question re: adult diagnosis

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Hello,

I am a young adult and I suspect I may have AS. How would I go about getting a diagnosis? From what I’ve read it seems like diagnosis is mostly done in children. I was never diagnosed as a child, but descriptions of symptoms I’ve read are pretty faithful to my own memories of childhood.

From what I’ve read and what I understand, there are some serious challenges facing adults living with AS, so it seems appropriate for me to be concerned about whether or not I have it at this stage in my life. It doesn't seem like there are any resources available for adults in my area.

To whom should I direct my concern? A general practitioner? Mental health professional? Where should I start?

I really appreciate any words of wisdom you may have to share. Thank you.

It's tough, but there are no resources available anywhere for adult aspies.

The online tests frequently referred to on these pages should be a good enough indication to be going on with. With general practitioners, you might be lucky enough to find one sympathetic to the condition. In my neighbourhood, though, the opinion of a GP wasn't enough for the formal diagnosis - I needed opinions from both a psychiatrist and a psychologist.

peterd:

Thank you. I guess my suspicions were correct. After a bit of googling I was lucky to find an adult support community in my area, but I was hoping for some professional insight.

I tried one of those internet tests. Took it once, left it for a while, then came back to it much later and tried to be as accurate and honest with my responses as possible, without being too hard on myself. Still came up with the same score: 40 out of 50, with anything over 32 indicating a likely diagnosis of AS.

I really wish there was more out there for me. It kind of bugs me because I'm between university degrees and currently working full time, and I find living and functioning as an independent adult is challenging for me but for none of my peers. It's annoying, because I excelled so much in school but struggle so much at work! Hopefully my professional life will eventually be a bit easier when I'm better educated, but who knows... it's kind of freaking me out, to be honest.

Don't mean to tell you my life story but this is the "getting to know each other" forum, after all.

I waited till I had a job that had insurance and then went to a diagnosing clinical psychologist. (He was actually a forensic psychologist that diagnosed for the State Penitentiary, so my chart notes has interesting comments like "denies reading "Soldier of Fortune" and "Guns and Ammo" magazines.) I went in for three meetings at one co-pay of $25. At the second one there was a computer print out of the same test we take on line, here. By the strength of that test is how I got DXed as Asperger's Syndrome.

I took this to a therapist psychologist and he signed some papers I got from work that I can take my days off to go to my therapist and the time it takes to get there and back and take off one full day a week if I need it, any day of my choosing. Last year I had it where I could take off any time I needed to, but found that if I only worked 4 days a week, I didn't have to take off before I melted down. My problem is, I don't get paid for the days I miss, so I have to always balance it by my pocketbook. So, what else is new?

Anyway, no one told me how it was done, I had to figure it out myself. It is like having a appendicitis and people standing around saying "well, tell us how to fix it and we will give it a try."
Good luck, it can be done!

sinsboldly:

Thank you for the insight! I will definitely see about speaking to a psychologist. I'm open to the possibility that I don't have AS but it seems like the criteria used by professionals isn't all that different from the criteria you encounter in online quizzes. The main advantage I see in getting a legitimate diagnosis is just that I don't really trust myself to self-diagnose... though I am quite honest with myself about these things. If I do get diagnosed, I most likely won't tell anyone close to me (especially not my parents), but just use it as a frame of reference when trying to cope with social anxiety and other day-to-day challenges.

It's good to know your employers are accommodating you. I don't see myself needing anything like that, personally. But it would be nice if people understood me well enough not to misinterpret the things I say and do...

Welcome to WP!

How to get diagnosed depends on wher eyou live. Where I live, you're supposed to get a referral to a general mental health agency, and if in the intake interview, they believe you might be AS, they will refer you to an autism specialized psychologist/psychiatrist. I heard in the US autism professionals who take adults, are rare; here, they are relatively widespread.

"Hello," archaist, and welcome aboard the WP community. You also might consider calling up your County Mental Health Services for suggestions. All the best to you.

To WrongPlanet!! !

Go to your local hospital and ask the help desk if they have a list of psychotherapists, or do a search online. Don't look specifically for Asperger's or Autism, but for local therapists. Then look up each one and see what they specialize in. That seems like a logical approach, to me.

Where are you based?

I'm in the UK. I went to my GP about a year ago, who referred me to the local mental health team, who referred me to a clinic that specialises in diagnosing adults with autism.

After a six month wait for an appointment I was finally seen yesterday and received my diagnosis - Asperger's, plus a few related mental health problems.

It was quite a difficult process - the mental health team didn't think I had it and were reluctant to refer me, so I had to be a bit pushy, which I hated doing. And the long waits took their toll as well. I don't regret it for a moment though - it would have been worth it just for the self-knowledge, but I'll also be able to access various kinds of help I need, and at work I'll be able to make a better case for reasonable adjustments under the Disability Discrimination Act.