Hope for the undiagnosed: Dx doesn't *have* to be hard-going

[Spiller]

Aye, as a person with comorbid conditions, even I did not see it, for most of my life. I was just a guy with ADHD, living his life, dealing with my attention problems, and forgetfulness. I knew about autism and Aspergers, but I always thought, "That's not me", I'm "normal". But, it kinda just crashed on my head one day about two years ago. I'm still not sure if I'm right, though.

Ehh! One reason I'm pushing for diagnosis is that I'm not sure either, having lived my whole life knowing I was different, with a grab bag of weird stuff and reading up on every condition I thought I might have, until I found AS and it fit by far the best!
Now I'm 90% sure I'm an Aspie.. if the psychologists agree, well, now I'm thinking what do they really know, so I'll still only be 95% sure.. so I hang here and with my local AS/ASD group and find these are the best places for the answers

 

[Slithytoves]

Aye, as a person with comorbid conditions, even I did not see it, for most of my life. I was just a guy with ADHD, living his life, dealing with my attention problems, and forgetfulness. I knew about autism and Aspergers, but I always thought, "That's not me", I'm "normal". But, it kinda just crashed on my head one day about two years ago. I'm still not sure if I'm right, though.

I was reluctant to accept I might be an Aspie at first, because of the whole "normal" thing. It's such an all-consuming condition. A good friend of mine had the same response to the idea, and it took him years to embrace that he has AS for the same reason. Looking back on it now, I have to laugh that I was more willing to attribute my differences to co-morbid mental illness (I have MDD, as I noted before) than to an ASD. Why would being more mentally ill be preferable? The other alternative was that I was just a really bizarre NT, which doesn't sound so hot either.

The way I look at it, if it fits you--it's you. The psychiatrist who assessed me affirms the validity of self-diagnosis as a working theory for living, and doesn't think it's necessary to get officially diagnosed unless you either want to, or need to for disability benefits. I found her perspective refreshing. She admits that she ultimately relies more on the perceptions of the client than anything else, so it all comes down to what you think in the end. If the term and description of Asperger's explains things for you and gives you an effective tool for self-knowledge, better understanding of how you fit into the world, and a foundation for personal growth, then Baby, don't doubt it!

 

[Slithytoves]

Ehh! One reason I'm pushing for diagnosis is that I'm not sure either, having lived my whole life knowing I was different, with a grab bag of weird stuff and reading up on every condition I thought I might have, until I found AS and it fit by far the best!
Now I'm 90% sure I'm an Aspie.. if the psychologists agree, well, now I'm thinking what do they really know, so I'll still only be 95% sure.. so I hang here and with my local AS/ASD group and find these are the best places for the answers

What happens if they don't agree? Do you give up your 90% equity in the idea? Do you look for another doctor? Do you say "screw it!" and just use AS as your compass anyway?

 

[Spiller]

What happens if they don't agree? Do you give up your 90% equity in the idea? Do you look for another doctor? Do you say "screw it!" and just use AS as your compass anyway?

I was considering that option as I wrote the last post Six months ago I'd've been frustrated, hurt, back to self-harming, hopeless and such, as has happened in the past, when I tried to find a councellor who would listen.
Now, as you've so eloquently put it..

If the term and description of Asperger's explains things for you and gives you an effective tool for self-knowledge, better understanding of how you fit into the world, and a foundation for personal growth, then Baby, don't doubt it!

I find, for the first time in my life, a direct correlation with my understanding of myself as an Aspie and the improvements I've noted in this last year; socialising.. friends, a possible budding relationship..
Diagnosis, for me, means an increase in Disability Benefits and access to AS specific CBT and councelling.. as a self-diagnosed Aspie, I've also self-diagnosed my own treatment plan .. it's just a matter of getting the establishment to agree.. if they don't, well, what I'm doing seems to be working, so what the hey! Positive thinking and all that