Am I on the spectrum?

[SimplyDifferent]

I was told I fit some of the criteria but not all of them and there's no point carrying on with the process of being diagnosed. Am I on the spectrum or not? I don't know why it matters to me, it just does, and people really aren't clear enough.

 

[IContainMultitudes]

I got my semi-official AS diagnosis from a psychiatrist (I had been seeing a speech therapist for a while who couldn't really give me an official diagnosis but told me that adults with the characteristics I display are generally somewhere on the autism spectrum) who said that she thought that it was likely I was on the spectrum but that she didn't want to impose anything on me and that I was free to "take or leave" the diagnosis if I didn't find being labeled that way to be useful (I considered that good news; I think that if I had been told that I definitely did not have AS, I would have found that pretty disappointing since I would have felt like the best explanation I've found for all of the things that make me "different" had been completely shot to pieces). The psychiatrist also said that going through all of the testing that people usually go through to determine whether or not they have AS probably wouldn't be real useful at this stage of my life (I had been seeing all kinds of counselors and therapists for years, and they could definitely tell that there was something "different" about me, so a lot of that testing probably would have been rather redundant). Getting diagnosed as an adult can be kind of difficult, so it may be that, in some cases, a self-diagnosis or a semi-official diagnosis like the one that I got are about as good as you can do (I've heard of MRI scans of the brain being able to detect autism in some cases, but sometimes it's not detectable that way. I actually had an MRI about 10 years ago, but it didn't really turn up anything; I think the point of it was mainly to rule out the possibility of my brain having any major structural problems). I would hesitate to say "If you think you're on the spectrum, you probably are," but I think that if you have sufficient reason to believe that you meet the criteria for being on the autism spectrum, you're probably on the spectrum (you don't have to meet all of the criteria to have sufficient reason to believe that you're on the spectrum; to meet the DSM-IV's definition of having Asperger's/HFA, you only have to meet a certain number of criteria, not all of them).

In your case, I think you can look at having AS as something you can "take or leave." If you feel like that label is in any way useful, I don't think there's really anyone who can tell you that it's "wrong" or "incorrect" to label yourself that way. If you don't think that label is useful and you just want to look at yourself as "eccentric" or "simply different," then throw it out. Do you want to be on the spectrum or not? Do you think it causes problems for you? If you did get an official-to-semi-official AS diagnosis, do you think it would explain things that you've never been able to find an explanation for otherwise?

 

[SimplyDifferent]

What's the difference between an offical and a semi-offical diagnoses? They said the same to me, about taking or leaving it, but the decision really wasn't up to me in the end. What you said, "(I considered that good news; I think that if I had been told that I definitely did not have AS, I would have found that pretty disappointing since I would have felt like the best explanation I've found for all of the things that make me "different" had been completely shot to pieces)", is exactly how I felt, and I haven't been able to describe it. Thankyou. I think that I see myself as being on the spectrum, but I think that it would be easier if I was diagnosed to explain things to people. Thanks for replying, much appreciated

 

[jaws]

What's the difference between an offical and a semi-offical diagnoses? They said the same to me, about taking or leaving it, but the decision really wasn't up to me in the end. What you said, "(I considered that good news; I think that if I had been told that I definitely did not have AS, I would have found that pretty disappointing since I would have felt like the best explanation I've found for all of the things that make me "different" had been completely shot to pieces)", is exactly how I felt, and I haven't been able to describe it. Thankyou. I think that I see myself as being on the spectrum, but I think that it would be easier if I was diagnosed to explain things to people. Thanks for replying, much appreciated

I had the same situation and agree with you both. I would like an official diagnosis, but as IContainMultitudes stated, it is difficult to impossible to find someone qualified to diagnose high functioning adults (we can compensate enough to fool most standard test given to children) and no one in my area specializes enough in adult spectrum issues to give an accurate diagnosis. I was also informed that while an official diagnosis "might" grant me a few benefits, it would adversely effect my insurance premiums and may have other negative impacts. I was told by a couple of psychologists and a physician that I should avoid getting an "official" diagnosis. My closest friend(s), a few therapists, and my mom have agreed that I clearly fit most if not all the traits associated with AS and I accept it as an accurate portrayal of my thoughts/feelings and my behaviors. I may get an official diagnosis when there are more adult services available in my area, but until then I just accept it as a real diagnosis (from psychologists) that I just can't document for benefits.
:wtf:

 

[SimplyDifferent]

So, when trying to explain to people, is it best to say semi-official diagnoses of asd, or am I just allowed to refer to myself as autistic. I have no official "proof" you see. What do you guys do?