I want to get a diagnosis, so what now?

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I've never officially been diagnosed with AS. I'm about 99.9 % sure I am an aspie, and my parents are very aware that I am "different", but its not something I find very easy to talk to them about. I'm not sure (any advice here would be appreciated), but I think things could maybe be a little easier with a proper diagnosis. I'm currently 20, and I'm fully awarthat I don't need my parent's permission to seek help, but unfortunately I do need there help in finding it, since I can't drive and have no money of my own. Also, how much does it cost to be diagnosed?

The reason I want a proper diagnosis now, I really haven't done anything productive since I graduated high school 2 years ago, and even though I really don't mind sitting on the computer all day, there doesn't seem to be any purpose in my life, and I'm ready to change that. I want to go back to school, hopefully this fall, and since I live in a rural area with no personal transportation, I'm sure that means I'll have to live on campus. If I'm right, then simply being diagnosed could potentially open up a few doors leading to some help to make college life easier.

Any advice at all would be appreciated.

Last edited by Neon304 on 15 Apr 2010, 4:11 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Depending on your school's resources and your needs, things would definitely be easier with a diagnosis. With my university's "disability" centre, you could get extra time on exams, a note-taker, music/white noise/sound reducing headphones for exams, computers for exams, extra time for projects, CBT counselling, etc. etc.

Maybe it would be easier to talk to your family mainly in terms of it affecting your performance in school? I found college to be way way more stressful than high school (duh), and a lot of my anxiety/"defectiveness" (like, can't concentrate enough on the prof to take proper notes and follow what they're saying at the same time) didn't manifest itself until then. If you have concrete examples of why a diagnosis would be beneficial to you (like, for me, "I have trouble talking to people and asking for help, and would like counselling to make it easier," or, "I find it difficult to concentrate on what people are saying, and would like a note-taker"), especially for SCHOOL, they would probably be more open to helping you out (if they aren't already, if your anxiety isn't only in your head ; )).

No idea about diagnosis price though. I live in Canada and haven't been either. : (

Thanks for the reply. School was a living hell for me at times, especially middle school, and my parents were at least to a point, aware of that. Between having a hard time socializing with others, which at times ment not asking for help when I really needed it, and problems focusing, it was a miracle I was able to make it through middle school without failing. In high school I started learning how to manipulate the system, and by my junior year I knew how to get by. I wish now thatI hadn't taken that route, Imay have been able to get more out of school than I did, and perhaps bein a better position today (not sure though). I know college willbe a whole new ball game though, and I can't just manipulate the system like I did in high school. I almost never took notes in school, mostly because it just seemed to notwork, if I tried writing something down, the teacher would go onto something else, and I would miss what ever it was they were saying. It seemed more effective just to listen to what they had to say and try to remember it, and that pretty much always worked out. Not sure how effective that will be in college, being since there will probably be more information to keep track of. If they do offer ways to help me getmy notes, then that would be great, and I may be able to use that as a means to convince my parents that an official diagnosis would be benificial.

You could maybe point out one of the online Aspergers/Autism spectrum tests online and have people take it for the "fun of it." It may not convince them, but it will maybe plant the seed.

Thats an interesting idea, ask my parents to take the test andcompare their results to mine, of course this could indicate that my suspicion that my dad may have some level of autism himself is somewhat accurate, or dismiss it altogether.I'm not sure if thatwould helpor hurt my case. Either way, I am kinda curious how their results would turn out.

Just talked to my parents, and it went over better than expected. They said they would be willing to take me if it doesn't cost to much. If anybody has any idea what it might cost, PLEASE let me know.

Private diagnosis fees vary a lot in the UK.....mine was about £650, about a year ago. NHS is free if you can talk your doctor into supporting you, which is easy in some places and rather difficult in others.

Even if your parents don't want to spend that kind of money, I'd advise you to keep chipping away at them if you're truly convinced that you have AS. I had a lousy time at school and during some of my working life, because nobody knew I had AS.

Ok, how about in the US? Also, is there any difference between a public and private diagnosis? Could the fact that I don't even have an income effect things? What about my current lack of insurence?

It cost me $600 in the US. My insurance didn't cover it, so having insurance was the same as not having it. If I had wanted an official, written, diagnosis (for instance, to apply for services) it would have been an additional $600.

Thanks, not exactly whatI wanted to hear, but thanks anyway. $600 wouldn'tbe to bad, but I'm not sure about $1200. I don't think my parents will be to happy about that either, but maybe they will go for it.

One last question, where do I look to find a proper professional?

You can try looking on the OASIS site for resources in your state:
http://www.aspergersyndrome.org/Local.aspx

Thank you!