How long did your Aspergers diagnosis take?

[VioletHaze_03]

I never waited for anything because no one could tell what was wrong with me. I fit the bill for an obscure learning disability that doesn't really exist, but there were far more things that it didn't cover. I've never recieved an actual diagnosis because doctors don't agree i'm on the spectrum since i can mimic those around me. I only have an accomodation (basically a card for services, nothing authentic.) It's a really hard and really tiring process if you don't know what you're deaing with :/

 

[55853]

do speak

What do you mean? Are you making a correction? Google returns results both for "please speak for yourself" and "please do speak for yourself", although there's far more for the former. Do you mind explaining why it's incorrect?

 

[Bolletje]

Wow! Might be because I'm younger and there are a lot of people my age being tested for autism.

I think it’s more likely due to the way healthcare systems are organized differently in some countries. Where I live, psychologists and psychiatrists generally don’t take new clients unless they have enough time to see said client on a regular basis. Which means waiting lists are long, but once you’re in, things will at least chug along.

I think it also depends on the way you arrive at an assessment. Asking to be assessed will probably get you on a long waiting list. If you’re already seeing a therapist and they decide you should be assessed, things could theoretically move a lot quicker.

 

[Daniel I Russell]

I was about 34. Always struggled in school socially, which then went on into college and university, and any job that involved 'neurotypical' (!) people. I moved to Australia in 2009. There was always some distraction or stressful situation to deal with (finding a job, having kids, buying our first house, renovating, etc) to blame things on.

Once things had settled down, I began to notice these cycles that lasted a few days: a short period of usual behaviour and mood, followed by a few days of shut down, when all I wanted to do was sleep. I went to the doctor, thinking it was depression. He referred me to a psych. After a few sessions and journalling, depression and bipolar was ruled out. He said I had Aspergers, and the cycle was simply a trying to cope leading to burn out pattern.

I work at a bank, which is pretty corporate with an emphasis on social stuff. I was obsessing over my figures (as we can be known to do!) and trying to maintain hitting my targets, etc, but it those that were close to the management and filled a certain role that got promoted, no matter how they performed (ie, I simply couldn't face going to every social function - especially small talking with clients I didn't know, and I didn't enjoy the usual things everyone else liked. Branded the office weirdo!). This made no sense to me. Trying to cope with this and the chaos, mess, (the noise!) and unpredictability of life with young children was leading me to simply turn off for a few days to recharge, where I just wanted to stay in bed, in the dark.

My diagnosis was complicated further as it isn't official! The psych said he would have to perform the required tests, etc, and that would take forever. He said that by giving me my 'unofficial' diagnosis, he knew I'd research it, incorporate my findings and effectively manage it myself. A formal diagnosis would mean nothing, as it doesn't provide for any further support, counselling, etc. My son is 8 and the school psych informally diagnosed him and gave us the same reasoning. An official diagnosis changes nothing. By simply knowing he has AS, we can make changes to cater better for him ourselves.

My youngest is 4 and was formally diagnosed with level 2 autism after a barrage of tests and observations. This is completely different due to the amount of funding and support involved. He gets a teaching assistant, a psych, sensory equipment, etc, through the NDIS.

As for me, changes were made in light of my AS. In particular, I DID go away and research! I'm now a 4th year at uni in clinical psychology, hoping to work with children and adolescents on the spectrum. Better than the popularity contest of the corporate world any day! ;-)

 

[Cactus]

From a very young age I have been different to a lot of my peers and have been aware of it. When I got into my last 2 years of secondary school I really started to become extremely self aware and realised that my social abilities and the like were not at all up to par. I won't go too in depth... My point is, I began being diagnosed for aspergers when I was around 15 years old. This is because I was struggling a lot in school and my relatives heavily suspected that I had ASD as it runs in the family. I'm almost about to turn 18 years of age and I have only had ONE 3 hour long appointment and the person I spoke to determined that I am autistic... They have not spoken to me or any of my educators and I have not recieved an official diagnosis, it feels really scummy after 2-3 years of waiting. I am struggling heavily in college and I'm not allowed any form of autism support until I have an official diagnosis!

I'm 54 years old and was diagnosed last month. I asked for an evaluation for autism, and received the diagnosis. I was not at all surprised.

 

[George Newman]

I was diagnosed at age 47. After a couple years of marriage counseling of which I felt like I was participating to ultimately help my wife. See I thought I was doing great. I thought I was a model husband. I thought I was doing great. I was convinced that I was checking all the boxes and that I was managing most important relationship of my life exceptionally. The marriage councelor suggested to my wife that he suspected autism. My wife didn’t say anything to me for a year or so. My wife was dieing emotionally, felt alone, and saw herself isolated. From her perspective I was a million miles away. I thought the problem was hers. She knew the problem was in me. We were desperate for answers. My diagnosis took about a month via extensive testing both via written tests and verbal interview. I was diagnosed as experiencing long term depression and it’s contributor was definitely high functioning autism. My heart breaks all over again as I type this. This last year or so I have been on a journey of acceptance and education. We live apart. After reading thru this I have clearly shared more than what is needed but the process is important as it built up to a diagnosis. I’ll end this here. I need a drink.

 

[Aspie_With_Attitude]

Being born in 1979, I was diagnosed with the condition in 1986. That's six years after the death of that ablest World War II criminal Nazi, Hans Aspergers.

It was in the 1980's when the truth about the Asperger's Syndromes came out. I'm glad that I was diagnosed in my childhood.

I had my final diagnosis in 1996. Since I never grew out of that condition, thanks to my life experience, I had a month ago started YouTubing stories and facts about my condition.

 

[Nervous Rex]

Seven months and counting. On Dec 6, 2017, a counselor told me I was autistic. I’m still waiting for him to write up a formal diagnosis. I am, apparently, high-functioning enough to be very borderline, making a formal diagnosis tricky.

 

[SusanLR]

About 6 months.
A social worker for grief counseling suspected and suggested I see a psychologist that could test for Asperger's. It took several months to find one that I could afford. Then I was verbally interviewed three times before she gave me the tests. I had no living relatives for that part, but, I am one of those few who can remember vividly as far back as she wanted to know things.
I was 58 at the time. But, even at that age it was good to learn of ASD which explained much of my life that
I didn't understand.

 

[mikeleary]

Hey Fly! When I was in high school, I too had a lot of behavioral issues but my teachers somewhat tolerated my frequent outbursts and fighting with other students because I made good grades. In college, I still excelled academically but was still socially awkward. Then my senior year of college, I had a really bad roommate and something happened and I got so upset I dropped out of school. For a while I was bounced around therapists who saw me as Bipolar but I didn't get the ASP d/x until the counselor who did my Disability evaluation diagnosed me with it. That was about 4 years ago and now I am 35.

 

[Snotcat]

I was diagnosed when I was 22. It took a few years before i was even tested but the tests took only a month. My first psychiatrist didn't believe me when i told her i might have aspergers, second one asked some questions and said he'd think about it but i never heard back and then finally i found a psychiatrist who took me seriously and referred me to a psychologist and i got my diagnosis

 

[Gracey]

Referred by GP early February for an NHS assessment.

Still waiting.

 

[AlFunk]

I was recently diagnosed at age 53. I am not at all surprised, cause my life has been a messed up ride from one mistake to another. Now I am figuring things out.

The diagnosis was a series of 80 tests on which I scored in the 99th percentile across the board. Then a series of about 5 tests where the actual Asperger's label was attached. So they were 100% sure I was on the autism spectrum and then they refined it to Asperger's.

now I just tell people up front, " If I seem like I am not looking at you and listening it is because I have to absorb the whole room at once, but I do hear you, I have Asperger's" and then they say " You don't seem like it" Then I say "give it a little while and you will notice me not doing certain things that other people automatically do".

 

[Stranger85]

I was diagnosed when I was 16, actually I came to the psykiatrist for another reason and when we talked, he asked me do you typically see the glass as half empty or half full. Then I said half empty, and then he came with a lot of other questions, and I was diagnosed with asperger within a week because to him it was so obvious, but looking back I can actully now see it my self too.

 

[Fade2black]

I knew about Aspergers for years yet never considered I had it until I met a few people who admittedly had it. Then, it was pretty clear that I have it. So, I was officially diagnosed by two different doctors in the same year at age 55. One was treating me for depression and the other for chronic fatigue and a sleep disorder. Upon diagnosis, I asked, "what now?" Both doctors responded that it's a diagnosis and doesn't change anything except that knowing should help in understanding why I've been different than others all my life. Interestingly, knowing (and understanding) I have Aspergers has caused me to stop trying to be like others and to stop trying to fit in. It's much easier now to just be myself. Which, has made me feel more at ease with who I am.

 

[LateBloomer]

I was diagnosed by a therapist who specialized in ASD . It took about 5 weeks of seeing her once a week and cost about $1,500 . If I had gone through the local university ( UNC ,Chapel Hill ) , which has one of the best autism resources in the US thanks to Dr Eric Schoppler , it would have taken 6-12 months just to get the appointment and they told me that was good , sometimes it can take years . I wasn't willing to wait that long and could afford the cost of a private evaluation so I chose that and am glad that I did .

 

[Jimbo]

I was never diagnosed even though I had seen professionals in my teens. I accidentally figured out why I was different when a friend posted a Temple Grandin video on Facebook. When she described her childhood I had no doubt that I was an Aspie. I had never heard of it before. I was 45 when I figured it out.

 

[grommet]

From a very young age I have been different to a lot of my peers and have been aware of it. When I got into my last 2 years of secondary school I really started to become extremely self aware and realised that my social abilities and the like were not at all up to par. I won't go too in depth... My point is, I began being diagnosed for aspergers when I was around 15 years old. This is because I was struggling a lot in school and my relatives heavily suspected that I had ASD as it runs in the family. I'm almost about to turn 18 years of age and I have only had ONE 3 hour long appointment and the person I spoke to determined that I am autistic... They have not spoken to me or any of my educators and I have not recieved an official diagnosis, it feels really scummy after 2-3 years of waiting. I am struggling heavily in college and I'm not allowed any form of autism support until I have an official diagnosis!

My diagnosis took three months. The testing was very thorough. I was diagnosed by a neuropsychologist. It was difficult, sometimes tedious, and often I was surprised by my reactions.