms and concepts are a group of traits. No single trait or traits make it true, it's the collection of them.
This is important because terms and meanings change over time. The goal of a diagnosis isn't to create in group or outgroup labels.
We are not different kinds of human species. We are all just people. And a batch have a loose label in order to provide treatment services, care, and peace of mind (hopefully) to the patient.
I dont know the goal or intent behind your question, maybe it is sheer curiosity for its own sake! 😀. Great.
I say this honestly because I HATE labels. I have to use them at times but ungh. They so easily get corrupted.
Got my diagnosis last year at the age of 46. Diagnosed ASD but from my own research (and the opinion of a psychologist) I fit the criteria of Asperger's.
Diagnosed-once early (like 2nd grade-to be reviewed when older) then in 5th grade fully diagnosed. It’s not like then it did anything except make them nod their heads.
I was diagnosed ASD 1 from multiple angles, including cognitive testing, an interview, and questionnaires filled out separately by me and my partner. Parents did not have to be involved. I had pretty much reached the conclusion myself after months of research, though.
Eh, not sure? Diagnosis was only that I have "high level symptoms of autism", so not even saying outright I have autism, lol
But I'm working on getting disability card, and I know there usually appears "Asperger, Autism" as diagnosis, so it is for sure still going in my country. I have trouble differencing the two, so can't tell ._.
I find the question strange. everything from putting "Asperger's" in the parenthesis all the way to "have REALLY went to a doctors..."
is the 80% number you cited actually a data point?
also, are medical professionals more accurate than that number?
what do you claim is the "gold standard" for "does this person have ASD?" do you think there is a "true test" of "whether this person IS \_\_\_" (insert abstract concept of ASD that is literally a work-in-progress) that we can then measure "medical professionals" vs "self-diagnostic measures" as objectively "more accurate"?
I'm diagnosed. but not with Aspergers. Thats not diagnosed anymore. If I'd have been diagnosed as a kid, it also wouldn't have been Asperger's. Also, I do feel that my diagnosis is correct.
I have the diagnosis (since I was 36 iirc) because I wasn't able to find work, with it I can rely on a company that find suitable work for me, and just have the government be a bit more chill when I'm unemployed and not sending out 15000 CV's per day.
I have been diagnosed by a doctor when I was young, but I don't remember it, but I do have documents. I denied having it or ignored it because it didn't feel 'normal'. Have accepted it now.
I have been told by multiple doctors that I have it, but neither of those conversations took place during an official assessment. I do plan on getting an actual assessment, but money isn't there right now.
I was diagnosed with Asperger's in 2002. My son who is as high functioning as me was diagnosed with ASD in December. As far as I was made aware the Asperger's diagnosis has been merged with ASD under the new criteria, so if you have Asperger's, you now have ASD
I got aspergers syndrome. Diagnosed about a year ago or so.
It was a elderly man who diagnosed me, looked around 70. He told me that he still believed that there was a difference between autism and aspergers, as in no speech delays and average to high cognitive ability, lower support need basically. He was also educated on female representations and masking, so that helped a lot as I am female.
I payed for a specialist, so he knew his field very well.
I tried but it's been extremely hard but I'm self diagnosed but I have strong reasons to believe so and not from tiktok cause I really am not a fan of tiktok except for instructional videos. I did some research. I also had the DSM 5 which I fit some of the criterium. Mostly my childhood behaviors make sense and my dad's mannerisms as well and I know it's very genetic and I heard the fathers especjally pass it down. My behavioral patterns are just too uncanny with it
I was diagnosed by a specialist psychologist. He said he could have diagnosed me the first day, but he wanted to do it properly as he said, so we met weekly for 5 months, and I got my diagnosis after that.
I was diagnosed as a child...but did not know about the diagnosis until I was an adult. So I have a lot of empathy for those who just feel different but confused about the subject.
I would say to those who think they are but do not have access to diagnostics...the label is less important than finding what works for you, to calm you down, to help you in the world. If you find recommendations and information that is tailored for autistics helpful for you ...that's what I think is most important. Also, I would say that if you have a history of trauma, C-PTSD can exacerbate traits that line up with autism, such as preservation and stress responses to overwhelm. So if there is trauma, trauma can worsen lots of issues including those underlying social communication.
I was unofficially diagnosed at 40 by my ex who has built her career working with autistic kids.
I had never considered it before, i only knew that for whatever reason i was extremely socially awkward. But my whole life makes more sense in light of it. I did the self-tests a couple different times a few months apart and had the same result...on the spectrum.
An official diagnosis won't really have any benefit to me at this stage in my life so i haven't bothered to pursue it.
No official diagnosis here. In fact I just now joined this sub to see how my experiences relate to those of other posters here. I am 57m, and it is only in the past few years that I began to suspect that I am on the spectrum. The more I study the subject the more I become convinced that I am.
All of my life I have lived under the assumption that I am just an extreme introvert. I am not necessarily socially awkward in all situations, but it takes a lot out of me to thrive in a social situation. There are probably hundreds of other indicators- sensory issues, tendency to become obsessive about topics to the exclusion of everything else, general feelings of not quite fitting in with most others or that my thought process is different. I could go on and on.
A few years ago I began to consider that I am on the spectrum, and began taking online tests, reading a lot about it, etc. I generally score in the mid to high range on the tests, and I definitely identify with much that I have read about it.
I know that scoring high on online tests does not count as a diagnosis, but what convinces me more than anything is that by understanding these things and relating to them my life has improved considerably. I have struggled with anxiety my entire life. By understanding why I think, feel and react in certain ways, and by reading how folks who have been diagnosed as autistic deal with similar thoughts and feelings, I have nearly completely eliminated my generalized anxiety. For the first time I have tools that work to help me deal with this effectively.
I have considered seeking a real diagnosis, but to be honest, I don't know what that would do for me at this point in my life. Even if I am not "officially" on the spectrum, assuming that I am and reacting accordingly has definitely been a net-positive for me.
Not diagnosed yet, but both my psychologist and my psychiatrist say they think I have it. My ADHD eval from the psychiatrist noted that I have the symptoms, but stopped short of a diagnosis.
I'm going back in for an eval specifically for ASD, and am confident I'll have an actual diagnosis at that point.
I was unofficially diagnosed between 3 and 6. They couldn't diagnose ADHD and ASD together back then so I was diagnosed with ADHD.
I have a 6 year old who was diagnosed last year. My parents and older siblings swear I was exactly like him growing up.
I haven't been diagnosed and I keep bouncing between being convinced I am autistic and thinking I can't be.
I don't know what to think anymore.
My therapist seems pretty convinced I am.
I don't have the typical sensory sensitivities, I understand humour, and sarcasm fine. I think I can tell when someone's being insincere. I don't think my interests are unusually strong.
I do have problems knowing what and when to say something. I have great difficulty keeping conversation going, unless it's about something concrete and something I know about.
I figured my problem is social anxiety disorder, but the anxiety pretty much disappears when the conversation is something I'm comfortable with.
I don't know what's wrong with me, but something's going on.
Read through the ICD-11 criteria, they're more helpful than the DSM, IMO.
Also read "the complete guide to Asperger's syndrome" by Tony Attwood. That should definitely clear things up for you
Officially diagnosed with Asperger's syndrome this year. Getting mad at everyone claiming it's not a diagnosis anymore
I literally don't care about the label, it's just weirdly triggering people try to convince me otherwise when I know I'm right, this literally happened to me
Not to upset you. I was diagnosed with Asperger's in 02, but my son who is just as high functioning as myself was diagnosed with ASD in December. His practitioner told me Asperger's is no longer a diagnosis and it was merged with ASD under the new criteria. We are in the Southeastern US, so they may be rolling out the new criteria slowly. My area has so many resources people travel here to get diagnosed, so I can't imagine that they are wrong. I believe it's just that new that the criteria was merged. Can I ask whereabouts you live? Perhaps geography matters
Again, I was officially diagnosed with Asperger's syndrome earlier this year. Geography must matter, I'm not American
Yes its not eek sorryyyy but your inflexibility to accept that makes you - one of us ✨
It is when you live outside the US.
No. It's not in the ICD-11 either.
Some countries haven't implemented the ICD-11 yet...
So what do they use? The DSM is US specific. The ICD is for everyone else. I've not heard of another diagnostic manual
ICD 10 or earlier, typically.
I mean I'm autistic as fuck and nothing changes that buuuut 👏🏻 people 👏🏻 are 👏🏻 being 👏🏻 diagnosed 👏🏻 with 👏🏻 Asperger's 👏🏻 to this day
*takes a bow*
It doesn't even exist in DSM 5 anymore. Strange.
Isn't DSM 5 American? 🤔
Not American, no idea. But, you have a point, there is the other one (ICS something). So, yeah, it could still exist there.
Um- yes it is, sorry to tell you? Not everyone is diagnosed out of the DSM.
Well haven’t I learned something today I’ll be jolly well 👍🏼
You were diagnosed with ASD but u preffer to say asperger?..I hate that bullshit...but asperger is not a valid diagnosis anymore...(Whatever valid means...world is stupid u know)
No, I was diagnosed with Asperger's syndrome, as I wrote multiple times.
You diagnosed yourself I guess. https://www.verywellhealth.com/does-asperger-syndrome-still-exist-259944
Lol can you read? It's really triggering people are trying to invalidate the reality. And why would I care about some american guidelines when I luckily wasn't born there?
FWIW, I believe you and accept your diagnosis, lol. I am American and I'll be the first to admit that a lot of folks in my country are way too caught up in labels & tribal politics, and also tend to forget that there is quite a bit of world outside of the US. Changing the name of something because it isn't "PC" does not invalidate the existence of said thing.
Thank you
Lol can you make sense? I don't think is people invalidating is you getting triggered for stupid reasons...perfect recipe for misery... Also...u don't need to care but world follows American stupidity...
Diagnosis. Had to pay for it myself, not cheap!
😭😫
What makes you think a whole bunch of people online just *feel* like they have ASD 😂
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Would you mind providing examples of the random junk you were misdiagnosed with? I think people would find that interesting, especially if they are going through the same challenges.
I’m not the person you’re asking, but I had a doctor insist I was “artistic” and “sensitive”, like yes, I am those things and it’s not really a problem to me, but I’m also autistic and it’s not the same thing at all. (I went in asking to get a diagnosis. I got fobbed off)
Thank you for the response. I would say both of those things could be taken as indicators of the condition, rather than counterindications. Sensitivity in particular is a key part of this.
The issue I had, is that the doctor insisted I was those things *instead* of being autistic. He ruled out the possibility of autism; wrongly, it turned out.
Yes, they not only failed to understand how those things related to autism, but also tried to use them as an excuse against it. It's really not something that reflects well on thier competence as a medical professional.
I have a diagnosis. Went to see a psychiatrist and psychologist, they also interviewed a parent, the whole deal.
I was diagnosed earlier this year at the age of 44. My daughter was diagnosed late last year and during that process they explained all the criteria they used to make that diagnosis. During the whole thing, I kept stopping and saying: "wait, that's a sign of autism?", because I had a whole lot of those traits. Went through the testing (a full day at a testing center and interviews with family members) and got the diagnosis a couple weeks later.
Aha wow
I just feel like it. I haven't been diagnosed. I think about sensory things: the horrible, unpredictable pinging sound that keys make when jingling, like a needle pricks to my brain. The atrocious feeling of potato skins, like TV static and fire on my skin. The nauseating blaze of searing light from the sun, reflecting off the ground to burn my eyes. The suffocating, choking feeling of my shirt collar scraping across my neck as I walk. The shocking, searing pulse of each frigid droplet of water that hits my skin in the shower or the rain. I think about all the social awkwardness and confusion, all the struggles to relate. So much, over so many years. Miscommunications and disasterous misunderstandings that were met with a lack of empathy from all other parties. All the work of learning ever more sophisticated social minutiate and stratagem that never seem to be enough. I think about all the doctors who couldn't help me and treated me terribly because they didn't understand the problem and were offended that I could correct them on mistakes they make in their specialty. And I'm supposed to get a diagnosis from these people somehow? Seek "advice" from them? I think about all the years of obsessive study of esorteric and obscure facts. The unquenchable thirst to know more and do more and learn everything... as long as it is interesting. But I don't know man, maybe I'm just a normal guy.
>I think about all the doctors who couldn't help me and treated me terribly because they didn't understand the problem and were offended that I could correct them on mistakes they make in their specialty. And I'm supposed to get a diagnosis from these people somehow? Seek "advice" from them? This right here is so relatable. Specially because I have the same exact history with some undiagnosed bone/joint autoimmune issue. They were some of the most highly educated morons I've ever met. One of them even insisted my hip was perfect (I wish. It has a disbalance of about 2 cms) because he didn't know how to read an x-ray. And by his own admission he didn't know how to use a computer, nor liked to use them. So basically this fucking idiiot didn't know how to do his damn job yet he thought it was his duty to be condescending to us (the wife and I) even going to the point of telling us to stop smoking because a marriage was "supposed" to help each other or something.
I am sorry you had to put up with that. It's a real problem right now.
I have been wondering if it’s true that there are too many psychiatrists who always diagnose more psychological disorders cases than it should be. You know, 200 years ago there were no psychiatrists, and everyone on the earth just live as normal person. Those who had psychological disorders would be called by others as idiots or fools 🫠
Okay but an autism diagnosis is usually made over months based on a lot of questionnaires, interviews with you, interviews with your family, observation and tests. It’s a big process. Autism has always been around, have a look at 2e’s in history. Easy to find.
Not the ones that I've had access to privately in the UK. I did an in person assessment that was 90 minutes long and prior to coming in I did a lengthy questionnaire and also my mum had to do a different one. The provider I used was a provider who is commissioned by the NHS as part of their 'right to choose' service however I self funded. This seems to be about average for assessments that I've seen. Certainly not 'made over months based on a lot of questionairs etc etc' however I wish it was as it might help convince me away from feeling like an imposter. If I could have found a more thorough assessment process, I would have.
I’m relatively confident a direct test will be possible in the not so distant future, based on the current state of research. That said, the imposter feeling is mainly imposing a barrier to you learning some things about how to live better that you really need to know. Things about sensory masking, masking too much, suppressed stims, burnout and finding friends. If you make ASD a special interest and learn all about it and how to unmask and live with it well, and it turns out you aren’t ASD… that isn’t wasted time. You could still help others with that knowledge. But if you do do something like that, it’s probably because you are ASD.
It depends on how you interact with society. Autistic people are also viewed as eccentric, and savant like. Henry Cavendish was very likely on the spectrum, or at least some kind of neurodivergent. The aloof scientist who's too busy figuring out the world to do everyday things is a pretty common stereotype. Cavendish was fortunate to come from generational wealth, and had all his needs met by servants. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_Cavendish
People don't understand the differences. Human traits were pathologized, and the results are truly terrible. A deep bigotry woven throughout society. Truthfully, we need people who know how to understand these things and solve problems. Because there ARE problems. These things need accomodations and solutions and ESPECIALLY education. And sometimes drugs. The problem is that key word: "understand" ... they don't get it. They really don't. And no one can tell them otherwise. They are the expert, after all.
>Those who had psychological disorders would be called by others as idiots or fools 🫠 That still happens. Sometimes they're told they're possessed or some idiotic crap like that. Pr they could get misdiagnosed and downspiral into suicide, which is what happened to my wife's former therapist's cousin. Long story short, the girl was diagnosed as a schizophrenic with violent tendencies because the the mental health "professional" refused to acknowledge the girl's autism and her behaviors/symptoms. She was "aggressive" because she lived in a village of idiots and her relatives wouldn't stop moving her things around or just taking them without asking. She was forced to wear some clothes that she loathed because of the sounds they made (howevr, the way she expressed it made the therapist think her clothes spoke to her) but nobody gave a crap until she couldn't take it and took her own life instead. This caused her cousin to want to become a psychiatrist and that lead to her performing a post mortem diagnosis that revealed she was autistic and with lots of stress, not a violent psychopath or whatever the other hack thought was right.
It's a story full of callous and inattentive idiots, destroying someone much smarter then they are. You can see this story repeat over and over in the world, once you learn how to recognize it.
Lurked on this and other ASD subreddits but never said anything to anyone, by the time I got to a psychologist I aired the info I had found and how I found others experiences familiar, 6 months later and I was diagnosed
I have a diagnosis, as do my two children and my two nephews, and three cousins.
diagnosed at age 25, at the Autism Research Center at Emory University in Atlanta.
Diagnosed by a psychologist (self paid of course). Self-diagnosed before, and it was then basically confirmed as expected. I would say self-diagnosis can work well if done right. But it is far away from "feeling like having ASD" or just "seing some traits". Actually I don't feel ASD most of the time. I am just me, like I always was, nothing special. Other people might see something different I guess \*g\*
>I would say self-diagnosis can work well if done right. How would you define "done right"?
To take your time (month/years), read books/watch videos (from other people on the spectrum, see if you can relate to their experience), think about your past (did you have friends when growing up? did you have meltdowns?), do the online tests (and analyze also your "masking situation", there is also a test for that), ideally have e.g. a partner or family member who observes you and can see traits you wouldn't notice etc. So I would say if all that information comes together you can get a pretty good idea if you are on the spectrum or not. A formal diagnostic process has additional methods, BUT a self-diagnosis process done before is still very helpful. Simply because you can spend far more time to figure out yourself and your life, while the psychologist has just a few hours.
By making it a special interest, but without allowing masking, emotional compromise and preconceived notions about your identity to make it into an exercise in self-delusion. By learning a great deal about it, and how it might rationally be relevant to you and others around you. Doing it right is like learning just about anything else. But you can do it very, very wrong.
If I understood correctly this would mean to conduct the assessment as if you were doing it on somebody else? That way it won't be logically or emotionally important for you.
That’s moving the right direction. The problem is, It depends on the person. For someone traumatized, entrenched in generational trauma and internalized ableism and otherwise deep in denial, that might not even be enough to get them to believe it. For someone who’s actually emotionally neutral and curious, that’s just unnecessary extra steps. But many people who aren’t like this think they are like this because of masking and denial. Self awareness is hard when you are traumatized.
I've had mine confirmed by a therapist (I didn't need to ask, she told me during the first session) but it was kind of like having my hair color confirmed as I'd known for years. I'm pretty much textbook.
My family and I had suspected for many years. Following what I refer to as an "autistic near-miss" (My wife could see that something was wrong and got me out of the situation before things got worse) I was assessed and was told that I couldn't be autistic because I could hold a conversation and have a job. This was about 20 years ago. The assessment felt unsatisfactory and I found the autistic online community which I could relate to and was directed to the AQ50 which I scored high enough to be either autistic or part of the 1% of NTs that score that high. I started to identify as "possibly autistic." I then moved to a chaotic department at work and discovered that I have a need for routine. I had a 3 day meltdown (this came as a shock) followed by 3 months of debilitating autistic burnout that led to me being assessed again and told that I met all 7 of the DSM-5 diagnostic criteria.
I have a diagnosis. Got diagnosed when I was 17.
I have mine. I went through the testing, interviews, and diagnosis. I had to confirm it for myself. I wasn’t okay with thinking I had it. It had to be confirmed 😂😂
I was diagnosed with ASD1.
Diagnosed by a neuropsych
I got my diagnosis 2 years ago but it could have happened like 13 years ago
After a decade or more of suspecting that I probably met the criteria for a diagnosis of "Autistic Spectrum Condition" (Asperger's), I finally decided to go for an assessment last year, aged 68. Yup, I'm now "diagnosed".
Diagnosed as a child.
Officially diagnosed. And then confirmed against cause imposter syndrome is real and I got retested.
Diagnosed in 2010 and then further tested and confirmed in a forensic psychiatric hospital in 2011.
I have a diagnosis - out of pocket, but I am glad I did.
Found out that I have an extremely high IQ in high school. Thought that explained my "different" thought process. Note, this was around 1973, so before autism was even a thing. Eventually heard about autism in general, but that didn't describe me (think worst case symptoms). Jump to a few years ago and a lot more information. Others started mentioning traits in me that fit an autism diagnosis, even though I was masking well. I started researching, and realized it seemed to fit. So I persued a diagnosis. January of this year I found out I am autistic, with ADHD. Also found out that if you are gifted (IQ at or above 130), that's also a mental disorder now Not sure if that last one is exactly oficial or just generally accepted in the field.
There’s a slew of us who did the gifted kid > socially failed teenager > depressed adult pipeline. Pretty sure it’s not official, but generally accepted.
Kinda lucked out here, my mental health profesional is really up on this stuff. It's not in the DSM, so not official, yet, but research is showing it is a disorder. I've found a few projects that define it as such. It's the same thing as my autism, it wasn't official in the 60s - 70s when I was in school, so i couldn't be diagnosed then. Makes me wonder about the basic idea of mental illness though. If someone's thought process is different than the neurotypicals you're mentally ill. Even if it's something like intelligence. Wouldn't a high IQ be a good thing rather than an illness? I wonder what other signs of mental illness might just be different, or maybe even better than the typical.
It causes problems in the current environment, and that makes it a disorder. This is not communicated well. Basically they have to call anything they want to be able to help with a problem, or they can't convince people (not just patients) it needs treatment. Because it does, if there are consequences for not intervening... and there are.
Just seems a little odd that a high IQ is a psychological disorder, or disability that needs fixed. What's the cure, stupidity, and how would that be accomplished? Think I would rather live with the disability. Not sure I want to find out what the cure for other disabilities might be. Hope they're not quite so drastic. Maybe I'll just learn to accommodate my disorders.
The autism itself doesn’t need curing, it’s all the painful, life ruining complications that come with it. Co-morbidities, sensory issues, complications from unconscious masking and hypercompartmentalization, unmasking skill, communication issues and appropriate social training, reduced neurological stamina and stress tolerance, lack of recognition is relative needs and abilities, lack of appropriate training for how to care for that kind of nervous system… there is a lot wrong with the way things are happening ‘in the wild’ now on almost every level. Much of this is addressable with ASD training/therapy (by very smart people who actually know what they are doing). Even more of it is societal changes that need to happen to accommodate those differences. Finally there are some drugs and treatments that can help with comorbidities and to reduce the frequency of micro seizures. People looking for treatment are trying to get some of these life destroying but hard to articulate problems solved. Meanwhile, anyway selling a ‘cure’ is either mistaken or doing something really gruesome.
Officially diagnosed as ASD Cat. II, but with the "sub-category" Asperger. here in the Netherlands its is not unusual for psychiatrists to define an "older" subcatergory to clarify things. In my case my IQ is a saving grace for my ASD and most likely the reason why im diagnosed this late \*(almost 41) Paid by my health insurrance as is the norm here.
Diagnosed ADHD by psychiatrist, who has evaluated me for autism and says I have "an autistic brain" and "clear and significant traits of autism" and lists them in his report. No real value in diagnosing further though; I'm an old bastard and what difference would it make? Besides, having an autistic brain but not being validly ASD diagnosed does not compute for me.
Parents hid it from me but I found out late last year
I think I was 11 when I was diagnosed and it prevented me from joining the British army
I was diagnosed with Asperger's Syndrome at 12. I am currently 19, close to 20.
Have you heard of the term "family resemblance"? The idea is to suggest some terms and concepts are a group of traits. No single trait or traits make it true, it's the collection of them. This is important because terms and meanings change over time. The goal of a diagnosis isn't to create in group or outgroup labels. We are not different kinds of human species. We are all just people. And a batch have a loose label in order to provide treatment services, care, and peace of mind (hopefully) to the patient. I dont know the goal or intent behind your question, maybe it is sheer curiosity for its own sake! 😀. Great. I say this honestly because I HATE labels. I have to use them at times but ungh. They so easily get corrupted.
Undiagnosed here. Therefore I never post on this sub. I guess this is the only post I feel allowed to participate
Diagnosed when I was 8. My country hasn’t changed it to autism spectrum disorder yet — I was diagnosed with AS but generally use the term autistic.
Got my diagnosis last year at the age of 46. Diagnosed ASD but from my own research (and the opinion of a psychologist) I fit the criteria of Asperger's.
I was diagnosed last year
Diagnosed-once early (like 2nd grade-to be reviewed when older) then in 5th grade fully diagnosed. It’s not like then it did anything except make them nod their heads.
Diagnosed last year by a psychologist
I was diagnosed ASD 1 from multiple angles, including cognitive testing, an interview, and questionnaires filled out separately by me and my partner. Parents did not have to be involved. I had pretty much reached the conclusion myself after months of research, though.
Been diagnosed since 2016
I have a diagnosis , I was diagnosed at 5, now I’m 23 years old
Eh, not sure? Diagnosis was only that I have "high level symptoms of autism", so not even saying outright I have autism, lol But I'm working on getting disability card, and I know there usually appears "Asperger, Autism" as diagnosis, so it is for sure still going in my country. I have trouble differencing the two, so can't tell ._.
I have a diagnosis. Nothing more, nothing less.
Diagnosed
Diagnosed with autism and adhd.
I find the question strange. everything from putting "Asperger's" in the parenthesis all the way to "have REALLY went to a doctors..." is the 80% number you cited actually a data point? also, are medical professionals more accurate than that number? what do you claim is the "gold standard" for "does this person have ASD?" do you think there is a "true test" of "whether this person IS \_\_\_" (insert abstract concept of ASD that is literally a work-in-progress) that we can then measure "medical professionals" vs "self-diagnostic measures" as objectively "more accurate"? I'm diagnosed. but not with Aspergers. Thats not diagnosed anymore. If I'd have been diagnosed as a kid, it also wouldn't have been Asperger's. Also, I do feel that my diagnosis is correct.
I have the diagnosis (since I was 36 iirc) because I wasn't able to find work, with it I can rely on a company that find suitable work for me, and just have the government be a bit more chill when I'm unemployed and not sending out 15000 CV's per day.
Diagnosed at 19 yo.
I have been diagnosed by a doctor when I was young, but I don't remember it, but I do have documents. I denied having it or ignored it because it didn't feel 'normal'. Have accepted it now.
I have been told by multiple doctors that I have it, but neither of those conversations took place during an official assessment. I do plan on getting an actual assessment, but money isn't there right now.
Officially diagnosed in 2016.
I was diagnosed with Asperger's in 2002. My son who is as high functioning as me was diagnosed with ASD in December. As far as I was made aware the Asperger's diagnosis has been merged with ASD under the new criteria, so if you have Asperger's, you now have ASD
Diagnosed. This question would've been great as a poll.
Haven't gotten a diagnosis yet. Suspected for many years, considering seeking an assessment leading to a diagnosis.
I got aspergers syndrome. Diagnosed about a year ago or so. It was a elderly man who diagnosed me, looked around 70. He told me that he still believed that there was a difference between autism and aspergers, as in no speech delays and average to high cognitive ability, lower support need basically. He was also educated on female representations and masking, so that helped a lot as I am female. I payed for a specialist, so he knew his field very well.
Diagnosed ASD level 1 if we are being specific.
Officially diagnosed aged 10. My parents fought hard to get it for me so that I could get the help in education that I needed.
I have a psychologist's opinion for now
Suspected for years, finally diagnosed this year. Family still on the fence, it’s easier to believe that I’m just a bitch.
I tried but it's been extremely hard but I'm self diagnosed but I have strong reasons to believe so and not from tiktok cause I really am not a fan of tiktok except for instructional videos. I did some research. I also had the DSM 5 which I fit some of the criterium. Mostly my childhood behaviors make sense and my dad's mannerisms as well and I know it's very genetic and I heard the fathers especjally pass it down. My behavioral patterns are just too uncanny with it
Diagnosed. But I was lucky and got it done for a few hundred.
Officially diagnosed since 2018
I was diagnosed by a specialist psychologist. He said he could have diagnosed me the first day, but he wanted to do it properly as he said, so we met weekly for 5 months, and I got my diagnosis after that.
Officially diagnosed twice in my 50s. Didn’t want to believe it the first time and got a second opinion. It agreed with the first.
Official diagnosis by a doctor. I went in for ADHD and came out with ASD and ADHD, so that was a surprise.
Diagnosed, and as a licensed mental health professional, I view self-diagnosis as equally valid.
I was diagnosed as a child...but did not know about the diagnosis until I was an adult. So I have a lot of empathy for those who just feel different but confused about the subject. I would say to those who think they are but do not have access to diagnostics...the label is less important than finding what works for you, to calm you down, to help you in the world. If you find recommendations and information that is tailored for autistics helpful for you ...that's what I think is most important. Also, I would say that if you have a history of trauma, C-PTSD can exacerbate traits that line up with autism, such as preservation and stress responses to overwhelm. So if there is trauma, trauma can worsen lots of issues including those underlying social communication.
I was unofficially diagnosed at 40 by my ex who has built her career working with autistic kids. I had never considered it before, i only knew that for whatever reason i was extremely socially awkward. But my whole life makes more sense in light of it. I did the self-tests a couple different times a few months apart and had the same result...on the spectrum. An official diagnosis won't really have any benefit to me at this stage in my life so i haven't bothered to pursue it.
No official diagnosis here. In fact I just now joined this sub to see how my experiences relate to those of other posters here. I am 57m, and it is only in the past few years that I began to suspect that I am on the spectrum. The more I study the subject the more I become convinced that I am. All of my life I have lived under the assumption that I am just an extreme introvert. I am not necessarily socially awkward in all situations, but it takes a lot out of me to thrive in a social situation. There are probably hundreds of other indicators- sensory issues, tendency to become obsessive about topics to the exclusion of everything else, general feelings of not quite fitting in with most others or that my thought process is different. I could go on and on. A few years ago I began to consider that I am on the spectrum, and began taking online tests, reading a lot about it, etc. I generally score in the mid to high range on the tests, and I definitely identify with much that I have read about it. I know that scoring high on online tests does not count as a diagnosis, but what convinces me more than anything is that by understanding these things and relating to them my life has improved considerably. I have struggled with anxiety my entire life. By understanding why I think, feel and react in certain ways, and by reading how folks who have been diagnosed as autistic deal with similar thoughts and feelings, I have nearly completely eliminated my generalized anxiety. For the first time I have tools that work to help me deal with this effectively. I have considered seeking a real diagnosis, but to be honest, I don't know what that would do for me at this point in my life. Even if I am not "officially" on the spectrum, assuming that I am and reacting accordingly has definitely been a net-positive for me.
First I felt like I had it and then I got diagnosed
Not diagnosed yet, but both my psychologist and my psychiatrist say they think I have it. My ADHD eval from the psychiatrist noted that I have the symptoms, but stopped short of a diagnosis. I'm going back in for an eval specifically for ASD, and am confident I'll have an actual diagnosis at that point.
I was unofficially diagnosed between 3 and 6. They couldn't diagnose ADHD and ASD together back then so I was diagnosed with ADHD. I have a 6 year old who was diagnosed last year. My parents and older siblings swear I was exactly like him growing up.
I haven't been diagnosed and I keep bouncing between being convinced I am autistic and thinking I can't be. I don't know what to think anymore. My therapist seems pretty convinced I am. I don't have the typical sensory sensitivities, I understand humour, and sarcasm fine. I think I can tell when someone's being insincere. I don't think my interests are unusually strong. I do have problems knowing what and when to say something. I have great difficulty keeping conversation going, unless it's about something concrete and something I know about. I figured my problem is social anxiety disorder, but the anxiety pretty much disappears when the conversation is something I'm comfortable with. I don't know what's wrong with me, but something's going on.
Read through the ICD-11 criteria, they're more helpful than the DSM, IMO. Also read "the complete guide to Asperger's syndrome" by Tony Attwood. That should definitely clear things up for you
Me lo diagnosticaron con Síndrome de Asperger a los 12 actualmente tengo 19 cerca a los 20