To Diagnose or not to diagnose...

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PS. most of these issues listed need to be reoccurring problems, remember even neurotypical people can have a bad year or two, but if you notice the issued ive listed are just part of your life and happen annually or even monthly its important to seek a diagnoses or some form of mental health expert.

In Norwegian "Texas" is a slang word for "crazy". As in:, Wow, watch out for that guy. He looks like he is ready to go "Texas".

Personally from what I have seen come out of Texas, I don't disagree with the Norwegian's use of the word.

Y’all, Norwegians Use the Word “Texas” as Slang to Mean “Crazy"

Texas Is So Insane It's Now Slang For 'Crazy' In Norway

I've said this a few times before, but you are new here so... there's not much in it for a psychologist/psychiatrist to diagnose someone with Asperger's...especially a person in their late teens and beyond. And psychologists and psychiatrists seldom see potential patients who come in asking if they have Asperger's, so it's an odd, "sign of the times" when someone does come in looking for dx confirmation. People, who go to these doctors, are hurting... and seldom someone who wants to know if they figured out their problems. And the doctors... they want to give you a prescription for something, and have you come back in a couple of weeks, to see if you "feel better."

Last edited by tall-p on 19 Dec 2015, 10:37 pm, edited 1 time in total.

There seems to be a bias here against a thorough, professional diagnosis for an adult, based on the fact that it's not likely to buy you much in the way of services or benefits.

I would argue that self-diagnosis is fraught with opportunities to delude oneself and miss the boat. And that can be a bad way to go. At least with a clinician, you have a chance of some objectivity.

I wouldn't put too much faith in medical professionals regarding autism diagnosis. So many of them are without a clue when it comes to ASD. If you are a functional adult, they will say you don't have it, based on your functionality. Why bother trying to convince someone of something they know nothing about and who can't help even if they do.

Androbot, that's a sweeping generalization and inaccurate, in my experience. Of course, you shouldn't expect a general practitioner to diagnose ASD any more than you would ask a psychiatrist to treat a broken leg. They need to be in the right specialty and additionally have some experience with ASD, or why would you go to them about this in the first place?

"They" are not objective. If you present in their office with anything, do you think they are going to say, "You are fine?" I don't. I think you will be hooked for years... maybe on the blue pills, maybe the pink ones.

Why would you present in their office, if there wasn't something troubling you?

Typically the psychiatric interview begins with the question, "What brings you here today?"

I meant psychiatrists, not gps.
One would go to them to discuss the issues you are having. But if you go expecting expertise regarding autism, you will more likely than not be disappointed.

You have to ask around for someone with experience with autism. Remember, many psychiatrists in practice today did their medical training before the mid 1990s when Asperger's syndrome began to be talked about. Additionally, there are subspecialties: some treat primarily anxiety and depression, or psychosis, or PTSD, and so on. Some are more into treatment and others into diagnostics. Still others are primarily researchers.

My psychologist/therapist I saw for several years didn't have a lot of experience with it - but she just retired, meaning she certainly got her training before the mid 1990s. She was very good in general, but her training was in rehabilitation and health psychology. I didn't judge her for not having this expertise, because for many of my needs, she was just right.

I have found that most specialists who are young enough to have received training in ASD tend to be more interested in treating children than adults. It's like they figure our generation is hopeless and should be left to die off. While children still are "treatable."

But there is nothing to do for someone with Asperger's if they are grown.

I had a pretty good reply written and about to post, when my computer crashed. Maybe this is a sign that it's time to go to bed.

The reason why I was leery about going to the local psych health center is because my brother went to them (whom I am quite sure has Asperger's... he's so much like me). After a couple months, they just told him he had depression and gave him Zoloft. My brother decided not to take medication because SSRIs suck.

They told him he didn't have Asperger's without any explanation.

the reason why I am confident I have it is because I was talking to a gentleman with autism, and our childhoods compared so closely, down to no friends, down to failed romantic relationships, down to incessant focus and talking about specific interests.

This may not be as good as the reply I composed last night, but here we go.

I hear a lot of anger and frustration that psychiatric and medical professionals haven't been helpful because they don't understand Aspergers, and also that there are no treatments to offer adults on the spectrum.

Here are some things you could hope psychiatry, psychology, and allied fields could do for you as an adult. These don’t all require much knowledge of AS/ASD although of course that never hurts.

1. Begin to improve your ability to relate to other people, by observing your interactions and how you can change them and also by suggesting how you appear to others.

2. Overcome long-held self-esteem issues by understanding where they came from.

3. Challenge rigid but incorrect beliefs.

4. Provide an atmosphere of acceptance and caring.

5. Develop some non-pharmacological tools for dealing with anxiety.

6. Help you develop life goals (no matter your age) and re-focus you when you go off track.

7. Assist you with strategies to improve executive function.

8. Provide group therapy so you can actually practice some interpersonal techniques and see how they work with other people.

It’s possible you may also benefit as an adult from occupational therapy to develop better proprioception and fine motor control – though I’m not sure about that. Likewise, could some work on sensory overload be provided by an occupational therapist?

In most modern medical systems, a psychiatrist (M.D.) is employed primarily to oversee the work of other, less highly credentialed workers and to prescribe medications, so it’s not fair to complain that they push pills and only see you for a brief visit. Be open to therapies that are available and ask for them.


- Edited to add: "I hear a lot of anger and frustration that psychiatric and medical professionals haven't been helpful because they don't understand Aspergers, and also that there are no treatments to offer adults on the spectrum."

It's interesting to me that you bring up fine motor control. I have always struggled with this to the point of having trouble keeping a consistent signature. When I started taking gabapentin for nerve pain in my back, within a couple of days I had more fine motor control than I have ever experienced. I have always wanted to, but been unable to draw. I think I will try it again.
Also, my sensory overload is helped greatly by Abilify.