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Considering formal diagnosis

K

Kitkat

New Member
So I'm considering contacting the local University that has a community Psychologist Clinic with Neuropsychology testing. I know I need to find someone who specializes in adults. However, I don't think my insurance will cover diagnosis. Does anyone have experience with supervised PhD students administering the tests? Should I dig deeper into insurance coverage? I can afford to pay the university clinic rate out of pocket but I doubt I can cover a private professional without insurance help.
I have arrived in a place professionally where I'm struggling to figure out how to do the "right" interpersonal stuff in the office.
I'm looking for a diagnosis to sure up whether I'm "normal" struggling to grow up to be a put together professional or if ASD explains it.
I struggle to socialize outside the IT department or other STEM folx. I knit rather incessantly especially when I am out “in public”. (Aka super socially acceptable stim)
I could skip diagnosis and just seek some talk therapy for social skill help. It’s just so much to mull over.
 
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This could well be a major mental health challenge for you. Therapists are so set in their ways. If they are not familiar with autism, like have a family member or close friend who is autistic they may well not be able to dx you. Because they can’t see it. They can barely dx a white male who is 6 years old. I am not sure what happens when they encounter an autistic person, but I have had nightmare experiences with these therapists. Don’t bother unless they really have experience with autism.

Do you not have any issues like depression or anxiety to talk to a psychiatrist about? One who is experienced in autism. They would be no different than a therapist without experience if they don’t have experience. And I don’t mean the obvious young males, though many have trouble dx them too. I was shocked at the level of incompetence when it comes to dx adult autistic women. Good luck if you try, but I guarantee you if you don’t have mental health problems now you will after they callously attack your identity and ask you stupid questions like “Why do you want to autistic anyway?” I couldn’t
even answer the question because they all caught me off guard.

I am autistic? I didn’t wake up one morning and decide I wanted to be autistic when I grow up. I accept who I am. The good and the bad. It is not all bad. I like the honesty, the realness, deeply concentrating on learning things. Heavy research. The deep sensing recognizing things others don’t see. Writing, creating, thinking, lost in thought. Stemming when no one is watching. I try to cut down around others but when I am really stressed, I can’t cut down. I don’t daydream like I did as a kid. I loved that but I was almost lost forever in that alternate universe. I recognized that and forced myself to stay in reality. I hated that.

If you can mask well (and autistic women fair better at it) then a therapist without experience will just see a strange woman who wants to be autistic in her office. She will make you crazy.
 
I thought there was no hope of a formal diagnosis, despite the in creasing realisation that to get any form of acceptance and help, I needed to be formally diagnosed.

My psychiatrist, did not catch on to traits and it was after several visits, that my husband ( he is a sort of translater for me - we live in France), approached the therapist with a suggestion of me being tested for aspergers and I was surprised and relieved, when he accepted my reasoning and I got a remarkably quick interview with neuropsychologist. She was very sympathetic and gentle with me. I was tested with facial expressions and I suppose IQ and trying to explain how a person felt in each scenario.

Then, I received a really quick appointment with an expert in autism and received my formal diagnosis the other day.

It is most beneficial having someone who is willing to act for you to accompany you.
 
I too am hoping to find someone who can diagnose an adult female but I am not sure if I will be successful. Money is an issue for me too. I haven't got any advice but I'm just here to tell you that I am on that same journey so let's hope we both get something helpful from it.
 
From an academic perspective, PhD student's will be far more up to date on the latest research and current understanding of the diagnosis criteria than established practitioners. As a woman that may well benefit you.
 
To try to clarify what I'm looking for myself as much as for the group here are some musings.
1. At least right now I don't feel like I need an autism diagnosis to move on with my life. It's more along the lines of I don't want to bandaid my social struggles if autism is the root cause. Even if the treatment is the same having an answer to am I autistic will help motivate me to do the work I need to do. I know this answer might be a "inconclusive".
2. I don't have a spouse to bring along for support. It would be challenging to get my Mom to come to these appointments . I have friends who will cheer me on from the sidelines but probably not close enough to tag along.
3. I've generally had positive experiences with Student Clinicans. My best annual eye exams have been at the teaching clinic by the supervised student docs. Being current on the research is basically my only hope of a clinician who would put together the pieces the same way I have.
I haven't called to get on the list yet. All my phone energy has been towards some home repair contractors.
 
So I did the thing and called the local Universities with psychology centers. One doesn't do adult autism but gave me some other resources in town. The other hasn't gotten back to me but generally has a 24 hour call return time. Monday will be the end of that window. Fingers crossed they'll come through. They list Aspergers on their page specifically.
 
So after getting a call back from the place that takes 24 hours to get back to you, sounds like neither of the universities are really an option for me. I did a few sessions with a "generic" counselor. Didn't find it useful enough to keep going. She basically was just like you're introverted, *shrug*, which I guess yes, I am.
I'll regroup and call some other places to try to find a place for an evaluation at some point soon-ish.
 
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