AHHH! The madness of it all!

Post Reply New Topic

There you go.

AS by its very definition, seriously affects your ability to function in society; socially, academically and vocationally. You can very well be "mild AS", but there's no point in labeling people who can function well enough (obviously, he thinks you function well enough compared to others with the disorder).

You don't need to see a ASD specialist, all psychologist/psychiatrists can diagnose AS, but they're going to want to see you more than a few times to get a clear picture of you.

No, not all of them can diagnose AS. I have seen posts on this forum and two others where psychologists, psychiatrists and counselors have blown the diagnosis. This seems to happen when they fail to account for adults developing coping skills that mask some of the symptoms. That's why a specialist is needed to see past the coping skills and understand what's really going on.

Just FYI and all, you cannot mask the symptoms of AS; it's like saying you can mask a lack of an arm when you're naked. All psychotics are taught to use the same tools; hence, they all can diagnose you if they feel/think you meet the criteria.

There's the DSM, ICD, Wing, Baron-Cohen, Gillberg's etcetera criteria that you have to meet, they all state the same thing (almost).

so, wouldn't it have been a requirement to go over the screening tools then?

He didn't ask me any of those questions....and when I did the self tests I got 147 out of 200 and similar (so does this not warrant a dx consideration?)

As for knowing autistics, I know my daughter, who is everything I was growing up. I know my mother, who is everything that is discussed here on WP and some. I know my teenaged brother who is a very typical AS boy. I know how I FEEL, THINK and DISCONNECT from the social world.

I don't feel that I need a label. It is true. I probably wouldn't have sought one, as I am "functioning", developed coping strategies and adapted in some areas. If it were not for my daughter's diagnosis and the realizations I have had about how my behaviour has impacted on my family, my employer/colleagues, the few friends I managed to keep throughout the years, though I have little to do with, it is true, I probably would have looked in the mirror and said "wow! you are a little screwed up" and been thankful that I have been as successful as I have been despite all of my disconnections from the world around me, but if I can find ME in all of this here, why should I???

Nobody has ever suggested that I mask anything. If ever you have read anything about Asperger's in adult females you would then know that females develop coping strategies more easily, as they tend to have nurturing females that touch their lives over the years, that reach out and talk them through their madness, that give them time and a "shoulder to cry on" when in need which has been discussed in Tony Attwood's writings. While people with AS cannot mask their traits, the connections they make and support they receive is proven to do just that. Which would also be true of why there are less females being diagnosed. Not because there are simply less females that have AS, it is because they fall undetected for so long. Another reason my 9 year old slipped through the cracks for so long while we chased it up (for 7 years!! !!)

If my NT partner, Social worker (whom works with Autism) cousin and colleagues felt I was chasing this up unnecessarily, they'd have been the first to tell me. They know my history and wouldn't dare allow me consider the $4000 assessments for my daughter and self, if they truly thought it was possible I did not have AS.

So, now, hyperbolic, you tell me....Which of those things that the Dr. missed out did you also skip past when reading my post? "neurotic hypochondria" my ass....your profile reads that you are not sure if you have AS either.

Yes I am affected "socially, academically and vocationally". The reason I chose social work is because I have a fascination with psychology, issues related to mental health, child development and am driven by special interests. I knew that I would be able to achieve much more in an area of special interest than I did in highschool ( of which I did not complete). Working in this field has also made some allowances for my behaviour, as everyone is of a helping, nurturing nature. I have been fired for my inabilities to work in other environments that required social interactions.

There is absolutely no denying that I have had a traumatic past. My family is quite dysfunctional. Perhaps I should have left those bits out and he would have been better able to focus on me...

Last edited by makelifehappen on 23 Oct 2007, 7:26 pm, edited 1 time in total.

They have them in their mind most of the time (it probably doesn't instill confidence in the patient if they always have to refer to their text), you can request to go through whatever criteria the psychologist/psychiatrist uses point for point if you wish, that's probably a better course to take if you want a straight diagnosis. It's probably wise to see said professional for a little while first.

You can always go for a second opinion, it needn't be anyone special either, a generic clinical psychologist/psychiatrist is good enough (I've found them to be such anyway).

Masking was in relation to MysteryFan3's post; I haven't read said theory on females and autism. A pure anecdote, I went undetected for 26 years due to the fact that I actually couldn't cry on anyone's shoulder, you know, the inability to show overt emotion to people, so it wouldn't matter at all how empathetic those around me were (I had one), it was all due to my lack of overt emotion.

The impaired triad of school, work and friends; perhaps he saw you as too high functioning compared to those he sees (which he pretty much said), or perhaps he sees that you've "adapted" so well that there may be no reason to give you a label (which can actually make people "regress").

The moment I walked into Attwood's, they said I was AS; they could tell, and I hadn't even given them the note from my psychiatrist (I think having my mother in tow, paying the bill and making the appointment "helped" a little).

"you are screwed up" WHAT? he said this to you? I don't think it matters what your diagnosis is, if he said something like that he is NOT qualified to be helping anyone.

Plus, isn't Aspergers a spectrum disorder? Wouldn't that mean that some people can have it less severely than others? Plus, having an Axis I disorder does not necessarially indicate functioning. Many people have clinical disorders and function acceptably.

yes,that is true,especially with adults whom have made improvements over their lives,but if the person does not fit the criteria needed for an AD or AS diagnosis,they're either PDDNOS or just 'on the spectrum'.

regular mental health pyschs are useless with all but the most classic or obvious types of autism and aspergers,there is also the problem with diagnosing it in some girls,as research is mostly on boys-and with AS,girls tend to have a more invisible/less obvious form but not always as severity and ability in females can differ.
this is why it's important to go to someone with experience with ASD in adultage,if this pysch was supposed to be then,he's needs a lot more of it.
makelifehappen,
although did not get diagnosis,each female ASDer that goes to him will be adding to his knowledge,maybe oneday will be just as competent with girls as he is with boys on the spectrum.


if going to get second opinion from another pysch,try and get a recommendation off here or an autism society.

That's just not true. Going by everything I've ever read on here or in like Attwood's books and things like that, it seems that not only can they be masked, the vast majority (if not all) people with AS develop ways to cope with things/try to interact as best they can (even if a lot of it is intellectually thought through rather than "automatic"). People with AS aren't stupid, which is precisely why symptoms *can* be covered up.



In theory maybe, but in practice that's not the case. If someone hasn't dealt with AS before-particularly in adults-they're not going to understand it from reading a DSM entry or something.

On a personal note, in practice, I was always extremely unimpressed with these people as a group (though I'm sure there are many exceptions).

Well, most of the interview was about the family history stuff... questions about my parents, their parenting capabilities, if they were abusive or into partying, if they were emotionally available, wanted details about my siblings and extended family. History of medical conditions, dx'd illnesses, etc Wanted to know my relationship history, if I was affectionate, caring etc. Wanted to know about my education and employment history. Wanted to know about my reasons for walking into a children's services office and asking them to take me, leaving home at an early age, calling my parents by their first names etc.

Makelifehappen - These are the same sorts of things I'm running into with trying to get diagnosed. They all relate it back to my family history. "Well, maybe you're shy and you push people away because your father left when you were young." I don't like when doctors make a blanket statement like "people with AS tend to rock" because not EVERYONE of us does. I did it as a child but really don't do it too much now. When I told the doctor that she said "well, children who have been abused or traumatized also rock" but nowhere in my history does it say ANYTHING about abuse or trauma. Also, much of what my doctor discussed dealt with childhood signs of AS. Symptoms grow and change as someone becomes an adult.

I feel like giving up too but I contacted an organization here in my hometown that deals with all forms of autism, mental retardation, etc. (they were the only ones I could think of) and asked them if they knew of a doctor in my area familiar with ADULT AS. I have that doctor's name and I'm going to try and meet with him soon.

Are there any organizations where you live that might be able to help you find a doctor?

I haven't ever received a response from the AS society of Ontario, when I made previous attempts regarding my daughter. I have sent, yet another email and plan to do some hardcore searching today (yep, while working *sigh*)...

Not fun.

Almost wish I didn't touch it. *sigh*

Best wishes with your new Dr.

Examples of such would be helpful. I cannot stop myself from staring at the ground, picking my nails and twirling my hands when in the presence of people; it's automatic and uncontrollable. If someone were to forcibly stop me from doing such, ha, not a good idea. How can I adapt to this? I got teased at school for "flapping" my left hand, I never stopped doing it, even though I knew it would induce teasing; I don't lack "intelligence" to adapt, I lack the ability to stop "flapping" when stressed. This is anecdotal, but I'm supposedly your common "aspie" to Attwood and his ilk.

It's not that hard to read the DSM: "marked impairment in the use of multiple nonverbal behaviors such as eye-to-eye gaze, facial expression, body postures, and gestures to regulate social interaction", that's quite tangible and straight forward.

I would have been quite pleased with several sessions to give a more accurate and detailed description of me and my struggles. I half expected that when I walked through the door and know for certain the referral stated I wanted a screening for AS (not a psychological evaluation based on my family history). As for knowing the questions to ask, he asked questions that related to the information I provided, but none of the other questions I was expecting.




I agree with this to a degree. I am not a stupid gal, by any stretch of the imagination....I was able to walk away thinking he feared that if he gave me a dx it was going to give me an excuse not to seek out this therapy he thinks I am in need of. [/quote]



Sucks to have gone all those years without knowing, I would imagine. If your case was that blatant, then good for you for getting the dx you needed. I hope it has benefited you somehow. Be thankful for having the family support, also. This is something I am lacking, as well.

I'm worried they'll do that with me too. I don't know...some of how I am probably relates to that, but I don't think it explains the social stuff.



There's all kinds of stories on this forum and in books that people learn to cope with their social abilities, etc. Like a lot of people on here (myself included) have described the sort of manual process we think through to try to do eye contact more or less correctly. We may come off as "normal" in that regard, but we're not really. It's like that for all kinds of Asperger's related stuff. I think the norm is that people learn to cope with it as best they can-especially by the time you're an adult.

In regards to the uncontrolled stuff you're describing, well not everyone on the spectrum has that type of thing, or it may manifest itself differently, more or less severely, or be more or less controllable, etc.



Except it's not straight forward, because people with Asperger's typically learn to cover it up/fake it (although I think a lot of us aren't really sure if we're doing a good job faking it, but still...). If someone trying to diagnose it doesn't realize that, they can't possibly diagnose it correctly-something that's especially true for adults.

That seems completely backwards to me. I'd be LESS likely to seek any kind of therapy if I didn't think they knew what they were doing or understood me.