Diagnosis Questionable?

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Since I've found this website, I suspected I had Asperger's. The reason why I suspected it was that I could relate to the discussions on this forum, and I scored 164 / 200 on the Aspie quiz. I decided to see a doctor to either confirm my suspicion or to put it to rest.

Before I went for a diagnosis, I told some people in my social networking group I was going for a diagnosis, and the response I got was "So, you're going to the doctor so you can get street cred in a forum for autistics?" First, would someone explain to me what is meant by "street cred" in this forum? I didn't want to ask them because sometimes I don't understand the language they use, (I don't want to look like an idiot because I don't understand slang terms.) but I'm guessing he didn't think a diagnosis was a good idea.

I went to see neurologist, and he diagnosed me with Asperger's. He told me there is nothing else I could be diagnosed with except Asperger's. The same week, I saw a psychiatrist, and he said I don't have Asperger's, and I don't meet the criteria for it. He did however, say I had severe anxiety and depression. I did this because I wanted a second opinion. Keep in mind, when they asked questions, I gave them consistent answers, but I didn't tell either one I was seeing the other for a second opinion.

Who's right? They both use the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, and they drew different conclusions.

So, do I have Asperger's? Or am I just one strange person who has the social skills of a rock? The world may never know.

Street cred here means social acceptance.
Which is odd to me here, because the diagnosis is not visible unless one clicks on your profile.
It is odd that people come here, expecting us to know every part of their and vast knowledge of neurological disorders to the point where we can make a diagnosis.

It sounds to me like your neurologist is more likely to be correct. Depression and anxiety freqeuntly co-exist with Aspergers, making it easy for psychiatrists - many of whom don't know that much anbout Asperger's incidentally - to disagnose only the secondary disorders involved rather than the primary one.

I could start ranting about the number of stupid, intransigent, clueless shrinks I had to see before I could even find one who'd REFER me for a diagnosis, but I don't have a spare five hours (and I'm assuming you don't either).

Without knowing anyone's credentials, I'd always go with the psychiatrist for the simple reason they see it far more.

Neurologists around these parts don't want anything to do with ASDs.

I've seen it suggested here that a neurologist is the best person to go to. It seems logical to me because ASD's are more and more seen as a wiring difference. Of course these wiring differences affect behavior so that would bring in a psychiatrist once again. Maybe each is qualified and then again not qualified depending on the perspective.

People don't even know what autism in and of itself really is - what the cause precisely is, or how to definitively test for it like fragile X. You can only take a diagnosis so seriously. That said, you have been diagnosed so if you want to take advantages of support groups or facilities for people with AS that may require proof of a diagnosis, then these are available to you. Use your discretion but if you don't feel like you have problems regardless of your quirks, don't try to fix them.

As has been said, depression and anxiety are frequent comorbid conditions with AS. You can certainly have both. If you feel depression has been holding you back then I'd work on that more than anything else, regardless of whether or not you really "have" AS.

That does sound confusing. There was one doctor in my life who didn't think I had it and it was before my diagnoses. But my psychiatrist who specialized in autism diagnosed me with it. He also diagnosed me with anxiety and depression.

Do you mean a neurologist or a neuro-psychologist? I'm asking because autism isn't really a neurological disorder, but rather neuro-psychiatric, so I'm not sure a neurologist is the best one to do the diagnosis. Does the psychiatrist have experience with neuropsychiatric disorders?

i've also heard that a neurologist is usually most qualified to diagnose AS. it's not really clear how qualified most psychiatrists are---some are not all that educated about it. i think i'd ask this psychiatrist how knowledgeable s/he is about AS.

[b]psychiatrist:[/b] makes an educated guess ("diagnosis") based on what the person says + his own observations, hunches, and so on.

[b]neurologist:[/b] interprets the results of physical brain function.


i know which i'd go with as more accurate....

The neurologist is most likely to be right because autism is a difference in the physical brain, not in the mind.

Really? Whereabouts are you based?

My experience has been the opposite, but then I got diagnosed in the late 90s when AS wasn't well known amongst the psychiatric profession.

If anything, I've found neurologists are more likely to see AS for what it is - a neurological difference - rather than a condition which can be cured by meds or therapy.

Did you interview either the neurologist or the psychiatrist about their experience and knowledge about ASD's? This isn't something you can blindly appeal to authority about (I mean, one can, but then you can end up with situations like you're in).

I.e. if you ask the psychiatrist how many adults with and ASD adults he's seen, and he says, "none" (which is entirely possible), that will tell you something. Same for the neurologist.

Medical professionals ought to be uniformly knowledgeable, but the are not.

Also, was it an interview by each, or did one or the other do neuropsych testing, or interviewing of relatives, etc.?

My psychologist has been watching me for 2 years........and AS has come up a few times. She is, after much observing, certain that AS is what has been on the cards all along.......my past is very convoluted.

My psychiatrist however, who I do not see as often, says ADHD(inattentive type), BUT is of the opinion that it could be both AS and ADHD......

So when shrinks do not necessarily see eye to eye, the process of elimination is the key. Psychometric testing. It is about as close as you can get to the truth with years of observation.

My psychiatrist specialises in neuropsychiatry.

Start demanding some answers my friend.......now that you are on the path, seek illumination.

Mics

Psychiatrists often look for things like anxiety or depression because they can medicate it - you can't really medicate Asperger's.
My psychiatrist was an ASD specialist and only diagnosed me when he knew that I'd get something out of it, like being put on disability.
People with AS often get misdiagnosed with depression or anxiety. I was misdiagnosed with severe depression, because I didn't make contact, I held my pencil the wrong way, had my head too close to the test paper, did poor at mental math, and didn't like reading out loud. Also the finger twisting was a big giveaway too.
That was a board of 6 psychologists. I wonder if they could tell an ASD if it bit them in their....

The reason why I went for a diagnosis is because I wanted to learn why I am the way I am. To me, it was an issue of personal identity.

I have discussed AS with both the psychiatrist and the neurologist, and they both are aware of it and try to deal with it. However, the psychiatrist believes it's all about behavior, and he says I don't have enough of the behavior to warrant a diagnosis. The neurologist says it's an issue of a person's neurological wiring, and behavior is only a symptom of that. He went further and he told me he believes there are more people in the world that are neurologically wired for AS, but they act normal enough so that most people won't notice. (Though he did say those people can't hide it from him.)

I'm perfectly happy with my quirks. In fact, I can't wait to get home from work so I can spend time alone and stim. It helps me think. In fact, stimming puts me in my own world where I'm the one in charge. I also enjoy my interests. I have no problem with them. Unfortunately, everybody else does.