you're not a doctor, stop telling people they don't have AS.

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This is a really good point, although perhaps to spin the high blood pressure example slightly differently... even the standard by which high blood pressure is determined is to an extent arbitrary. For example, say the threshold for hypertension is 140/90 or something like that. Why should a systolic of 140 be the hypertensive standard, but not 137 or 142? It's purely for the sake of convenience and simplicity of treatment: if you have abc symptom, then you do xyz to treat it... and it's easy if you're sure about what the symptom actually is. If you are 135/85, then just by the standard alone you wouldn't "officially" have hypertension, but it could still be severe enough to have various physiological problems. The diagnostic criteria for AS or any other mental health condition are no different in their intended function and in their application.

pandd: Thank you very much!

mikkyh: I would kindly and respectfully like to remind you that although people are entitled to have opinions, one can learn a lot from actively listening to other people's opinions, as they may actually have merit that can teach one considerably. Unfortunately, being automatically dismissive of others' opinions is a disservice to everyone involved, especially yourself. If you are simply interested in declaring your opinions without discussion or "argument", that's what the little blog button is for.

Once again...I'm diagnosed PDD-NOS. I used to be self diagnosed. Not once did I claim I was a doctor. When I was self-diagnosed I was sure to let people know that, just in case I did turn out to be NT. Also, if you would have actually read the original post, you would know I said NEITHER PERSON IS A DOCTOR SO NEITHER ONE CAN DETERMINE IF SOMEONE HAS AS. So why bother? Just leave them alone, or better yet support them.

I was self-diagnosed for 3-4 months (maybe more) then I got diagnosed officially, 6 months after that I got diagnosed with it again. So I've got no doubt that I have it.
Although autism doesn't explain my difficulties at school. I think I have ADHD too, and I'll probably stay self diagnosed until I need medication for it. A diagnosis in Australia is $2k.

EXACTLY! That's what this site is about and that's why I love it so much. I've learned so much. Even if I was suddenly called by my psychologist, and told a mistake was made, that I am in fact NT, I wouldn't stop coming here. I don't even think I would be able to stop. This website offers so much support and comfort and guidance that it doesn't matter what your brain patterns are...if you feel like you belong here, then you do

Last edited by dustintorch on 30 Jan 2010, 2:18 am, edited 1 time in total.

Is a school health clinic a possibility? It's possible to get a diagnosis from a school psychologist and get referred to said health clinic, after which you only have to pay for the prescription (provided they prescribe something; they may easily refer you to a counselor or coach instead, or in addition).

I'm out of school. I guess I should have worded that a bit better. There might be a way to get a cheaper diagnosis. It's ridiculous that it's that much.

I went to a disability employment agency. They lined me up for a psychologist and assessment. Since it was about reducing unemployment, the government took care of the bill.

I'm still not working four years later though!

I could try telling my disability job network. The problems are work related.

I'm sick of all these threads about self diagnosed people. Sick of them. I myself am self diagnosed. It's too expensive to get and I can't see any advantages, I also want to be employable, somehow I think that a diagnosis will limit my future ability to get an apprenticeship.

So, if anybody really takes offense to my self diagnosis, stuff them. I come here to talk to people who are "unusual" in the same way that I am, not tools who want to stress me out even more than I am already, I'm now of the opinion that what those people think doesn't mean s***. Maybe it will help them if I say I don't have AS, I just have every symptom of it.

If I sound somewhat ruder than usual, I'm sorry, I've had a rough week.

I'm sick of this argument too. I don't think either side will ever convince the other. The same things are just repeated over, and over again, by the same people it seems. We all come here to share and receive support. It's a shame to see people who ask for help denied or rejected, based on the type or status of a label.

Quoted for being completely correct. I had an early diagnosis of AS and I am lucky because of that. Some people aren't so lucky. It pisses me off to no end when people make these stupid assumptions of people they don't know.

To quote those people that complain about those they believe are lying about their condition, "They are a disgrace to other autistics".

Last post I'll make on this topic unless I get a reply or something else interests me.

I have always wondered, why all the caps? Why get angry (or show anger) over other people's opinions? I'm not saying it's wrong to do so, merely that there is little point.



Why bother? Simple, really, because someone brought up a controversial topic. The way controversial topics work is that one person argues one point, then someone that disagrees argues the opposite. If everyone were to "Leave them alone or support them", then there would be no controversy to the topic and everyone who self-diagnoses themselves (Which, for all we know, could be attention-seeking and have the opposite traits of AS) would instantly be considered "AS". That is, for the most part, the major argument against self-diagnosis. The major argument for it is, ofcourse, "there is no definite proof yet that anyone has it", "psychologists could be wrong" and "There is no physical link or observation to tell people apart". Either way, each person has their view and it cannot be swayed (However, saying that, there is no need to cause unnecessarily hostility towards these people (however misguided I may consider some of them to be) ).



^ Agreed 100%.

I'm sick of "Self-diagnosis is the same as AS!! !" threads too. Whether people agree or not, does it really matter? Even though I disagree with self-diagnoses as a whole, if they complain then why not just put up with it? As the above says, "stuff them". Although I diagree with the accuracy of these "tests" or "self-diagnoses", I wouldn't go out of my way to post that these guys don't have Aspergers - unless, ofcourse, they were to post a controversial topic about it like this.



Agreed 100% too.

Not getting involved in the argument, just providing some information on UK employment law.

This is for standard positions where no exemptions or exceptions apply (ie your average office/factory job, not police/armed forces/child contact).

An employee does not have to provide any medical information to an employer. An employer however can insist on a medical evaluation, within certain job relevant guidelines.

Then we get into the DDA (Disability Discrimination Act). The DDA states employers must make "reasonable adjustments" and applies to anyone who is disabled. Employers are advised to consider anyone who considers themselves to be disabled.

Now for an employer to consider reasonable adjustments, they must ask you if you need them, for this reason it is perfectly acceptable to ask at interview, on an application form or pretty much any other time if you have any disabilities as described by the DDA, stating the purpose of asking this question is so the employers can consider any reasonable adjustments needed. They mas ask directly if any reasonable adjustments are needed under DDA.

Now you have 2 choices -

1 - Tell them and hope the information is only used for this purpose. Even the most equal op's employer and open minded people can fall foul of subconciously using this information for other purposes

2 - Do not tell them, however if you do not tell them and then request a reasonable adjustment, they do not have to provide it. As a worst case example, if you are struggling with the nature of an aspect of your job and performing poorly, so you ask for an adjustment to be made, they can refuse the adjustment (as you should have disclosed this need or your disabled status) and performance manage you for poor performance, ultimately leading to dismissal on the grounds of capability.

So yes employers can ask but are not allowed to use this in their decision making, but regardless there's a deffinate dilema there regarding what to tell them.

An ironic point over looked is that the boards of WP would in all likelihood be frequented by a significantly lesser number of diagnosed people than it currently is if people without a diagnoses were not welcome here. In the first instance many people who were rejected pre-diagnosis may not be inclined to return once they have received their handy-dandy "clinical certification as a genuine ASD model".

A number of people lack the certainty to approach a clinician prior to coming into contact with the many resources of WP (from factual information that clarifies often obscure clinical descriptions, through to seeing behaviors modelled and reading of experiences and situations that are very rare outside of ASDs and sufficiently similar to those of pre-diagnosis people, that they both recognize their similarities to diagnosed Autistic people and simultaneously their differences to non-Autistic people). This can make the difference between whether they tentatively or strongly believe they have AS but are unwilling to discuss this or raise the issue with anyone in Real Life (off the internet), much less a clinician, and actually being able to both approach others (including diagnostic clinicians), and to give a coherent account of their concerns.

I believe that without access to WP (or a similar resource if there is such), many currently diagnosed "once were self-diagnosers" might not ever have worked up the confidence to approach a clinician, or would have taken much longer to able to do so. Many "self diagnosed" people actually do not go around telling everyone of their concerns or beliefs about their ASD status; in fact some do not even tell their closest friends or relatives, or indeed anyone outside of WP, until they are ready to seek diagnosis.

Because, I'm on the spectrum and have a hard time with my emotions in the heat of the moment. I'm even worse at hiding my anger in real life.


Why bother saying to these people, "you don't have AS because you do this,"?... What's the point in that? You don't know if someone has or doesn't have AS. If they say they have it, or think they have it...who cares?!?!? My point is, why bother wasting your energy trying to bring someone down, when all anyone here wants is support and a little clarification to why life is so hard. Why bother making it a controversy. The real controversies are Autism Speaks, autistic people getting abused every day, and autistic people being diagnosed at higher and higher rates every year. Pretty soon, the diagnosis rate is probably going to be so high people won't even bother getting diagnosed anyways. Maybe every nerdy, awkard kid in high school really is on the spectrum. We'll never know for sure because autism is such a huge mystery that even professionals don't really know how to diagnose it properly. And since there are levels of functioning, millions of people will be on the spectrum and never even self diagnose.

It's all relative. Autism is a disorder. You have a disorder when it interferes with your daily life. If someone is on this site, something is interfering with their daily life. It might be autism, it might be honey bees attacking them on a daily basis. In that case it would be perfectly acceptable to say, "Hey, maybe you have honey bee attraction disorder." But if someone is have trouble communicating and relating to the world, then they can get help here. That's all I'm saying. Even if they turn out to not be on the spectrum at all, they can still find some kind of peace of mind here. So give them a break.

I repeat, I'm not saying they don't have it - I'm merely arguing the other side of the argument and stating that there is little chance for you to convince people who have a specific view on it otherwise. As they say, "Don't shoot the messenger". More accurately, I have a view against it (however, I am not going to criticise anyone for it), but nothing you do or say will convince me (or others who believe in the same opinion) otherwise. Hence, the reason I mentioned it was a controversial topic.