Labradorian1975
New Member
Do people generally feel it's beneficial to get an official diagnosis ?
I am 44 years old and I have been different all my life. I know it, and others definitely think so as well. I have what others often feel are strange or obsessive interests. If I like a song I will Listen to it over and over again, for months, then move on to another. I would pour over encyclopedias as a child obsessed with learning every detail about any topic that fit within my narrow range of interests. If I am knowledgeable on a subject or field, I can function very well. I can get up infront of large crowds and talk. Sometimes thousands of people without a care in the world. But in a social situation I am completely lost. I'm awkward, I don't know what to say. I monitor my responses to such an extreme to avoid mistakes, that I rarely ever speak. I just can't seem to grasp what's going on, humor or sarcasm.
I grew up in a very small town in the 70s and 80s, I don't think a lot was known about autism at the time. I could talk and walk, get excellent marks in school. I think I was just written off as a nerd or a weirdo and maybe I am just a weido, I don't know.
But my research leads me to believe I may be on the spectrum.
However I have never really cared. I have challenges to be sure, a lot of challenges, but I have learned how other people expect me to behave mostly and maybe 70% of the time I reach that expectation. I have a great family a few lifelong friends who definitely think I'm different. (My best says at least when I'm out with you I know I'm not the most awkward feeling person in the room..haha) I generally like the way my brain works. And mostly care little what others think as time goes by.
I have a great wife of 17 years, probably the only "normal" person on the planet who actually knows me and definitely doesn't always understand me but who loves me anyway, and 2 kids. I can't always express it correctly, but they all know I love them and would do anything I can for them.
Here is my problem. My wife has been diagnosed with a terminal illness. I am trying to be as attentive to her emotional needs as I can be, but it's hard. I've had some issues with anxiety, but this is something altogether different. To see her suffer and try to help her face it, along with our kids, is really hard. I'm getting stressed and worry I'm not gonna to be able to give them the emotional support they need and deserve.
Again I generally like the way I am and fear a diagnosis could result in being viewed as disabled and I generally don't feel disabled, challenged a little. I wouldn't want doctors trying to change me. However if there were any kind of supports available, to help or teach me strategies to deal with this and to help them, I need it.
How would one go about it anyway, just walk into my family doctor and say "you know what doc, I think I'm autistic" ??
I am 44 years old and I have been different all my life. I know it, and others definitely think so as well. I have what others often feel are strange or obsessive interests. If I like a song I will Listen to it over and over again, for months, then move on to another. I would pour over encyclopedias as a child obsessed with learning every detail about any topic that fit within my narrow range of interests. If I am knowledgeable on a subject or field, I can function very well. I can get up infront of large crowds and talk. Sometimes thousands of people without a care in the world. But in a social situation I am completely lost. I'm awkward, I don't know what to say. I monitor my responses to such an extreme to avoid mistakes, that I rarely ever speak. I just can't seem to grasp what's going on, humor or sarcasm.
I grew up in a very small town in the 70s and 80s, I don't think a lot was known about autism at the time. I could talk and walk, get excellent marks in school. I think I was just written off as a nerd or a weirdo and maybe I am just a weido, I don't know.
But my research leads me to believe I may be on the spectrum.
However I have never really cared. I have challenges to be sure, a lot of challenges, but I have learned how other people expect me to behave mostly and maybe 70% of the time I reach that expectation. I have a great family a few lifelong friends who definitely think I'm different. (My best says at least when I'm out with you I know I'm not the most awkward feeling person in the room..haha) I generally like the way my brain works. And mostly care little what others think as time goes by.
I have a great wife of 17 years, probably the only "normal" person on the planet who actually knows me and definitely doesn't always understand me but who loves me anyway, and 2 kids. I can't always express it correctly, but they all know I love them and would do anything I can for them.
Here is my problem. My wife has been diagnosed with a terminal illness. I am trying to be as attentive to her emotional needs as I can be, but it's hard. I've had some issues with anxiety, but this is something altogether different. To see her suffer and try to help her face it, along with our kids, is really hard. I'm getting stressed and worry I'm not gonna to be able to give them the emotional support they need and deserve.
Again I generally like the way I am and fear a diagnosis could result in being viewed as disabled and I generally don't feel disabled, challenged a little. I wouldn't want doctors trying to change me. However if there were any kind of supports available, to help or teach me strategies to deal with this and to help them, I need it.
How would one go about it anyway, just walk into my family doctor and say "you know what doc, I think I'm autistic" ??