Getting professionally diagnosed?

Post Reply New Topic

I recently became curious as to how doctors actually diagnose aspergers.

Any input?

My counselor doesn't think that I have it, but the traits I get from it are from my depression that I'm dealing with.

I think it's quite the opposite, I believe my depression is a factor from the aspergers.

My primary physician said that I was depressed and nothing more. I said that I highly doubt that I have been depressed since age 4.

I went to a clinical psychologist - I didn't get a referral from a doctor, I just referred myself and paid for the consultations.

First, I completed the AQ Test. Then I had a two-hour interview going over my whole psychological history. In the next week my wife completed the AQ Test about me (and she scored me within 2 points of my own score, without knowing my own score or anything about the AQ Test). Then a week after the first interview, we had a second, one-hour interview with my wife and me together, discussing each of the diagnostic criteria in relation to my behaviour. And then, at the third session, he said that I had Asperger's.

He is a specialist in ASD who was recommended by (and had worked under) an acknowledged national and international expert on ASDs. So I reckon that between his expertise and his thoroughness he is pretty reliable.