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iCANTthinkOFaNAME
Raven
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22 Nov 2017, 3:52 am

Hey guys. You may remember me asking about the ADOS etc and other ASD questions. I went in honestly thinking because the doctors were saying that it isn’t there that I wouldn’t get a diagnosis. I got a diagnosis of ASD. Not yet got a report. I’m still astounded by it if I’m honest. How d you come to terms with it? Not being “possible” but having it there for definite.



Trogluddite
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22 Nov 2017, 10:51 am

Quote:
How do you come to terms with it?


Off the top of my head, and in no particular order, keeping the following in mind helped me:

- Take your time, the ASD isn't going anywhere, so there's no need to rush!

- Be very cautious who you tell until you are more comfortable with it yourself. Even if a person is compassionate, telling them will almost always result in being asked a lot of questions which don't have simple answers ("So, what is it like being autistic then?" **)

- It may feel as if there is something you have lost (the possibility that you had a condition which could be cured, for example). Allow yourself to "mourn" if you need to, and don't be afraid to ask for support with that if you need it.

- Remember that you are exactly the same person you were before until/unless you decide to change something.

** If you do want to try answering this, a good response might be; "Tell me what it's like not being autistic, then we can compare." No-one ever knows how to begin describing all of the things that they take utterly for granted and/or do sub-consciously, whether they are on the spectrum or not.


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AspieUtah
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22 Nov 2017, 11:32 am

Because my first diagnostic assessment failed in finding any autism (despite the written report stating that it did), I pursued a second assessment with less-than-full enthusiasm. I believed that I wouldn't get the second assessment right, and ended up bringing so much evidence with me that my diagnosticians found an abundance of autism, and even offered to refund some of my fee because I had "done so much of the work" for them. So, it just goes to show that getting an autism diagnosis is still a sketchy pursuit. Sometimes it fails, and sometimes it works out. I had come to terms with my autism after I was screened. The diagnosis was simply confirmation of my own work.

It seems that, in your case, they surprised themselves with all the evidence they found, too!

Now, the big question: Do you feel good about the diagnosis?


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Diagnosed in 2015 with ASD Level 1 by the University of Utah Health Care Autism Spectrum Disorder Clinic using the ADOS-2 Module 4 assessment instrument [11/30] -- Screened in 2014 with ASD by using the University of Cambridge Autism Research Centre AQ (Adult) [43/50]; EQ-60 for adults [11/80]; FQ [43/135]; SQ (Adult) [130/150] self-reported screening inventories -- Assessed since 1978 with an estimated IQ [≈145] by several clinicians -- Contact on WrongPlanet.net by private message (PM)


ASPartOfMe
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22 Nov 2017, 12:08 pm

As said above you do need to have patience. A lot of times that is difficult because strong and sometimes confliction emotions will rise to the surface and that can be uncomfortable because we want a straight logical answer. What is happening is that your autistic brain is processing the new information. You should let that Autistic brain of yours do what it needs to do the way it needs to do it.


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iCANTthinkOFaNAME
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23 Nov 2017, 12:38 pm

HI all! Thanks for the responses! I guess I need to adjust myself to the new diagnosis as you said.



Goth Fairy
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24 Nov 2017, 2:24 am

Trogluddite wrote:
Quote:
How do you come to terms with it?


Off the top of my head, and in no particular order, keeping the following in mind helped me:

- Take your time, the ASD isn't going anywhere, so there's no need to rush!

- Be very cautious who you tell until you are more comfortable with it yourself. Even if a person is compassionate, telling them will almost always result in being asked a lot of questions which don't have simple answers ("So, what is it like being autistic then?" **)

- It may feel as if there is something you have lost (the possibility that you had a condition which could be cured, for example). Allow yourself to "mourn" if you need to, and don't be afraid to ask for support with that if you need it.

- Remember that you are exactly the same person you were before until/unless you decide to change something.

** If you do want to try answering this, a good response might be; "Tell me what it's like not being autistic, then we can compare." No-one ever knows how to begin describing all of the things that they take utterly for granted and/or do sub-consciously, whether they are on the spectrum or not.


ASPartOfMe wrote:
As said above you do need to have patience. A lot of times that is difficult because strong and sometimes confliction emotions will rise to the surface and that can be uncomfortable because we want a straight logical answer. What is happening is that your autistic brain is processing the new information. You should let that Autistic brain of yours do what it needs to do the way it needs to do it.


These are two very good bits of advice. I got diagnosed in January, I am still trying to wrap my head around it. I was so happy and relived at first, but now I am struggling with all the implications of it, reliving past experiences, and I am feeling rather stressed because I a perseverating about it all the time. I tried going for counselling in the summer, but the lady I saw thought I could be cured, so I explained this was not how it worked and ended the sessions. I have since discovered another counsellor who has experience with Aspergers. She even pointed out the difference with women without me having to tell her, so she obviously knows something. I am planning to start talking to her in the new year.

I'm also doing a lot of exploring and observation of myself to see how much it affects me in daily life right now, the coping strategies I've developed to deal with it, and trying out new "toys". (I'm a sensory seeker and I love my new weighted lap pad and fidget spinners.)

I also have a special interest in sign language which has led to me working with deaf people- so I already have a strong social model of disability. This is the view that the person is not broken, just has different needs, and the disability comes because society does not normally meet those needs. So I definately do not feel broken, I am proud of who I am. It just makes life very challenging and I learning how to identify and deal with all those challenges.


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Your neurodiverse (Aspie) score: 149 of 200
Your neurotypical (non-autistic) score: 73 of 200
You are very likely neurodiverse (Aspie)


artfulldodger
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24 Nov 2017, 4:52 pm

Took me about 6 months to come to terms and accept my diagnosis. But once I educated myself about everything, and along with help from my therapist to develop better coping skills, I was much better and happier with myself. I still have my daily struggles, from surviving being in a noisy factory for 10 hours four days a week to being around lots of people, some who are not accepting of me. Those will always be struggles, but I have learned to cope much better post diagnosis. From my weighted blanket to get a solid nights sleep(which I need to cope) to my ear muff hearing protection I wear to keep the noise in the factory to something I can tollerate and not go into a meltdown. My truck windows are really dark tinted, helps with my light sensitivity and I feel safe in there. My new eye glasses auto tint when its bright outdoors and my safety glasses for work have a light grey tint all the time to tone down the really bright florescent lighting they have. My bosses know I am on the spectrum and have since day 1 when I was interviewed. They also work to keep me on jobs that are not to stressfull or complex, as well as being on day shift so as not to upset my sleep routine. AD


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AQ score 43
RAADS-R 221
Your Aspie score: 153 of 200
Your neurotypical (non-autistic) score: 59 of 200
You are very likely an Aspie