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Cant accept my diagnosis

LunaViolet

Member
Hi there,
I got officially diagnosed a few weeks ago. (With Aspergers) My previous psychologist and new psychologist both suspected it and the psychiatrist diagnosed it. I had all the evaluations, and they all said that I had mild to moderate Aspergers. My parent's questionnaire thing agreed with it (sorry i don't know how to put it.) and I have a lot of Aspergers Symptoms. So yes I was diagnosed.. But at first I was relieved that there was a name for it. But now I am starting to feel really bad because I am worried the psychiatrist somehow got it wrong. Did you ever feel like this? sorry if this is rude in some way.
 
I don't think it was rude. I grew up with the diagnosis, and I spent a long time denying it. I always knew there wasn't anything actually wrong with me. My view now? My disability means I have disadvantages from a society designed by and for people who are not like me, but that doesn't mean I'm broken or that I have a disease.
 
Me personal: im pretty sure that I have it, if I read things about it so many things sound familiar and I scored pretty high on the psychologists tests.

But the problem is that I'm pretty decent at masking it, so most of my friends don't want to believe I have it and even here I'm often scared that, if I reply to something with my own view, that people will think I don't have it and am some sort of fraud. I think it's a part of the social problems, having a hard time seeing how others view you.

It is hard to believe you have a "handicap" if you think you're absolutely normal and I completely get that. What helped me a lot is to read about it, a lot if possible. I read a big book by Tony Attwood, which helped me a lot. But even the English Wikipedia page is incredibly clear and precise. It might help you in deciding the psych is right, or if you want to get a second opinion someplace else if you still don't believe it
 
Why do you think that the psychiatrist somehow got it wrong? How do you feel about it - do you agree with the diagnosis, and that you have the symptoms? It sounds like you were thoroughly tested, and two other professionals agreed with it, so it's likely that the diagnosis is accurate, IMO.

I sometimes worry too that my diagnosis may not be accurate, because the psychiatrist decided very quickly on the diagnosis, he seemed to know within the first 20 minutes of the interview. At the end of the interview he gave me the diagnosis and didn't want to see me for any further tests, and that worried me, because I know that usually one is required to undergo tests. I'm also fairly independent, and have learned some social skills over the years, mainly through experience and trial and error.

I would like to recommend a book, "Appreciating Asperger Syndrome" by Brenda Boyd. This should help you to see the positive side of an AS diagnosis, and the benefits it can bring. People with AS have so much potential, it's a shame to let the diagnosis label get them down.
 
Me personal: im pretty sure that I have it, if I read things about it so many things sound familiar and I scored pretty high on the psychologists tests.

But the problem is that I'm pretty decent at masking it, so most of my friends don't want to believe I have it and even here I'm often scared that, if I reply to something with my own view, that people will think I don't have it and am some sort of fraud. I think it's a part of the social problems, having a hard time seeing how others view you.

It is hard to believe you have a "handicap" if you think you're absolutely normal and I completely get that. What helped me a lot is to read about it, a lot if possible. I read a big book by Tony Attwood, which helped me a lot. But even the English Wikipedia page is incredibly clear and precise. It might help you in deciding the psych is right, or if you want to get a second opinion someplace else if you still don't believe it
Why do you think that the psychiatrist somehow got it wrong? How do you feel about it - do you agree with the diagnosis, and that you have the symptoms? It sounds like you were thoroughly tested, and two other professionals agreed with it, so it's likely that the diagnosis is accurate, IMO.

I sometimes worry too that my diagnosis may not be accurate, because the psychiatrist decided very quickly on the diagnosis, he seemed to know within the first 20 minutes of the interview. At the end of the interview he gave me the diagnosis and didn't want to see me for any further tests, and that worried me, because I know that usually one is required to undergo tests. I'm also fairly independent, and have learned some social skills over the years, mainly through experience and trial and error.

I would like to recommend a book, "Appreciating Asperger Syndrome" by Brenda Boyd. This should help you to see the positive side of an AS diagnosis, and the benefits it can bring. People with AS have so much potential, it's a shame to let the diagnosis label get them down.

I feel like that because I don't have some of the symptoms that seem to be the "main ones." like i relate to so much on here and i have other symptoms.. but for example i am very bad at recognising patterns. I can recognise facial expressions well and I sometimes misinterpret peoples intentions but its not too bad, and i am not too bad at sarcasm. I do have plenty of other things but these things i just don't have and also my conversations with people are actually really good lots of the time.
 
I feel like that because I don't have some of the symptoms that seem to be the "main ones." like i relate to so much on here and i have other symptoms.. but for example i am very bad at recognising patterns. I can recognise facial expressions well and I sometimes misinterpret peoples intentions but its not too bad, and i am not too bad at sarcasm. I do have plenty of other things but these things i just don't have and also my conversations with people are actually really good lots of the time.

There is an expression that is used on here that is very apt: you meet one aspie......you meet one aspie!
 
I was told resently of an interesting research. When scanning the brains of NT, they all looked the same. When scanning the brains of people on the spectrum, even within the same category like Aspergers, not two brains were alike. So it's actually proven that no two people on the spectrum will ever be the same, will not process information the same way, and will not react to processed information the same way.
 
You're not being rude at all, Luna. We are all familiar with the process of identification and acceptance, so we can understand what you're going through. Everybody does this in their own, individual way.

I sought professional opinions on what was different about me for over twenty years before Asperger's was ever even considered, and it wasn't a mental health professional who first identified me; it was two other Aspies. No doctor ever suspected it because my presentation of the major traits is so mild. But when you add up all of my Asperger's-related traits, factor in how I was when I was a child, and include what little of the Big Traits from the actual diagnostic criteria that I do have, I'm definitely an Aspie.

There is a huge range of presentation for Asperger's, both in number and variety of traits, and in severity of each/all of those. If a team of mental health professionals all agree you have it, then I would say you do. Many of us have a hard time getting clinicians to see it in us at all!

I'm really happy to hear you've got an official answer. Give it some time and you may feel much more comfortable with it. You've got all of us to help you along and answer your questions. :)
 
what does that mean? does it mean not everyone is the same?

Yes, you got it right there! It means that depending on where we are on the spectrum, determines how difficult things are and then, there is the fact that we are not robots and have all different things to contend with!
 
The whole issue itself makes me cringe. At least the OP is in Australia, insulated somewhat from America's DSM-V which makes the whole diagnostic process much murkier than it probably should be.
 
I am still denying it today. Having a lot of friends and being populard is my dream and everyone around me keep telling me that aspies dont give a **** about social crap, which is the complete opposite of me. I am social bloke.
 
I am still denying it today. Having a lot of friends and being populard is my dream and everyone around me keep telling me that aspies dont give a **** about social crap, which is the complete opposite of me. I am social bloke.
People watch too much rain man etc. just because something is difficult for a person doesn't mean he/she can't like doing it. That's the big downside of a diagnosis, people put a stamp on you about what they think is right, though they don't have a clue what said diagnosis is.

Totally unrelated but a good argument to the point is the amount of people that still think you can get a flu/cold from nothing but cold weather, kinda baffles me. They think it's something, based on nothing but "somebody told me this" and they don't even bother to check facts
 
Like they say aspergers got big social issues, I feel pretty normal, Have a bunch of friends, I hang out all the time and I hook up at least once a month (If I dont have a gf). The only reasons I could see people labeling me that would be that I punch people in the face i they get too close to me and something I say eyebrow raising material.
 
I feel like that because I don't have some of the symptoms that seem to be the "main ones." like i relate to so much on here and i have other symptoms.. but for example i am very bad at recognising patterns. I can recognise facial expressions well and I sometimes misinterpret peoples intentions but its not too bad, and i am not too bad at sarcasm. I do have plenty of other things but these things i just don't have and also my conversations with people are actually really good lots of the time.
As others have pointed out, all people with AS are different. ASD is a spectrum, and we all display different symptoms to different severities within the spectrum. I don't have all of the symptoms either, and don't see patterns in numbers or have a fascination with dates, nor am I particularly artistic or creative the way some with ASD are. I can also be spontaneous and I enjoy travelling and visiting new places, other people with ASD find that difficult.
 
When I got my diagnosis I was relieved know that there were other people like me and a name for people like me. I was diagnosed with the DSM-4 criteria and the diagnosis was Asperger's Syndrome. I would like to say that I am NOT disabled or handicapped in any way. When I compare my behavior, beliefs and priorities to most other people, it makes me glad to be a Aspie.
 
To me the autism spectrum is not just one spectrum- it's several. There's a spectrum of verbal communication, social interactions, sensory needs, etc... and you can be at any point on any of these little spectrums and still be on the autism spectrum. I hope that makes sense.

For instance I'm usually very much able to verbalize my thoughts, am somewhere in the middle on the social part, and have more sensory problems than others might. But when I get very stressed my body won't speak, it will come out in a croak and I can't form words. Social situations become tolerable and even fun with repeated exposure to the same group. And with sensory problems, sometimes I hear everything and feel every fiber touching my body, and some days I feel like I'm in a bubble where I hear no one and you couldn't startle me with anything.

If you see enough of yourself in what you are finding both in your own research and interacting with other aspies but aren't sure if it's truly the right diagnosis, maybe give yourself some room, and instead of asking "is this always a problem for me" ask yourself if this aspect of your life is sometimes harder to deal with than other times.
 
I only got diagnosed with ASD a year ago, relatively late in life (aged 39). At first it was a relief, not least because I had managed to convince myself that the psychiatrist was going to say I had problems but autism wasn't one of them. I don't know at what point during the interview he decided I had autism, but he did. He also seemed pretty sure my dad had it; as well as giving me the diagnosis, he asked my mum if my dad would like an assessment. My mum said, "oh no, I don't think so...."

I've sometimes wondered since then whether the diagnosis was correct, but I haven't obsessed about it because I think it is. Nothing else explains my resounding failure at fitting in with other people, forming relationships, etc. I suppose in one way it is nice to finally have a partial answer to the question of why I am the way I am (it can never be a total answer, not least because I'm constantly comparing myself to other apsies and wondering why they managed to get married or have a career, and I couldn't do either of those things). But it'd be even nicer to have not been on the autism spectrum in the first place. I'm not in denial: autism hasn't benefited me, so I don't want to have it.
 
Hi there,
I got officially diagnosed a few weeks ago. (With Aspergers) My previous psychologist and new psychologist both suspected it and the psychiatrist diagnosed it. I had all the evaluations, and they all said that I had mild to moderate Aspergers. My parent's questionnaire thing agreed with it (sorry i don't know how to put it.) and I have a lot of Aspergers Symptoms. So yes I was diagnosed.. But at first I was relieved that there was a name for it. But now I am starting to feel really bad because I am worried the psychiatrist somehow got it wrong. Did you ever feel like this? sorry if this is rude in some way.

Luna Ask yourself " does it change who I am?" If the answers no then your already starting to accept it.

If the answers yes you need to do some more reading on aspergers and truly decide if a label makes you a different person.

Aspies are not sick, or diseased they don't suffer from a lack of intelligence preventing them from succeeding in life. Just as many people with aspergers get married, have kids and live out there lives in the manner of their choosing as do normal people. There's no great miracle pill that will make us different or normal we are what we decide to be. If you choose to be aspie and decide that you will use the knowledge that provides to help alleviate some of the quirks and nuances that comes with being different then chances are you'll be fine. If you choose not to be aspie and learn how to cope with life thru trail and error you will probably struggle at times you'll feel different and you might have to work at life harder then some but that's how most of the world learns. I offer you luck in finding a path that best suits what you decide is right for you
 
Aspies are not sick, or diseased they don't suffer from a lack of intelligence preventing them from succeeding in life


A person with a physical disease is probably much more likely to be in employment than a person with Asperger's. I can only speak for Crohn's, because it's the only disease I know well, but apparently 75% of people with Crohn's are still in employment ten years after diagnosis. Apparently only 15% of adults with Asperger's are in employment. (Too tired to seek out the relevant references now, but I'm not just making them up.)

Anyway, if that's true, then it's a quite shocking statistic and one which surprises even me.
 

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