Self Identified AS or HFA vs getting a traditional diagnosis

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I'm interested in how many adults and teens self-diagnose, then actually get a diagnosis from a professional. I'm still not 100% convinced I have Asperger's, but I think it is likely. Do I seek out a diagnosis, or remain with some doubt? Do most people who self identify as adults, who then get evaluated turn out to be correct in their self-diagnosis? I'm still trying to really come to terms with the idea that I may have Asperger's. It would explain a whole lot and I have a lot of the same issues affecting me, but I don't want to just say "Yes, Asperger's is what makes me this way" just because it's easier than actually getting a diagnosis. At the same time I am beginning to realize getting a diagnosis from a professional may not be practical for me, i'm not sure I want that on my healthcare records, my insurance really sucks (and I work for a healthcare system.) I would rather my supervisors not know if I saw a mental health person, and they would find out via office gossip.
Right now, I am going to keep reading and researching, if nothing else I have more awareness of this topic than the average person.
This whole thing scares the hell out of me, but I am waiting patiently for the path to be revealed.
Thanks, Billi

Edit: I would add "I was too young to have considered AS prior to my diagnosis" but I can't edit the poll. Thank you for your comments.

Last edited by Billi on 29 Oct 2010, 4:30 am, edited 1 time in total.

I thought I had it prior to diagnosis but I was never 100% until I was diagnosed. Then lucky me got a second dx.

It seems obvious to me now because I've learned some new skills but I also have the same problems.

Will a diagnosis help you? I got on disability support and having people know does make them a bit easier on me. I suppose it's up to you.

"I have not had a diagnosis by a professional, but would like to get one."

I would like to be tested &/or diagnosed just so I will know for myself if I really do have Asperger's or some other ASD or not. I truly believe I do, but I may be wrong. I would like to know for certain.

I didn't vote because I was so young when I was diagnosed that I'd never heard of it before.

I think I have it and am going to get an evaluation at the first opportunity.

You should have an option to the effect of "I was to young to consider the possibility of AS/HFA when I was diagnosed."

After years of different diagnoses and never feeling better, a friend of mine who was pursuing a master's in Social Work told me that he felt fairly sure that I had Asperger's. I researched and it was like I found religion. I was sure I was in the spectrum, but had to wait another two and a half months to get the doctor's diagnosis.

I never thought I might be on the autistic sprectrum until I heard that some of them can read facial expressions. I started to research at once and suddenly several traits and events fit neatly into place.
I'm getting more and more convinced that I have it, but feel that I should let it settle for a while. I haven't even told my parents about my suspicion.

I guess in two or three years I'll see an experienced psychologist about that. Not because I need a diagnosis - if I have aspergers there's practically no impairment - but to know the truth.
I'm not entierly sure and I'd simply like to hear the opinion of an expert.

Edit: Looks like I'm in the mainstream with that.
Well, after all I came hear to find the answers to some questions that books and articles can't answer. I wanted to have some evidence before I even bother seing a professional.

Last edited by dreamwalker on 29 Oct 2010, 3:41 am, edited 1 time in total.

"I have not had a diagnosis by a professional, and do not want one."

I took two online tests. The "AQ Test" resulted in a 37. The test on rdos.com put me somewhere in the middle, having both AS and NT traits.

Finding the "AS" label for all of the "weird" stuff I've dealt with my whole life was an "Aha!" moment for me. Now, "it" has a name. I don't need a "professional" to confirm (or deny) that name.

I was only seven years old when I was diagnosed and was also just begining to learn theroy of mind.

The subject of AS came up on a Social Anxiety forum and I was researching Arts Therapies at the time, so I delved a little deeper and something seemed to click. A couple of years later I found the AQ Test (the Wired one) and the Aspie Quiz, which I scored fairly highly on, but I still wasn't sure so back in 2008 I approached my GP with a view to seeing a specialist.

Having a diagnosis has given me more confidence into my insights about my own mind if nothing else so far, and has given me peace of mind insofar as I don't feel like I'm wasting my time or imagining things. Go see a professional if it is within your means, and you think it might put your mind (and others') at rest.

A woman whom had an autistic child of her own was the first to say I seemed autistic, and that was when I was 11 or so. My dad agreed, but almost like he already knew. He is a big psychology major, worse than me even.

It wasn't really explained to me (and I didn't really bother to ask) and promptly forgot about it. 12 hellish years later, a twist of fate brings the condition back to my attention (I was on an eternal quest to find out what made my mind tick, and 'schizoid' was my current running diagnosis) when someone said "You're too nice to be a schizoid, though. Have you looked at Asperger's?"

Reading up on it, aspects of myself that I consciously gave thought to (such as toe-walking, and altered senses/light sensitivity) and it was like a line of dominoes falling into place.

I am self diagnosed (for the most part). I hope to get a professional diagnosis soon. Though, knowing myself, I don't think I'd let a psychologist change my mind anyway.

I think it's up to you. I'm not severely affected so I think that for me an official diagnosis would have more disadvantages than advantages (if it had been recognized when I was at school, it would have been helpful because it would mean that teachers would have understood why I found it hard making friends in my year group/I spent most of my time in the library/I was fixated on certain topics or teachers/I found group work really hard/I kept misjudging what people thought of me etc and might not have told me off so much which I hated because I couldn't figure out what I was doing wrong), but now I think it could be detrimental to have so tell people if I apply for jobs etc- I'm hoping to go into teaching and think that people might judge me wrongly because of it. I'm OK at 'masking' most of the traits in public, and if I find something hard (eg when to leave a social situation/what the other person is expecting/groups etc) it's usually with someone I know well enough that they won't think I'm rude or strange if I get it wrong. AS was recognized as a possibility by a professional but I didn't follow through with a diagnosis- for me it's enough to have a 'reason' for something I used to think was me getting things wrong or being a horrible person, and finding out more about AS has really helped.

I self-diagnosed before being officially diagnosed.

"Do I seek out a diagnosis, or remain with some doubt?"

I'm always surprised when people automatically associate the opinion of a psych with certainty - or the elimination of "doubt" - with regard to AS. The facts just don't support this idea at all.

My suggestion would be to do enough research and self-evaluation to feel informed enough to feel certain, either way, before you ever go to a psych. And don't assume the psych you see is some infallible "Pope" of AS who can divine "The Truth" for you.

That. Exactly.

You know yourself better than the doctor does. If you have done a large amount of research and you are still not sure if you have Asperger's, then you probably don't, because reading the criteria, case studies, and informaton on the web should provide you with a epiphany. You should be able to say, "A HA! That's ME!"

If, after doing the research, you feel certain that you do have AS, then see the doctor to get the medical diagnosis which will help you to get directed to the proper services or to be referred to an appropriate therapist, if you feel you need help.

If you have been functioning perfectly fine in your life, whether you believe you have Apserger's or not, then there is no reason to bother with the "official" diagnosis. There is not much to be gained by it.