Dr. says i may have Intellectual Disability

[D'Andre]

ok so i'm 39. i've worked a million jobs, never seemed to get planted, I consider myself gifted musically and artistically, but when it comes to financial and career success, I'm way behind for my age. I feel like a very mature 16 yr old. make sense? so recently i saw a dr who is not my regular dr. He looked at me closely and said "have you ever been tested for Autism?" he has an autistic son. He also said i could have an intellectual/developmental disability. now....when i look in the mirror, i see a good person. i also, however see a disheveled, sort of lost person.

i took an online test and tested high for intellectual disorder (i know it's not a diagnosis) but i'm wondering what the next step is. i'm due to see a neurologist but i thought that was because of my mini stroke. honestly, i'm thrilled to be finally putting my health and mental health at the forefront. for years, my mom was the main concern. now that he's at peace and at rest, i feel better about focusing on me. i just don't know where to begin. i'm not telling friends and family because it's a touchy subject (we have different views on mental health and my complicated self.

i'm also looking for another job so life is progressing but man i'm behind everyone around me. any suggestions where to confirm such things?? thanks guys!

ps: i told my therapist, since my mom died, i've regressed in some ways. she was so supportive and never made me ashamed to be different.

 

[Crossbreed]

i took an online test and tested high for intellectual disorder...

I have never heard that phrase before. Does it mean low IQ, or is it something more specific...?

 

[Neonatal RRT]

The only way I would see to get the answers you seek, is through a specialist in adult mental health,...within this context, someone specializing in autism,...or better yet, a team, that will put you through actual performance testing. That was my experience,...a lab with 2 professionals putting me through my paces with a series of tests,...one actually walking me through the process, and an observer. All of that was done before I even had an interview with the psychologist.

If you have a university-based autism research center, even better, because sometimes the testing can be done on their dollar, not yours, but also because they are likely to have the latest testing methods. If that university is also associated with a medical center like a Johns Hopkins, Duke, UCLA, and so on, then often genetic testing and neuroimaging may be a part of the process.

 

[Atrapa Almas]

With the info given its difficult to know if you are autist or not, or are somewhat in the middle. Like you have been told the best way is to test yourself with a good professional.

Autists usually score high on some intellectual tests and low on social stuff. So our IQ tests are like peaks and valleys. We can be so good at something (lets say maths) and so bad at other thing (lets say knowing when its our turn to talk in a group conversation).

Autism is a very broad category that have very different individuals. We have been put together in the autism box by our "problems", not by our unique talents or mental procesing.

So its difficult to know if you are losing your job because of lack of social understanding or as an example because of your impulses. ADHD are known for having impulse issues that affect them both finantially and in work enviroments. On the other hand they tend to be very creative. There are other conditions, and having multiple conditions at the same time is also posible.

So thats why testing with a good professional is the best way. Learning about what you call "mental health" is cheaper and will open your scope of the subjet.

Most of us call Neurodivergence to different configurarions of our brains that are not considered illnesses but valid divergences of the most common human neurological configurarion. I dont consider autists to be mentally ill or disabled as I dont consider gays to be ill or disabled or as I dont consider ADHD to need to be fixed.

You can both learn and test yourself.

 

[Sarah S]

I have never heard that phrase before. Does it mean low IQ, or is it something more specific...?

DSM-5 defines intellectual disabilities as neurodevelopmental disorders that begin in childhood and are characterized by intellectual difficulties as well as difficulties in conceptual, social, and practical areas of living.

Reg the online tests those are only meant as a guideline / hint / Information that it might be a good idea to get an evaluation to find out and is NOT a medical diagnose that you actually have ID (i have also taken those ID online tests avieble and im also in the most likely to have it (which i actually have been diagnosed 1996 (only then as now i am over 70 -75 IQ But i do fit all the other 3 criteria's such as significantly lower IQ then average and they have since concluded that IQ is NOT to be the primary method used as a diagnose criteria anymore and it needs to be added to the 3 main criteria's needed to get said diagnose (you do have to have signifantly lower IQ then average tho )

So, in conclusion only a qualified certified evaluation can determan if you are indeed having ID or indeed any diagnose. NO online test can determan if you have a NP diagnose or any other diagnose only give a hint that it might be a good idea to get an evaluation

 

[Suzanne]

I requested to not know my IQ if that is what you are referring to, because if I came out as being on the low end, it would haunt me for the rest of my life. Of, course, it could be the opposite, but I am glad I am in the dark to it.

I am not gifted artistically or musically ( love music though), yet, despite being terrible at math, I have a gift for finances and control my husband's flow of money.

I took the aspie quiz a few times and when I got tested, I was amused that I had to take it again, and once again, it came out as me being on the spectrum and have to say, for once I am correct lol

 

[Aspychata]

Don't stress too much on this. You need to find your niche that you enjoy doing and can support yourself. I am actually okay as in bookkeeping, because l love the repetition of checking things. I actually was decent as a paralegal because l liked researching and checking things. Just take different jobs, apply for things you never tried for and you will learn more about yourself.

 

[Orange Glasses]

now....when i look in the mirror, i see a good person.

You see a good person D’Andre because you are a good person.

Please remember that life is not a race and comparing yourself to others is futile at best. There will always be those that we perceive to either be ahead of us, or behind us, so it is best to just love ourselves where we are.

 

[Judge]

To me this is the sort of subject that too easily goes down a "slippery slope". Simply, put, IMO it's a place best not to go to at all. With the reality being that metrics of intelligence are more often than not far too subjective and nebulous to seriously serve as a barometer of how smart- or stupid one actually is.

In a job interview, no one is ever going to ask for your IQ score. To some it's a badge of honor. To others it's a "scarlet letter". To me it's just a meaningless metric. And yes, I know what my IQ is. Who cares? I took my first such test as a result of enrolling in a university-level job counseling service. The test itself seemed far less important than having direct access to a specialized library that exposed me to so many kinds of jobs I never even heard of.

This thread reminds me of another poster who was equally concerned of how his IQ score filled him with doubts about his own intellectual prowess. A bit sad, as he projected every bit of being a more-than-competent automobile mechanic. I really appreciated his knowledge of the subject...which IMO seemed far removed from his IQ score. I miss the guy. Wish he would have stuck around. He sure knew more about mechanics than I do. I hope you're doing well, Warwick.

For what it's worth, on occasion I wish I could cite that I've had "a million jobs". I interview very poorly strictly on a verbal basis and always have. That's a skill I never had. So to the OP, I say, "Well done!" Regardless of what your IQ is, or what he thinks of it. In essence, don't let this get you down.

 

[D'Andre]

I have never heard that phrase before. Does it mean low IQ, or is it something more specific...?

It means I have trouble reading, writing, understanding direction/instructions. At a level of people far younger than yourself.

 

[D'Andre]

The only way I would see to get the answers you seek, is through a specialist in adult mental health,...within this context, someone specializing in autism,...or better yet, a team, that will put you through actual performance testing. That was my experience,...a lab with 2 professionals putting me through my paces with a series of tests,...one actually walking me through the process, and an observer. All of that was done before I even had an interview with the psychologist.

If you have a university-based autism research center, even better, because sometimes the testing can be done on their dollar, not yours, but also because they are likely to have the latest testing methods. If that university is also associated with a medical center like a Johns Hopkins, Duke, UCLA, and so on, then often genetic testing and neuroimaging may be a part of the process.

That sounds perfect. I'm not officially diagnosed, can't afford it, so not sure what I qualify for but I'll check

 

[D'Andre]

With the info given its difficult to know if you are autist or not, or are somewhat in the middle. Like you have been told the best way is to test yourself with a good professional.

Autists usually score high on some intellectual tests and low on social stuff. So our IQ tests are like peaks and valleys. We can be so good at something (lets say maths) and so bad at other thing (lets say knowing when its our turn to talk in a group conversation).

Autism is a very broad category that have very different individuals. We have been put together in the autism box by our "problems", not by our unique talents or mental procesing.

So its difficult to know if you are losing your job because of lack of social understanding or as an example because of your impulses. ADHD are known for having impulse issues that affect them both finantially and in work enviroments. On the other hand they tend to be very creative. There are other conditions, and having multiple conditions at the same time is also posible.

So thats why testing with a good professional is the best way. Learning about what you call "mental health" is cheaper and will open your scope of the subjet.

Most of us call Neurodivergence to different configurarions of our brains that are not considered illnesses but valid divergences of the most common human neurological configurarion. I dont consider autists to be mentally ill or disabled as I dont consider gays to be ill or disabled or as I dont consider ADHD to need to be fixed.

You can both learn and test yourself.

Totally agree, autism is not mental illness thanks for the great advice

 

[D'Andre]

DSM-5 defines intellectual disabilities as neurodevelopmental disorders that begin in childhood and are characterized by intellectual difficulties as well as difficulties in conceptual, social, and practical areas of living.

Reg the online tests those are only meant as a guideline / hint / Information that it might be a good idea to get an evaluation to find out and is NOT a medical diagnose that you actually have ID (i have also taken those ID online tests avieble and im also in the most likely to have it (which i actually have been diagnosed 1996 (only then as now i am over 70 -75 IQ But i do fit all the other 3 criteria's such as significantly lower IQ then average and they have since concluded that IQ is NOT to be the primary method used as a diagnose criteria anymore and it needs to be added to the 3 main criteria's needed to get said diagnose (you do have to have signifantly lower IQ then average tho )

So, in conclusion only a qualified certified evaluation can determan if you are indeed having ID or indeed any diagnose. NO online test can determan if you have a NP diagnose or any other diagnose only give a hint that it might be a good idea to get an evaluation

Totally I take it just as a suggestion. I just found it nessesary to seek it out since the medical Dr suggested it.

 

[D'Andre]

To me this is the sort of subject that too easily goes down a "slippery slope". Simply, put, IMO it's a place best not to go to at all. With the reality being that metrics of intelligence are more often than not far too subjective and nebulous to seriously serve as a barometer of how smart- or stupid one actually is.

In a job interview, no one is ever going to ask for your IQ score. To some it's a badge of honor. To others it's a "scarlet letter". To me it's just a meaningless metric. And yes, I know what my IQ is. Who cares? I took my first such test as a result of enrolling in a university-level job counseling service. The test itself seemed far less important than having direct access to a specialized library that exposed me to so many kinds of jobs I never even heard of.

This thread reminds me of another poster who was equally concerned of how his IQ score filled him with doubts about his own intellectual prowess. A bit sad, as he projected every bit of being a more-than-competent automobile mechanic. I really appreciated his knowledge of the subject...which IMO seemed far removed from his IQ score. I miss the guy. Wish he would have stuck around. He sure knew more about mechanics than I do. I hope you're doing well, Warwick.

For what it's worth, on occasion I wish I could cite that I've had "a million jobs". I interview very poorly strictly on a verbal basis and always have. That's a skill I never had. So to the OP, I say, "Well done!" Regardless of what your IQ is, or what he thinks of it. In essence, don't let this get you down.

Thanks a lot. Yeah I don't really know about the IQ thing. I guess I'm just trying to manage my life and take a serious look at if I need to reach out for help or now. My resources seem so limited being low income. But the advice on here is gold

 

[D'Andre]

To better explain, I have people in my life who don't see the difficulty. They treat me like I'm just not successful so I'm not trying. I'm busting my butt, but if I'm dealing with some type of lacking, I'd rather know so I'll have something to work with. Its like being partially blind all you life and just now realizing most people around you she clearly.

 

[Judge]

To better explain, I have people in my life who don't see the difficulty. They treat me like I'm just not successful so I'm not trying. I'm busting my butt, but if I'm dealing with some type of lacking, I'd rather know so I'll have something to work with. Its like being partially blind all you life and just now realizing most people around you she clearly.

Quite true. It's one of those social dynamics that most of us must contend with.

With a realization that:

1) A few will want to understand us and succeed.
2) A few more will want to understand and fail.
3) With the remainder expecting or demanding that we magically adapt to the neurological majority.

In this respect you may see things quite clearly, where they simply aren't interested in even trying. Because from their perspective as a vast social majority, they don't have to.

It's not anyone's fault so much as it just comes down to a disparity of numbers. We are a tiny minority, socially and neurologically. So small that in many cases we aren't even on the "radar" of the majority.

 

[Sarah S]

To better explain, I have people in my life who don't see the difficulty. They treat me like I'm just not successful so I'm not trying. I'm busting my butt, but if I'm dealing with some type of lacking, I'd rather know so I'll have something to work with. Its like being partially blind all you life and just now realizing most people around you she clearly.

Sadly, all this NP diagnosis are invisible if you don't know what to look for.

Yeah i had it the other way as hardly anyone believed i would amount to anything from i was a very little girl so i didn't get the support i needed to be able to stay in the work force ( i MADE it to my goal but had to fight hard to get there against ALL odds for MANY years, but sadly due to WAY to long working hoers /day and weekdays and horrible work conditions my body finally said enough either you step down or im gone. SO, i eventually had to step down and accept permanent disability) It was also other times back then and the knowledge of this NP diagnosis weren't worth diddly back then.

The best advice i can give you is there is lots of info to find on the net about ID and of course other NP diagnosis as well as other diagnosis. This will help you try to understand better, and you will in time learn to understand how your brain function and hopefully learn to cope and adapt as best you can with said possible diagnosis and problems.

& ID is actually a well-known comorbid to both ASD as well as ADHD (obviously not all gets it but if i don't remember wrong i once read in a genuin diagnose site that it's about 30 - 60 % that actually do get ID and then mostly Mild)

 

[Neonatal RRT]

Please be careful with this idea of "IQ", especially within the context of an ASD. An overall "IQ" is a bit more "telling" in a neurotypical with a more "homogenous" brain morphology and function,...but someone with an ASD likely has a "heterogenous" brain,...and an overall "IQ" is not as useful information. One of the "classic hallmarks" of an ASD is "asymmetrical intelligences",...pleural. Prime examples of this are those that are autistic savants,...individuals that need help with daily living activities, but have "off-the-scale" aptitudes for math, memory, music, and so on. So it is with many non-savant individuals with an ASD,...one could score in the 50th percentile in one area, the 90th percentile in another, and so on. This is why, whenever possible, to have comprehensive intellectual performance testing done. I know,...this is very "hit and miss",...and many get an ASD diagnosis without this type of information, which is unfortunate. It creates this sort of concern and confusion,...leading to this misleading idea that one is of "low IQ" overall,...when, in fact, it may only be in a specific area.

 

[D'Andre]

Please be careful with this idea of "IQ", especially within the context of an ASD. An overall "IQ" is a bit more "telling" in a neurotypical with a more "homogenous" brain morphology and function,...but someone with an ASD likely has a "heterogenous" brain,...and an overall "IQ" is not as useful information. One of the "classic hallmarks" of an ASD is "asymmetrical intelligences",...pleural. Prime examples of this are those that are autistic savants,...individuals that need help with daily living activities, but have "off-the-scale" aptitudes for math, memory, music, and so on. So it is with many non-savant individuals with an ASD,...one could score in the 50th percentile in one area, the 90th percentile in another, and so on. This is why, whenever possible, to have comprehensive intellectual performance testing done. I know,...this is very "hit and miss",...and many get an ASD diagnosis without this type of information, which is unfortunate. It creates this sort of concern and confusion,...leading to this misleading idea that one is of "low IQ" overall,...when, in fact, it may only be in a specific area.

Very well said. Thank you for that information.

 

[D'Andre]

So...I still don't know what I should do. Not because you guys didn't explain clear enough...I just don't get it as far as my plan of action. I'm assuming I tell my mental health provider I'd like an evaluation? I'm honestly not concerned about IQ. I'd like to know what I'm working with and go from there. Maybe I need help with "this" while I'm more than competent with "that". Are they pricy? Thanks again guys