Misdiagnosis & Becoming A Cop

Post Reply New Topic

Hey everyone!

I'm currently at a point in my life where I'm going to be leaving the nest soon so to speak. I will be pursuing a career in Law Enforcement. This has always been my lifelong dream of mine and I'm ecstatic that it's now time to achieve this dream. Although Aspergers is not a dis-qualifier for Law Enforcement, it's definitely a red flag for any agency to hire me. This brings me to my next point... I believe I was misdiagnosed with Aspergers when I was younger. Yes- I displayed some of the characteristics of an Aspie when I got diagnosed, but in all honesty those characteristics were just a product of lacking experience in social situations. I have "outgrown" them so to speak, have a very large social life and believe that I have well rounded communication skills. I think it's worth mentioning I'm a captain on my schools football team where I must be social with 50+ other players. That alone is example enough of how I've gotten past all of the social awkwardness I had. The characteristics I showed were in the social realm, not the physical one such as being sensitive to certain stimuli. In all honesty, I'm pretty sure I was suffering from culture shock as I was transitioning from a small farming town to a school in the ghetto area of town.

I know that I have the ability to be a police officer and a good one at that but I think dragging this label that I don't need (even the school suggested taking away the accommodation plan I had because they didn't believe I needed it) might hurt that chance with some departments as it will come up during the medical screening, polygraph and background test.

Anybody have suggestions regarding how I should handle this misdiagnosed situation? I know there are other threads relating to misdiagnoses but I think mine is different as it's pertaining to the fact that I'm going into a career where my background will be under close investigation when applying.

Do you still show any other symptoms of Asperger's? Tendency to focus on a particular line of interest, maybe near to the point of obsession? Tending to keep things rigidly organized in your life, and feeling pretty put out if something disturbs the orderliness? You know the typical symptoms, don't you?

Be honest with yourself.

Also, it's a simple fact that autistic brains try to "iron out the wrinkles" as the person ages, the excess brain cells and synaptic connections actually being dissolved by the brain in some cases (at least to some extent). And or course there's learning experience that helps with developing "coping mechanisms".

Let me ask you-
Do your doctors, friends, and family still note some traces of Asperger's in your personality or life pattern?

I'd like to suggest that you absolutely do NOT withhold information from the Police Dept. you seek to join with regards to your diagnosis. That could lead to a huge amount of trouble down the road.

If you truly think you were misdiagnosed...

Go to appropriate people, and get reevaluated. You may not like the results, but you never can tell what they might say. Just be honest with them, including with regards to what others who know you say. You gotta play fair with this.

How old were you when you were diagnosed?
If you don't meet the criteria anymore, you can get assessed again and lose the diagnosis.

Yep...and cease the accommodations.

I was 11 years old when I received the diagnoses, Adamantium. I also lost all the accommodations when I started high school and didn't use them my 8th grade year either.

I've done a fair amount of research in regards to the symptoms and the only one I express is the hyperfocus on certain things. Most of these things tend to be personal goals and my resolve to attain them stems from always being told to go 100% at everything I do. For example I wanted to gain 25lbs of muscle and that was my main and only focus until I got it. Characteristic of an aspie, yes... but also a characteristic of self driven and self reliant people.

In regards to other people noticing it: never. I asked a long time friend what he thought about it and he noted that when I was younger I was always quiet and reserved but that's it.

I'm well aware of the fact I should never lie to gain employment. That is why I strayed away from the military, as I could only get it by lying about having the diagnoses despite it being a non-factor (that... the military could care less about).

I will look into getting it reevaluated. The more I evaluate it, it would probably do wonders in regards to getting a LE job if I had something to show in my background or hand them saying that it is irrelevant to my ability to function at the jobs full capacity.

I'm sorry. My impression was that you still had accommodations in high school.

Yep. Do what Adamantium advised. Get re-evaluated. And make, if they don't diagnose with a disorder, that they say so officially, on paper. Maybe they could even put in language which states you were probably misdiagnosed when you were 11--perhaps saying that it was a hasty evaluation owing to the high caseloads found in public schools.

They'll give you a psychological test when you're in the process of applying as well.

The Americans With Disabilities Act stops them discriminating against you. If you have all the relevant skills, no diagnosis should stop you getting hired.

If you're really worried, just don't disclose - again, I don't think they can force you.

That's true what you said about the ADA...but, in reality, many companies come up with some other excuse not to hire someone. They never say: "I didn't hire (or fire) whomever because he/she has Asperger's." They'll come up with some other reason.

As far as law enforcement is concerned, they can come up with excuses up the Kazoo.

He should definitely get rid of the diagnosis.

It's alright, kraftiekortie, I made the mistake of not specifying that.

On a side note, from what I've heard, the psychological test that they use (the MMPI) doesn't really pick up on Aspergers anyways, although I have no reason to concern myself with that anyways. It picks up on things like if your a danger to others. For example, here's some of the questions: "At times I feel like smashing things" ... "I am a good mixer" ... "My soul sometimes leaves my body" ... "I would like to be a singer" ... etc.

In reply to slaves question:

I've always felt the need to serve a purpose greater than myself. I didn't ever think of it till recently but in everything I've aspired to do, it's always been something that benefits others. Weather that's opening my own gym eventually, or serving the community as a LEO. I also grew up respecting the law and naturally was attracted to being a cop since a very young age. I really enjoy being in high intensity situations and being physically active all the time (I can also tolerate the "boring" parts of the job as well). Also it's not bad pay