Frustrations Re Adult Female Diagnosis in South Africa

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FromPluto
Yellow-bellied Woodpecker
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13 Jul 2017, 8:21 am

Hi everyone

I'm from South Africa and really strongly believe that I'm an Aspie. I'm also a wife and a mom (to a toddler boy). I love God, the Bible and God's plan for Himself. I just want to introduce myself with an excerpt from my recent life story.

There is a lot of feeling with this topic of diagnosis. For some, they really would like a diagnosis but can't get it.

I am one of them... Mostly to help the doubters or those with lingering doubts in my personal life.

As a female and an adult, it is my understanding that my diagnosis must be undertaken by someone who has some expert knowledge in the different expression of autistic traits in females and that adults (perhaps especially those who are not diagnosed) can build up a lot of compensatory strategies over the decades that can mask the autistic traits.

In my country... I have not yet found this kind of expert. I went to a psych recommended by the autism society here, and it was soon clear to me that he knew less than me about the finer points about the condition. He for instance was under the impression that everyone who is autistic has no emotion.

I do have flat affect and I process emotion in a weird way but I unfortunately am disqualified as far as he is concerned because I like most people here have emotions :p

Also, he was clearly perplexed that I even want a diagnosis because I'm mostly functioning in my life, and he obviously considers it an absolute pathology (why would you want to be diagnosed unless you are crazy with something else). He probably thought I have some kind of personality disorder for even seeking a diagnosis at the age of 36. He did try to diagnose me with depression. I think it must be because have flat affect under pressure, because really I feel pretty happy right now.

Anyway, he only interviewed me and didn't even know that there can be diagnostic tests. After asking him very pointedly at the end, do you think I have it... He said I might be mild or moderate on the spectrum. Not really a diagnosis. If he had diagnosed me, I would have taken it, but I wouldn't have been satisfied because he really demonstrated limited knowledge and ran no tests in addition to the interview.

It was a disappointing experience.

Anyway, I just think if he is the one the autism society here is recommending, my chances of being diagnosed anywhere in the country are slim. The lady who recommended him said as much. Adults have a hard time getting diagnosed in South Africa. They only recommended him because at least he is willing to interview an adult. Most of the others aren't even willing! Meh! Takes the joy out of it being a free assessment under my health plan.

Oh well. If I don't have it... what I do have is so close to Asperger's it may as well be Asperger's. So I will boldly say I'm an Aspie, if I feel like it :) I hope no one holds that against me.

It's also not the beginning and end of who I am.



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13 Jul 2017, 2:15 pm

Welcome to the forums! I'm sorry to hear about your diagnostic experience, having a diagnosis can be helpful inasmuch that it can help eliminate doubt, but, like you said, "it's also not the beginning and end of who I am.", indeed you need not define yourself by a diagnosis.

Anywho, I hope and pray you find your experience here helpful.


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AnonymousAnonymous
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13 Jul 2017, 4:43 pm

Welcome to Wrong Planet! :)


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FromPluto
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14 Jul 2017, 10:51 am

Thanks for welcoming me. I've learnt a lot at Wrong Planet so far. A lot of concepts have been broken.



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14 Jul 2017, 11:04 am

Welcome. My friend dr petrus de vries works on autism in africa at the university of capetown.


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FromPluto
Yellow-bellied Woodpecker
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14 Jul 2017, 11:17 am

Thanks Alex. I really didn't expect a referral. That's great. I will look him up for sure.



FromPluto
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29 Nov 2017, 3:23 pm

I just wanted to give an update on what happened since I made this thread.

I did manage to get a diagnosis a couple of months ago. I went to a child psychiatrist who specialises in Autism and ADD. That is pretty much what you have to do in South Africa as an adult he told me.

He said I have both autism (would have been Aspergers) and ADD. I felt like he knew what he was doing. My elderly mother was there to give imput on my childhood and she was also satisfied with his assessment.

Also in the previous posts I had mentioned that I don't have many sensory issues but I realise now that I do but I have been unaware of how differently I perceive things. I'm now looking into Irlen lenses.

I have also had to resign my work because I have had some kind of burn out. It seems to affect mostly my executive function. I'm hoping it will get better now that I'm going at a slower pace. I'm not sure what to expect. If anyone has experience with that I'm open to hearing about it. I'm 37 and looking after a toddler and have pretty demanding commitments beyond the job I quit.

Thanks for everyone who have taken an interest in this thread.



Cherina
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30 Nov 2017, 6:03 am

Hi, I'm glad you got your diagnosis :) I haven't got one, but almost certain I do have it, my daughter is recently diagnosed, my nephews( on my side are both on the spectrum. I asked my Dr about where to get a diagnosis and if it's worth getting, she said it was. My husband thinks I am, and one son has ADD, the other gas yet to get a diagnosis, but has a lot of traits, plus tic's. I am 41, and a Christian :) Oh and I understand what you mean about sensory issues, I am noticing or at leapt more aware of not liking noise and light, esp by the end of a big day, I enjoy music, but after a while it's like I snap, get over it and need quiet and calm. I have had fibromyalgia since my early 20's, but always had symptoms to a degree. I've been insomniac since I was a baby my mum told me, can take hours to fall asleep, due to a racing mind. Some days I get so over thinking... oh and we do have feelings, even if we don't seem overly emotional.



FromPluto
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01 Dec 2017, 6:07 am

Nice to meet you Cherina. Hope you can get your diagnosis situation figured out if you feel you need it.

I really did need a diagnosis because people really don't believe something in South Africa unless a professional says so. It's hard to always have people doubting you when you are dealing with real problems. Most people believe me now even if they don't actually understand my experiences.

I feel like I'm more emotional than others in some ways. My emotions are just different. Sometimes I have very low key emotions and sometimes they're huge... But mostly nothing registers in my face or body language. I always tell my husband that he doesn't take me seriously until I'm totally freaking out. But I can't blame him because mostly everything is really not visible on the surface.



Cherina
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02 Dec 2017, 1:09 am

Thanks, I do want to, but will depend on how much it'll cost and where to go. Your description of your face not showing emotion made me remember when my husband first asked me on a date, I was so excited, but poor guy didn't realize, mentally I was working out what night was good for me, and I forgot to say yes, or even smile. I work in retail and do well enough there, but when I get home, I am over people, and talking, often have a headache and want a nap. I do feel talking to customers isn't that hard, as it's like a mask for the public, I am genuine to a degree, but it's not like trying to personally talk or make friends. Even if I was diagnosed, I wouldn't tell many people especially not my bosses, and I know that my family and friends would not be surprised anyway. For myself though, I want to know and not just guess.