I Have Questions about Diagnosis by Psychiatrist

[Clueless in Canada]

I've got a referral to a psychiatrist though I am sure it will be awhile before I have an appointment. I don't really know what to expect. I know that psychologists differ from psychiatrists in terms of treatment, essentially talk or behaviour therapy vs medication, but what about the methods of diagnosis? Please share anything you know or have experienced with an autism diagnosis via psychiatrist.

 

[Major Tom]

I believe that you can only be diagnosed by a psychiatrist in the USA, Canada and where I am too. They will do a bunch of tests on you and probably try and diagnose you with bipolar disorder considering you are a woman. I'd suggest going to or somehow getting a referral to an autism specialist. I've heard many sad\bad stories of women getting a bad diagnosis from regular psychiatrists especially the older you are.
Good luck!

 

[Fino]

The methods of diagnosis for a psychiatrist should be to NOT.

Are you seeking medication? That would be what a psychiatrist is for, with the diagnosis made by a psychologist, preferably within the same office for communication purposes and convenience.

Being diagnosed by a psychiatrist is no different than being diagnosed by Google. You describe your symptoms and they match it up like a kid drawing lines. I've chosen diagnoses ahead of time and then got them, back in my MadNesSS days.

Unless it's all very different in Canada. This is U.S. talkin'.

 

[Weezer]

I'd like to start by saying that I am sorry that you are going through this. A psychiatrist MD or a psychologist Phd can formally diagnose autism in the United States to the best of my knowledge. As for Canada, I am unsure. If you suspect autism/asperger's, mention it, especially if it is present elsewhere in your family. It seems unless they're an autism specialist, it is the last thing they suspect. I have read countless stories of misdiagnosis. You can expect testing of different types and your provider may want to interview people that have been close from an early age.
I hope this helps and best of luck. Wish you the best.

 

[Gracey]

UK here,
(and very likely cynical)

If the psychiatrist is interested in keeping up to date with latest developments in diagnosing females and believes it,
You won’t need an assessor or doctor who specialises in Autism.

 

[Gracey]

One would have to presume parents were interested or concerned,
even noticed certain behaviours when younger in order to give parental evidence ?

(And you weren’t just ‘naughty’ Or ‘a handful’)

 

[Graphin]

As far as I know it only works with a psychiatrist here too

 

[Fino]

Oh, my bad, I had a reading comprehension failure and thought you were asking about diagnoses in general, not Autism. My post makes no sense.

Carry on, world! Go on without me!

 

[Suzanne]

Think that it does't matter which country one lives in, psychiatry is the same, so with that, I live in France and and my therapist, is able to give me specfic medicine for mental issues, but he is kind enough to also add medicine for acid issues.

I believe the role of a psychiatrist is to determine what is going on and to discuss preductive ways on how to deal with things.

In order to get a diagnosis of aspergers, I had to see another specialist.

 

[SusanLR]

Psychologists that specialize in autism is what people go to for diagnosis in this area. Florida, USA
I have the psychologist that diagnosed me as my therapist and an MD psychiatrist that just manages meds.

 

[Clueless in Canada]

I've heard many sad\bad stories of women getting a bad diagnosis from regular psychiatrists especially the older you are.
Good luck!

I've heard all of these stories too. I really think it unlikely I'd get diagnosed bi-polar but perhaps BPD. That's the other one I've read is a common misdiagnosis.

 

[Clueless in Canada]

One would have to presume parents were interested or concerned,
even noticed certain behaviours when younger in order to give parental evidence ?

(And you weren’t just ‘naughty’ Or ‘a handful’)

I was clearly over-sensitive, anxious and precocious with language, passive, shy and easily overwhelmed as an infant and child. My Mum is prepared to have to report this.

 

[Clueless in Canada]

Psychologists that specialize in autism is what people go to for diagnosis in this area. Florida, USA
I have the psychologist that diagnosed me as my therapist and an MD psychiatrist that just manages meds.

In Canada it is a psychologist, psychiatrist or pediatrician who diagnoses autism. There are no psychologists in my area who do it so I would be paying a private fee as well as the cost of travel and accommodation making it out of my reach.

 

[Clueless in Canada]

I'd like to start by saying that I am sorry that you are going through this. A psychiatrist MD or a psychologist Phd can formally diagnose autism in the United States to the best of my knowledge. As for Canada, I am unsure. If you suspect autism/asperger's, mention it, especially if it is present elsewhere in your family. It seems unless they're an autism specialist, it is the last thing they suspect. I have read countless stories of misdiagnosis. You can expect testing of different types and your provider may want to interview people that have been close from an early age.
I hope this helps and best of luck. Wish you the best.

I know all the misdiagnosis stories too. My GP knows I suspect autism spectrum and I am well prepared with written evidence to support my suspicions. I've already got a diagnosis and meds for anxiety but there is evidence for sensory processing issues and communication issues too.

 

[Mia]

In Canada it is a psychologist, psychiatrist or pediatrician who diagnoses autism. There are no psychologists in my area who do it so I would be paying a private fee as well as the cost of travel and accommodation making it out of my reach.

There are none in my province who diagnose adults, only children. And many of those are not specialists in autism. And, unless you can't hold down a job there are no provisions for adults in my province. There's actually little funding after the age of four years old for children. Most parents with children with autism are on their own.

If, you are low functioning they will define you as 'mentally ill' and provide some aids in school and in group housing and if your family will not take care of you, a disability pension. A sibling was diagnosed as a child by an MD, and my spouse by a company psychiatrist but neither of these designations provide anything but a classification.

 

[Clueless in Canada]

There are none in my province who diagnose adults, only children. And many of those are not specialists in autism. And, unless you can't hold down a job there are no provisions for adults in my province.

If, you are low functioning they will define you as 'mentally ill' and provide some aids in school and in group housing and if your family will not take care of you, a disability pension. A sibling was diagnosed as a child by an MD, and my spouse by a government employed psychiatrist but neither of those designations provide anything but a classification.

Thanks for this information. Since I already have a diagnosis of something else that gets me a disability pension I am at least safe in that regard. I want a diagnosis not only for my own peace of mind but since I have a tiny family whom I am likely to outlive but I often depend on for help, I am concerned that in the future I may need more support and want to be able to access it so I want a label on my medical record.

 

[Ken S.]

Here in Texas children see a pediatric neurologist for diagnosis.
The place I went as an adult (Alamo Mental Health Group) I had to see a psychologist first for diagnosis and was then referred to the psychiatrist that is in the same building for medications.

 

[Clueless in Canada]

Here in Texas children see a pediatric neurologist for diagnosis.
The place I went as an adult (Alamo Mental Health Group) I had to see a psychologist first for diagnosis and was then referred to the psychiatrist that is in the same building for medications.

Here it will be psychiatrist for diagnosis and then if I want/need therapy it would be a psychologist. The psychologists here are only trained for working with children though I am not actually seeking therapy anyhow so that's okay and if I want/need to just talk with someone in order to process things I could manage that with a local psychiatrist.

I was hoping someone could tell me what a psychiatrist might actually do in order to diagnose autism. Will it be a combination of interview and tests? What will the tests be like?

 

[Crossbreed]

I would expect an official diagnosis to come from a neurologist...

 

[Clueless in Canada]

I would expect an official diagnosis to come from a neurologist...

It seems more logical, doesn't it? I intend to ask the psychiatrist about that. In that sense it also doesn't make sense that the diagnostic criteria are written in the DSM. I suppose if there is a possibility of diagnosing autism with a brain scan then neurologists may become the more common diagnosticians.