51 and wondering about getting an official diagnosis

[grommet]

meant psychologist, psychiatrist in my area you need one of these. a regular doctor or therapist can make it formal. the process seems over the top since many other conditions (some that involve heavy drugs and treatments) are diagnosed with very little input on one persons input. I really appreciate your input

I was referred by a social worker to a neuropsychologist. She tested me once a month for three months. I was very surprised by how my brain worked. Things I had not noticed. The test made them clear. I still can't get over one part where I understood her instructions on what to do and went to do it but my brain would not let me.

I did not want to be autistic. I did not know what it was but it sounded serious and bad. I was scared having a diagnosis but so much better when I met other autistic people. My first in-person autism meeting I felt like I was normal for the first time in my life. Everything in the room made sense to me, I understood strangers. I always felt like an alien, bad because everyone seemed normal but something was wrong with me.

In that room meeting other autistic people I realized there had never been anything wrong with me, I was just different than the people I had always been around.

 

[Richelle-H]

Welcome.

In my youth I was always considered strange or weird, but I knew I was different at a very early age and it never bothered me and I did not ruminate on why I felt so alien. My mother tried to get me to see a mental health professional over her inability to understand that there was nothing wrong with me from my own viewpoint, so I refused. Jump forward 30+ years and a friend who was studying Psychology suggesting that I might have Asperger's.

Long story made more succinct, I sought and received an official diagnosis of Asperger's in my early 40s. I did need to see another professional in my 50s to corroborate the original diagnosis with a letter to help save my job over a complete misunderstanding that led to me having to explain and substantiate my diagnosis. For me, neither event was not a long or drawn out process. I guess I still come across as a bit atypical in the neurology department and am easily read.

By the time I reached this point in my life, I had dumped all the masking and other coping mechanisms and was finally comfortable in my own skin. This led to now considering myself well adjusted and normal (in my own mind). My view is that it is the majority of the world population not on the spectrum that's in need of some major therapy.