Self-diagnosis and online tests

[moonchild22]

Hi! I've diagnosed myself with Asperger's quite a long time ago. I've read a lot about it and watched videos on youtube, so I believe that I know a few things about the disorder. The problem is that although I'm pretty convinced that I have Asperger's, I question it sometimes. In the future, I'm planning to see a psychiatrist, but I'm not able to do so at the moment. I've been thinking that I should do an online test, but I haven't found one that can't be manipulated. What I mean by that is, since I know about many of the symptoms and I believe that I have Asperger's, I fear that I'm answering the questions in a way that the result is going to be that I do have the disorder. Do you know any tests that aren't so 'transparent'?

 

[Judge]

If you've taken such tests before you know what to expect, and with identifying patterns of answers versus test scores, you can essentially manipulate much of any test. So the trick isn't finding a test that is "transparent". It's simply being true to yourself.

To answer every test question just as honestly as you possibly can. No more, no less.

 

[Keigan]

In taking tests, I find that I have to ask myself how I am answering the question:
- as my coping mechanisms
- to be acceptable
- as my true self without the coping mechanisms

It is easy to game the tests towards a desired conclusion. I think the same applies towards a professional evaluation as too often they do not have the depth of understanding towards how powerful our coping mechanisms can be to mimic behavior.

 

[moonchild22]

If you've taken such tests before you know what to expect, and with identifying patterns of answers versus test scores, you can essentially manipulate much of any test. So the trick isn't finding a test that is "transparent". It's simply being true to yourself.

To answer every test question just as honestly as you possibly can. No more, no less.

I agree with you, I do need to be honest with myself and I am, 90% of the time but sometimes my paranoia kicks in and I don't know if I want to believe things or I really believe them.

 

[Suzanne]

I am also a self diagnosed aspie and as you can see from my signature, that I score rather high? Well, this is my 4th attempt and the reason is that the more I get to know about aspergers, the more I get to know about me. Some questions I took literally ( typical for an aspie) and some, I was convinced I did not do or think, but actually, I discover I do and I laughed at the ones that seem so insignificant, but yep I do them.

There is always going to be a danger of "lying" to one's self, but in fact, I find that I cannot lie about something that is not true. Like, a question that says: do you have hair whirls ( I assume that is twiddling the hair in the hand as a stim)? Well, no I have never done this; however, I do like playing with my hair, but that is removing loose hair, which I find incredably relaxing.

aspie quiz is the one I took and got the signature from.

Those who know me, never even enquire now if I am formally diagnosed; but what goes along with that, is treating me as though I am not to be trusted intelligentally wise and basically, talking down to me and cutting me in the middle of talking, as to say: you are being rude to keep talking!

I see the pros and cons for being recongised as an aspie.

 

[Judge]

I agree with you, I do need to be honest with myself and I am, 90% of the time but sometimes my paranoia kicks in and I don't know if I want to believe things or I really believe them.

Tell me about it.

When determining my own autism, the process involved a certain amount of denial. It wasn't a streamlined or linear process of discovery. Though eventually the more I learned, the more it became difficult to deny what I knew was the truth about who- and what I am.

 

[OlLiE]

i did the the online tests which confirmed it,

the medical/psychiatric diagnosis however was very different and extremely thorough, it was a three day screening that included interviews, a complete history, iq test, computer tests to analyse how i take in information, cards with situations i had to interpret,....
no way to manipulate that one
actually, i even had to do a pre-interview just to be eligible to take the screening, time wasters not allowed

i think that the online tests focus on the manifestations of the underlying condition, rather than looking for the 'medical' signals

 

[The Midge]

i did the the online tests which confirmed it,

the medical/psychiatric diagnosis however was very different and extremely thorough, it was a three day screening that included interviews, a complete history, iq test, computer tests to analyse how i take in information, cards with situations i had to interpret,....
no way to manipulate that one
actually, i even had to do a pre-interview just to be eligible to take the screening, time wasters not allowed

i think that the online tests focus on the manifestations of the underlying condition, rather than looking for the 'medical' signals

That is my experience but not over three days. If you want to be sure then a formal diagnosis is the way to go.

Mind you anyone wanting to be on the spectrum must have something worth investigating! Or may be Auties are the new cool and everyone wants to be one despite having few friends and a lot of trouble in life.

 

[moonchild22]

That is my experience but not over three days. If you want to be sure then a formal diagnosis is the way to go.

Mind you anyone wanting to be on the spectrum must have something worth investigating! Or may be Auties are the new cool and everyone wants to be one despite having few friends and a lot of trouble in life.

yeah, who wouldn't want to have social disabilities? It's so fun

 

[Full Steam]

I agree with you, I do need to be honest with myself and I am, 90% of the time but sometimes my paranoia kicks in and I don't know if I want to believe things or I really believe them.

That was the main reason I sought a diagnosis.

I believe in self dx, and if you've done your home work and think your an aspie then I believe you, but for me there was only one way to quieten the doubting voice in my head.

That said, there is risk with validation through dx.

My psychologist was great, and while he said I was a classic aspie, there were two criteria in the DSM that I was only just showing in.

In his words, many classic Aspies would not get a dx any more because of the tightened criteria.

Some in the autism community also resent NTs being the gatekeepers of the autism community, and I agree.

 

[OlLiE]

That is my experience but not over three days. If you want to be sure then a form is the way to go.

Mind you anyone wanting to be on the spectrum must have something worth investigating! Or may be Auties are the new cool and everyone wants to be one despite having few friends and a lot of trouble in life.

yeah, some criminals tried to get diagnosed as being on the spectrum because then they could use it to say they didn't 'understand' that they were doing harm, it's pretty sick

 

[Rasendra]

That said, there is risk with validation through dx.

My psychologist was great, and while he said I was a classic aspie, there were two criteria in the DSM that I was only just showing in.

In his words, many classic Aspies would not get a dx any more because of the tightened criteria.

Some in the autism community also resent NTs being the gatekeepers of the autism community, and I agree.

Huh, I hadn't actually thought about that before. I mean I know due to the great amount of people that are misdiagnosed that if you don't find someone knowledgeable about autism but I hadn't thought about it in the NT as the gatekeepers to autism. Which is a bit frustrating and illogical when I think about it lol

 

[pjcnet]

I understand that many online tests are somewhat auto suggestive, but you have to be honest to yourself and truly answer the questions even if you know that the answer will sway your result in a direction that is different to what you want. All aspies are different however and most don't have all the standard traits so you will find that the tests allow for this. The Aspie Quiz has a lot of less obvious questions, but no online tests can completely eliminate auto suggestion.

 

[OkRad]

That was the main reason I sought a diagnosis.

I believe in self dx, and if you've done your home work and think your an aspie then I believe you, but for me there was only one way to quieten the doubting voice in my head.

That said, there is risk with validation through dx.

My psychologist was great, and while he said I was a classic aspie, there were two criteria in the DSM that I was only just showing in.

In his words, many classic Aspies would not get a dx any more because of the tightened criteria.

Some in the autism community also resent NTs being the gatekeepers of the autism community, and I agree.

THat is me. I even HAD the dx. Atypical Autism. THen with the new DX, a very rude austism specialist laughed (and coughed) in my face .He said I made eye contact. Of course, if I weere male I would have been dxed again. It does not matter to me, though, because I sought genetic testing which was a more precise dx--chrom 6 abnormality. At any rate, I am not NT. It miss the community I had with the autism DX and I miss the support. With the genetic issue , it is all so alone. I am the only one with this abberation. And OH YEAH, Steam. the Dr was NT and I do resent they are the gatekeepers. My aspie friends know I am not NT.

 

[Full Steam]

THat is me. I even HAD the dx. Atypical Autism. THen with the new DX, a very rude austism specialist laughed (and coughed) in my face .He said I made eye contact. Of course, if I weere male I would have been dxed again. It does not matter to me, though, because I sought genetic testing which was a more precise dx--chrom 6 abnormality. At any rate, I am not NT. It miss the community I had with the autism DX and I miss the support. With the genetic issue , it is all so alone. I am the only one with this abberation. And OH YEAH, Steam. the Dr was NT and I do resent they are the gatekeepers. My aspie friends know I am not NT.

Anyone who had done the due diligence that you have done, and still thinks their an Aspie is an Aspie.

End of discussion.

You have the Full Steam seal of approval.

I suspect there are a small number of self dx'ers that are not actually autistic, but I also suspect they have not done their due diligence or else have other problems that make the want to be a part of our community, while knowing they are not really.

I'd rather a thousand NTs misdiagnose themselves as autistic than a single autistic person who cannot or will not get a dx be excluded.

Some may disagree, and you'r welcome to your opinion, just know that you are wrong.

I'm ADHD and I also go on ADHD resources, but I have nothing like the closeness of experience and depth of understanding I have with other Aspies.

What pisses me off about your loss of dx OkRad, is that before it I remember you talking about advocacy and you'd be brilliant at it, but now maybe you don't feel like you have the authority just because of some dick head, who is almost certainly wrong.

Bit of a rant - Im over caffeinated today!

 

[OkRad]

Anyone who had done the due diligence that you have done, and still thinks their an Aspie is an Aspie.

End of discussion.

You have the Full Steam seal of approval.

I suspect there are a small number of self dx'ers that are not actually autistic, but I also suspect they have not done their due diligence or else have other problems that make the want to be a part of our community, while knowing they are not really.

I'd rather a thousand NTs misdiagnose themselves as autistic than a single autistic person who cannot or will not get a dx be excluded.

Some may disagree, and you'r welcome to your opinion, just know that you are wrong.

I'm ADHD and I also go on ADHD resources, but I have nothing like the closeness of experience and depth of understanding I have with other Aspies.

What pisses me off about your loss of dx OkRad, is that before it I remember you talking about advocacy and you'd be brilliant at it, but now maybe you don't feel like you have the authority just because of some dick head, who is almost certainly wrong.

Bit of a rant - Im over caffeinated today!

Thank you, Steam! You made my evening. Yes, I do feel I can't advocate for Aspies directly, but I do advocate for Neurodiversity and Non-NT living. I am waiting till we all have more genetic testing and when it shows that there are many, many different kinds of Non-NT's and autisms, then I will be back in the fold, even with dic**head's approval. Hehehe.

 

[Fitzo]

There is always going to be a danger of "lying" to one's self, but in fact, I find that I cannot lie about something that is not true. Like, a question that says: do you have hair whirls ( I assume that is twiddling the hair in the hand as a stim)? Well, no I have never done this; however, I do like playing with my hair, but that is removing loose hair, which I find incredably relaxing.

I'm pretty sure this actually refers to hair growth patterns. What some people call 'cowlicks'. I used to be a hairdresser.

 

[Chance]

I'm pretty sure this actually refers to hair growth patterns. What some people call 'cowlicks'. I used to be a hairdresser.

I forgot about the "cow lick"... Its not a cow lick!!! Its your Grammies spit smashing my hair down in that one place on the right back side of my head that stuck straight up... Yuck... That was so gross when she used to do that, but she was one of the few people in my life who loved me how I was... I would love to have her around in my life these days. : )

 

[Chance]

yeah, some criminals tried to get diagnosed as being on the spectrum because then they could use it to say they didn't 'understand' that they were doing harm, it's pretty sick

Thats not cool... Wow... to go and try to become ASD so you can claim you don't understand... I think thats more like an intelligent psychopath... But certainly not good for the ASD community in any way.

 

[Chance]

That is my experience but not over three days. If you want to be sure then a formal diagnosis is the way to go.

Mind you anyone wanting to be on the spectrum must have something worth investigating! Or may be Auties are the new cool and everyone wants to be one despite having few friends and a lot of trouble in life.

not so sure about the new cool? But a messed a life thats a certainty it seems... : )