How did you get diagnosed?

[Sully]

I've been trying to work up the courage to get an assessment for a few years. It seems that there are many different ways people get diagnosed. I am fortunate to have a place locally that does adult AS assessments, but I'm not sure what to expect. It would be helpful to me and I'm sure many newcomers to have a kind of informal database of how this usually works. Here are a few things I'm curious about:

1. What type of professional did you see?
2. How many visits and total hours did it take?
3. How long was the process from first visit to diagnosis?
4. How was the assessment done (discussion, computer tests, written tests, survey)?
5. In what country was it done?
6. How much did it cost?

 

[Peeta]

Here are mine:

1. I went to my therapist and requested a test
2. A couple of hours, less than a work day
3. About a year, but I went to see a therapist for different reasons. Time between request and diagnosis was about 2 months, which was caused to a severe lack of time in my schedule.
4. Both discussion about me as a person and a bunch of tests. Like the kind of 'there are 10 symbols here, which one is double' or 'explain this word as best as you can' or 'what's wrong with this picture'.
5. I prefer not to give my country, but I live in Europe
6. Nothing, I was insured.

 

[Sully]

Peeta, thanks for your response. I appreciate it.

 

[Peeta]

No problem. Also from a personal experience: I kind of enjoyed the test and thought it wasn't really stressful to do them. =)

 

[watersprite]

I've been trying to work up the courage to get an assessment for a few years. It seems that there are many different ways people get diagnosed. I am fortunate to have a place locally that does adult AS assessments, but I'm not sure what to expect. It would be helpful to me and I'm sure many newcomers to have a kind of informal database of how this usually works. Here are a few things I'm curious about:

1. What type of professional did you see?
2. How many visits and total hours did it take?
3. How long was the process from first visit to diagnosis?
4. How was the assessment done (discussion, computer tests, written tests, survey)?
5. In what country was it done?
6. How much did it cost?

1. First I went to a local therapist who advertised as knowledgable about autism. He had contact in a nearby city - the neuropsychologist office which I then was referred to eventually.
2. Spent about 2 months with the counselor/therapist, total of 10 hours or so. Separately: The neuropsych office first did a 1 hour interview, verbal. Then, 2 months later a 5 hour session of testing which I won't go into here but was, for me, very stressful. Then a 1 hour talk with the nueropsych in which he told me the findings. For me it was Asperger's, NVLD, anxiety and likely synesthesia.
3. Process took 7 months, due to the busy schedule of the neuropsych office, and winter weather driving problems.
4. The assesment included all of the things you listed.
5. US
6. Approximately $1000 for the sessions with the counselor, who I have subsequently dropped as I found someone much better. The neuropsych testing was $1200.
I should add that despite the expense and driving and stress, it was worth it to me to finally know the heck has been going on my whole life.

 

[TSS]

I took a few online test and then I talked to one of my psychologist about Aspergers and she said she was going to bring the subject up and suggest that I have Aspergers. I know she works with other people that have aspergers. Would that count as a diagnoses? We do not have anyone in our area that deals with Adult Aspergers.

 

[nyxjord]

I was curious about ASD and researched it for awhile, considered that I might be on the spectrum, forgot about it because I didn't fit the stereotype..
A) Thought about it again a year later and actually starting researching the symptoms in adults
B) Thought I might really be on it again
C) Looked online for Autism Centers near me
D) Emailed them to ask if they knew of anyone who could diagnose adults
E) Got referrals, called those places, found one near me, made an appointment
F) Met with the specialist at that place, four times over the course of a few months
G) Had mostly a verbal interview/ tests
H) Got the diagnosis after a period of a few months

I basically did all the research myself- did not have to have a referral from a GP or therapist in order to go in.

I certainly think that you will find that it varies considerably depending on where you live, your age and who your referral will come from (just looking up numbers trying to find a place vs an actual referral from a medical doctor.)
Oh, I do not have insurance but since my fiance is the "provider" and my income as a student is just "extra", I got a very reduced fee for the whole thing- like $80 per session, so like $240 total, I think? Which is very very cheap, from what I've heard.

 

[Progster]

I'd realised for a while that I had some AS traits, but after problems with anxiety I decided to seek a diagnosis in the UK.

1. I booked an appointment with my GP. I told her that I thought I may have AS and asked her to refer me. She asked me some questions about my past history and current difficulties.
2. As a diagnosis on the NHS is very difficult and takes such a long time, the GP looked around for a private clinician qualified to make the diagnosis.
3. A referral was made to a private neuropsychiatrist for a diagnostic assessment in six weeks time.
4. I went to the diagnostic assessment with my mum. I was given an interview. My mum was asked some questions about my childhood development too, and she confirmed that I had childhood symptoms. It lasted well over an hour. At the end of it, I was informed of my diagnoses of AS and Depression. The psychiatrist seemed satisfied with his conclusions on the basis of the interview and I was not given any tests, but this is unusual.
5. After a couple of weeks, I received a written report.
6. It cost 400 pounds.

 

[grommet]

1. What type of professional did you see?

I saw a neuropsychologist.

2. How many visits and total hours did it take?

Over a period lasting 3 months, several visits for a total of 15-20 hours of testing (estimating)

3. How long was the process from first visit to diagnosis?

See above.

4. How was the assessment done (discussion, computer tests, written tests, survey)?

Discussion, questions, testing with diagrams, stories, pictures and special tests that are hard to describe. I was surprised by my results as I was testing.

5. In what country was it done?

United States.

6. How much did it cost?

Insurance paid, I do not know the cost.

 

[Sully]

Insurance paid, I do not know the cost.

Were you under 18 at the time? From what I understand most insurance providers in the US don't pay for AS assessment for adults.

 

[grommet]

I was over 18.

Were you under 18 at the time? From what I understand most insurance providers in the US don't pay for AS assessment for adults.

 

[On the Inside]

1. What type of professional did you see?
2. How many visits and total hours did it take?
3. How long was the process from first visit to diagnosis?
4. How was the assessment done (discussion, computer tests, written tests, survey)?
5. In what country was it done?
6. How much did it cost?

I had been seeing a psychologist for anxiety and sleep problems, he suspected ADHD, and had me tested, which proved positive. After awhile of therapy and medication, I still was having issues but my therapist thought that we had covered everything that I had initially seen him for, and since he was retiring, we concluded our relationship.

At that time, my partner and I were researching different possibilities and Aspergers was one. I took online tests which strongly suggested AS, so we looked into testing. My health insurance covered all but a $35.00 per visit co-pay. The total cost was $2700.

I was assessed by two neuropsychologists who are directors of a local (midwestern US.) Autism services organization. They work mainly with children and teens, but set aside time for adult assessments.

I had an intake interview by phone, after which I set up the assessment appointment, which was 8 months out.

For the assessment, I saw them a total of 4 times. An initial consultation, one 4 hour testing period, a second testing period of about 2 hours, then a follow up visit where I received the assessment document and we discussed the positive diagnosis of HFA (Aspergers) with co-morbid anxiety and ADHD.

The process included computer testing, personal interviews of myself and a family member, several one-on-one exercises, a few paper tests and questionnaires, and a full MMPI test.

 

[Jennifer T]

My son was diagnosed by a school evaluation- it was free. Once we received the educational diagnosis, it took about 9 months to get an appointment. Apparently, everyone in South Carolina has ASD I took him to the University of SC and they gave him a medical diagnosis for $150. They did not do their own evaluation because they said the school evaluation was excellent. They had reviewed new parent & teacher surveys. We told him about his diagnosis in the doctor's office. I kept the educational diagnosis from him b/c I didn't want him to wear a label. When the doctor told him he was really relieved. He said, "Now it all makes sense!". The doc said that the apple doesn't fall far from the tree...referring to me

 

[fuzz]

1. I was referred to the nearest NHS Adult Asperger diagnosis service by my GP (doctor). I saw a Clinical Psychologist for the final assessment.

I had to provide my doctor with details of the diagnosis sevice as he was very lacking in knowledge about ASD. I found the service details from the UK charity National Autistics Society who are an amazing charity.

2. The diagnosis time was about 7 hours for me, 2 hours for my mum. These were in appointments of 1 to 1.5 hours.

3. It took about 4 months from the first appointment with the service.

4. I was assessed by discussing my experiences, and a written log of my experiences over a few weeks that I had made and provided to them. The Aspergers diagnosis used the DISCO structure. My mum also discussed how I was as a child, which I chose not to be present for as it would have made me anxious.

5. England

6. The assessment was provided by the NHS so I do not know the cost.

 

[StephF]

I was diagnosed as having borderline personality disorder, as a result they gave me CAT cognitive analytical therapy. After a bit of that my therapist asked me to do the Baron Cohen autism test and I seem to score fairly highly.

I am awaiting a DISCO assessment but there's a long waiting list.

This was all on the NHS.

 

[JKG]

For me, it's all been done via a therapist with an expertise in ASD over about 4 months of weekly one-hour sessions. She said I could pay something like $2,500 (I live in the western U.S.) to see a psychiatrist and go through a battery of tests, but her written diagnosis is enough for me to get the accommodations at work that I need, and for me to understand and make sense of my life. I was lucky to find a therapist who really knows a ton about aspergers. My insurance has paid for all but $20/week copays. I don't have the $2,500 for the other tests, and given how thorough my therapist has been with my diagnosis, I don't feel the need to pay more to hear the basically the same thing from someone else.

 

[chartreuse]

I've been trying to work up the courage to get an assessment for a few years. It seems that there are many different ways people get diagnosed. I am fortunate to have a place locally that does adult AS assessments, but I'm not sure what to expect. It would be helpful to me and I'm sure many newcomers to have a kind of informal database of how this usually works. Here are a few things I'm curious about:

1. What type of professional did you see?
2. How many visits and total hours did it take?
3. How long was the process from first visit to diagnosis?
4. How was the assessment done (discussion, computer tests, written tests, survey)?
5. In what country was it done?
6. How much did it cost?

1. A clinical psychologist.
2. 5 visits, roughly an hour each.
3. About 2 1/2 months.
4. Discussion, written, and practical tests, and a take-home practical assessment.
5. Australia.
6. The first couple of appointments were around $90, then the price-scheme changed to $120 per session.

I went undiagnosed/ignorant for 26 years of my life, until I discovered aspergers in a psychology text (as I was studying psychology at the time) in shorter part regarding autism. I investigated a little, online, and found that I have aspergers so I sought a diagnosis.

 

[Chris34]

I gathered up courage and went to a psychologist. I was afraid at first to be honest, mostly because I thought that if I needed a psychologist that surely meant I had serious problems. This was all delusional. Then I thought: "Many people go to a psychologist, it's not something weird or to be ashamed of".
I sat in the waiting room, along with some other people, I remember a mother and her child that sat in front of me, also a young girl with her mother. All of them seemed pretty normal to me. The doctor opened the door and gave away some sheets to fill in your data. Nothing out of the ordinary. After some time, the doctor called me. He was really kind and nice. The first thing he told me was: "You may think that being here is embarrassing, crazy, or you might even feel bad for not being able to solve your problems. The truth is, everyone needs a psychologist. So don't be ashamed to speak freely. Whatever we discuss here, stays in here"
That filled me with confidence. I started talking about how I had problems communicating with strangers, how I seemed to be a rude person when I was asked something and answered with a flat response, how I felt about myself, what I thought about myself (these last two are really important), etc.
The doctor grabbed a thick book and started to ask me some questions and hypothetical situations. After that, he said the words that freed me from the cage of ignorance and fear: "I have diagnosed you with Asperger's Syndrome", he then proceeded to explain the whole concept to me. It felt like that was the answer to all of my questions.
Since that day I have learned to live with my Aspie, not just that, but also accept it.
To anyone out there who's afraid of getting diagnosed, that wants answers, or that simply wants to know why does he/she feel different from the rest of his/her peers. Don't be afraid to get diagnosed.
I'm sure it will be the best thing you can do for yourself!

 

[garnetflower13]

I've been trying to work up the courage to get an assessment for a few years. It seems that there are many different ways people get diagnosed. I am fortunate to have a place locally that does adult AS assessments, but I'm not sure what to expect. It would be helpful to me and I'm sure many newcomers to have a kind of informal database of how this usually works. Here are a few things I'm curious about:

1. What type of professional did you see?
2. How many visits and total hours did it take?
3. How long was the process from first visit to diagnosis?
4. How was the assessment done (discussion, computer tests, written tests, survey)?
5. In what country was it done?
6. How much did it cost?

1.I saw a total of four professionals; a social worker, who suspected I might be on the spectrum, 2 psychiatrists, and one psychologist.
2. A total of six visits between all of them.
3. Four years, because after the first three visits I gave up for awhile then tried again with the psychologist.
4. I had a series of tests one day, lasting four hours. The visits with the psychologist took about three weeks before she made her diagnosis, basing it upon not tests, but observation and my history.
5. USA
6. My insurance covered it all.

 

[tw3]

I'm an older man, a professional in the U.S.
In my childhood I felt alone and different to the extent that I thought I must be from another planet and that one day my real parents would come in a space ship to take me home.
When I was in my teens I exhibited some behavior problems that resulted in a few years of therapy with a psychiatrist. I learned how to behave but never understood the why's of things.
I got a degree and passed the tests for a professional designation, married and had children who are all grown. At sometime over age 60 online I found a list of AS indicators. That was a major revelation for me. I have looked back over my life at puzzling situations and events that become perfectly clear in light of me being an Aspie. It's been a great comfort to me to know why so many things seemed to have no rhyme or reason, because I was/am an Aspie living in an NT world.
I've taken the online tests and my scores are consistent with being on the spectrum. That's enough for me. I don't need any other validation.
The awareness of being an Aspie has removed a lot of the tension I used to feel in uncomfortable situations. It's also given me a more accurate baseline from which to improve my social skills.
So: no test, no cost, no tension, just relief.