Diagnosis confirmed today

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i think most everyone is nervous at attending a support group. maybe just go but arrive a bit late so they don't make a big deal out of introducing you (or at least don't do so in the beginning of the meeting, they might do it at the end)

Hi lioness,

I agree it should not matter (and it doesn't, really). I think that we all (autistics, Aspies, PDD-NOSsers) basically have (more or less) the same kind of difficulties. It all 'hides' under the same autism umbrella.

Question for I am a bit confused.
Why did you write that you 'just' have PDD-NOS? Please don't think AS would look down on you because you 'just' have PDD-NOS. Of all the Aspies and PDD-NOSsers I know, it is the PDD-NOSsers who had a much tougher childhood (with the speech delay, occupational therapy and all).

maybe she meant just. . as in it isn't all that bad

but you did stumble upon a definate shadow caste ranking that I have seen in these pages all through the years.

Merle

How sad!
I am certainly not participating in that kind of 'discrimination'.
Thank you for the explanation, Merle!

Thanks, Raaf.

He's a great guy and very supportive. He is kind of like a one-man support group, but I don't want to lean on him a lot because I respect he has his own struggles with AS. While I appreciate his encouragement and reassurance, I want to be respectful and supportive to him, too. It is cool because we are both supporting one another as we each move into the rather scary process of dating and finding a compatible girlfriend. That hasn't been easy for me, but I'm not giving up.


You're welcome. I didn't sense that you were negative about support groups. I am just careful now because I don't want to overwhelm myself (very easy to do).


Work has been difficult. Like pretty much anyone who moves, I have a lot of costs connected with my upcoming move. It's rough because some of the clients have asked to pay their fees in installments. I am normally happy to be flexible when I can, but this time it is hard to do that.


Thanks for this suggestion. I like my doctor very much. I have been working with her for about 7 years for treatment for bipolar disorder type II. She is easy to talk to and she encourages questions, which is great for me because I always have tons of them!

I will mention my local Aspie friend. As I have said, he is a great guy and I really value having him for a friend. Thanks for your friendly reply.

I like this idea. Thanks.

One group I go to is a lifesaver for me. I have an ASD but I am not so good at completely accepting it and often take a little trip into denial - it never benefits me to do that and I always feel reassured when I am in the group that I am not the only one in the whole world that paces or has trouble with eye contact at times and that kind of thing.

I strongly recommend a good support group, the people I have met all seem very special to me in one way or another and I value them very much.

A diagnosis, if nothing else, gives you an *answer*. It says, in essence, you're not "crazy" (as in psychosomatic). There really is something wrong/different about you.

I've relayed this anecdote on here before, but my wife grew up being told she was lazy. When she studied education in college, she started thinking she had ADD. Finally, when we'd been married for 4 years, she was professionally diagnosed as having ADD. She told her family, elated to know that she was not "just lazy," but in fact had a previously undiagnosed learning disability.

"You don't have ADD," said her family. "They just tell you that stuff to make you feel bad about yourself. You're just lazy, that's all."

That is what a diagnosis means: peace of mind, even if everyone else are still gonna be jerks about it.

uh wth?

congratulation you have aspergers?

are you for real?

I mean whats next we throw parties for when ppl are diagnosed with cancer?

OMG YESS CANCER!! OH YEAAH

I mean guys aspergers is serious business its not something you go wow GEE im an asperger now my doctor told me

nono you were asperger for ur whole life or none of it

its not something you become or whatever an its not exactly a great thing that should be congratulated on a well done thing like gettin A+ on ur test or promoted at ur job gettin dx'd with aspergers is not a good moment

Congrats on the DX Steve! I know you had wondered if and/or when you'd have the opportunity to learn more about your early development and how to categorize it, and now you have a bit more information to help you understand what's going on with you.

I have owed you a message, but I've had a lot going on the last couple of months (work, broken arm, traveling) including preparing for my own DX. Last evening I started what will be several hours of interviews and testing at a university autism center. I'll know the outcome on Friday.

Some coincidence, huh?

Z

I disagree to some of this. It is GREAT to finally get an official diagnosis if you feel unsure and its also very useful to know one way or the other.

I would suggest that the pleasure or joy is not because we have an ASD but the relief of knowing after a lot of anxious uncertainty.

A diagnosis is very useful even if unwelcome at times. It explains things and then we can move forward knowing more about where our strengths and weaknesses are.

Also, it is a happy thing to be able to get an accurate diagnosis, so many people in the past have been misdiagnosed with other things which is very unhelpful.

Congratulations Steve to the end of uncertainty and the stress that sometimes comes with that unknowing.

Yeah well I think just by having the peace of mind why your life has been the way it has is a good enough reason to celebrate. How can anyone possibly compare AS to cancer??????

ProtossX that's who

That's pretty much how I felt when I was diagnosed aged 34 earlier this year.

I got diagnosed a few weeks ago at 36 y.o.

So it's never too late.....

And yeah, cancer and AS is two different things: I was relieved when I knew I have AS, not so when I knew I had cancer a few years ago.

I definitely didn't want to throw a party.

Thanks, Zonder.

No worries about the message. I'll be happy to receive it whenever you send it.

I hope things go great for you this week.