Only a professional really knows about you?

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Please find out for yourself. I'm tired of repeating things right now.

When I was in rehab I was very accepting of help and worked hard to get better. Not only did I do my assigned exercises, but I did lots of additional ones to stay in shape. I'm sure my progress was greatly improved from all the attention I got from the hospital staff!

I did look and continue to look but have nothing for adults. Everything I have found is for children. I've even asked professionals for help looking for those open doors, but they have all been surprised when their searches found nothing for adults. It's as if the medical and psychological fields consider an autistic person cured at the age of 18.

So, please do tell, what doors will open with an official diagnoses for an adult?

My heart sinks a bit every time this topic starts up again.

Please treat others with respect and - if you can - acceptance of different viewpoints that may not gel with yours. They have a right to a different opinion and may have had or be on a completely different journey toward greater self-knowledge.

Life is a voyage of self discovery. The discovery process of AS characteristics is an intensely personal and sensitive one. Dismissive and harsh attitudes towards others have no place in this topic.

By all means post about what worked for you, don't try to impose your black and white ideas on others, it just causes unnecessary hurt and members in the past have left in disgust over the unnecessary hostility caused by this topic.

I don't agree. Me and my family knew I had aspergers and social anxiety before I got diagnosed, the professionals only confirmed it. Unless you're making up you got a certain diagnose to be a special snowflake or because you can relate to two or three of the symptoms you just know it because it's a feeling - then the professionals can confirm it for you. You can't put it on paper yourself that's all it's about really, you need a professional to do that.

I think that if you settle for self-diagnosis you don't really have any struggles and that makes me question if you even actually have the diagnose. Only if you have it professionally diagnosed can you get the help that makes life so much easier to live, without it you will always be treated like an NT and everyone will expect you to work like the typical NT and if you don't you're lazy, rude, immature etc. and you will get no understanding from people. Many aspies for example don't have the energy to work fulltime from what i've heard and from personal experience - without a diagnose you are pretty much forced to though in order to live independently. There's a bunch of different types of help you can recieve, many advantages too... People are forced to understand you when you have a diagnose because it gives you certain rights and they can't deny you those rights because they're yours. It makes life easier.

Agreed. I personally am an advocate for professional diagnosis over self diagnosis, but I understand why some people might self diagnose as a preliminary step or because they cannot access a professional for whatever reason.

I think no one knows you as well as you do yourself, firemonkey. There are reasons for getting a diagnosis and reasons for not getting one. It depends on each individual, where they live, how old they are, and what problems they are having with life. I know many professionals who think they are the cat's meow and, what can I say, the cat probably is smarter.

B19 makes a very good point and it doesn't hurt to repeat it. We are, almost by definition, socially inept. We are easily hurt and we easily and inadvertently can hurt others, or appear offensive. Just last night my husband told me that something I posted in another forum (not autism related) could be seen as "authoritarian." That was not my intention at all and I don't even really understand it after he explained it.

I think we are stronger when we support each other in all our different ways. (I hope that doesn't sound authoritarian, 'cause it isn't meant that way.)

Please explain what you mean when you say this. I want to understand what you are saying here.

There are many people in certain regions who REALLY want a diagnosis----but they cannot AFFORD IT.

In the United States, insurance doesn't cover the pursuit of an autism diagnosis when one is an adult. Sometimes, the costs reach into the thousands; for some people, even a few hundred dollars is quite a bit of money.

I always say that it's only worth it to obtain a diagnosis if one can afford it----and if it benefits the person materially.

Reviewing the past threads on this, one recurring theme jumps out: a handful of male posters attacking female posters who are not formally diagnosed and discrediting the latter groups' perceptions about themselves, their exploration of AS and their journey, often in a lofty tone of "I know best, you know nothing".

All the information about how so many women are excluded from formal diagnosis by the prevalent gender stereotypes - information provided en massed by Attwood and others - is easily accessible, and if you are one of those hardline dismissive males, reflect on the fact that the diagnostic path is generally far less challenging for male aspies/auties, who also receive more support and at an earlier age.

It may be hard to some of these people to imagine how large the gender bias and challenges are, if they have not experienced them, though they can still educate themselves about the gender differential in diagnosis. There's a large body of research and commentary on this on the net.

Dismissive attitudes only cause conflict and pain here. A willingness to make an imaginative leap toward understanding and inclusion on such a sensitive topic is always a good thing on a support forum centred on AS issues.

Well said ^^^

That's very simplistic thinking . There may be reasons why you don't pursue a diagnosis despite having problems. I'm quite phobic about pursuing a diagnosis. That stems from a belief that while I have autistic traits I'm very uncertain I'd meet the criteria for a full diagnosis. I actually think I fit NVLD better. My fear is a negative on ASD would shut down other avenues and perpetuate and strengthen the erroneous belief that everything is related to a psychiatric diagnosis. There is precious little recognition of NVLD in the UK.

Does that mean I don't have problems? -no. I get support from a care agency. The reason stated in my psychiatric care plan is to allow me to continue living independently.

It depends. It's good if other people tell you their oppinion about you otherwise you would have to read their minds to get a clue how they are thinking about you and why they treat you as strange as they do. But it is always onto you to change yourself. The major problem is if therapist want to change the way how you are instead of helping you to recognise and solve your problems.

To an extent, but it depends far, far more on the professional.

Hmmmm, are you on the list for an evaluation yet, if not get yourself on one (you'll have at least a year to

change your mind in) so start the ball rolling. Tell the doctor that you are not sure if its ASD or possibly

NVLD or something else, this shows you are open minded and that you need an assessment so that you know

what you are dealing with. I don't thing an assessment even if it is negative will shut down other avenues at

all. I learnt a lot from the assessment.


Just be aware that an ASD diagnosis as an adult gets you nothing in the UK. I have had some understanding from

the job centre but that would have happened without the diagnosis although I wouldn't have had the confidence

to tell them so it has made a difference in that way. On the other hand I have been turned away from steps

program available to anyone with anxiety and depression (according to their posters) because they do not have

anyone trained in autism.

Really interesting question you posted here. I see to differents ways to answer it:

1. Only a professional can give you a diagnosis. If you are searching for social or health benefits, special education, join supportive grups... no private person will open you the doors.

2. Personal experience: I am not asking for a diagnosis. In my forties I have found in ASC an explanation of my entire life. I could find it nowhere else, and I promise you I tried hard. ASC is a frame that helps me to understand who I am I where I have passed trough. Now I can figure out why I have difficulties socializing, why I was able to get an university grade but no way to carry out a "normal" professional carrier, why I avoid eye contact, why I was bullied, why my peers never to accept completely, why they call me weird or treat me like I was stupid,....

At this point of my life I am not looking for a paper, or for being accepted as an ASC, my only goal it is to accept me and I am finally in the good path.