Ignorant People!

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I'm sorry in advance if I get quite angry here. I'm just coming down from a rather large anger outburst and a cry.

A report came through the post about ADHD (I know I don't have it, but I was referred for it anyway. I'm actually awaiting appointments for Aspergers. The doctor stuffed it up - long story) And the guy did a barely legible few pages where he made lots of mistake and made many inaccurate 'facts' about me. He said I was able to sit and talk to him and make eye contact (OMG that must mean I don't have AS then!! *end sarcasm*) This man didn't spend very much time interviewing me and we never went into any depth about my social difficulties, in fact he discredited a lot of important issues I have. I know I should wait until I see the AS people, but reading it I got angry and upset because I didn't want this information to go forward to the AS people and they think there's nothing wrong with me. I handed the report over to mum. She just laughed and said "There's no pleasing you, is there? There's a big world out there and you have to go out in it and know that there's nothing wrong with you really." I left the room and went off crying. She doesn't know half of why I have issues. I thought she was coming around to the whole AS possibility thing, but today she proved she's still ignorant about it. She still seems to think it's something I can 'overcome' (in fact she mentioned that she believed I could 'overcome' before and I said that I can try and cope with certain things, but I certainly CAN'T overcome Asperger's syndrome!) I'm certain she'll say things in my assessment that will make them think I'm absolutely fine and I'm making a fuss over nothing. But I KNOW about myself more than she or anyone else does. I'm so sick of the ignorance and denial.

Has anyone else dealt with unsupportive, ignorant people over their AS? How do you deal with it?

I can feel ur frustration. Yes I have dealt with the ignorant ppl and it does become quite frustating...I do not know what u are going thru but can imagine as i am fighting for AS help with my 7 yr old son. I feel i get the run around and never know what I am talking about however I have done my research and know how the medical system works as I have worked in it for quite a few years, yet am still treated like im the dumb one in all of this and discredited alot. I empathize with how u are feeling. I encourage you to keep working forward with your issues, research and do alot of ur own self learning and re direction. Sometimes you have to find a different approach to the subject at hand and I am in that boat now. I wish you all the luck in getting ppl around you to see what you are going thru. I think it is awesome that you have come here and I think ppl will come to help u. Best of luck.

My experience is that doctors and therapists pull the diagnosis trigger within the first few minutes of a meeting. Once that happens, everything that confirms their hunch (which is basically what it is) will be emphasized and everything that contradicts it will be minimized or ignored.

The phenomenon is called Confirmation Bias, and I am surprised most "authorities" don't recognize it in themselves.

I've noticed a lot of doctors like to brush things off without looking at something in detail. My GP and the ADHD 'doctor' wrote up reports full of rubbish that I didn't even tell them about. The ADHD guy even wrote about things that should be discussed in depth with me by an AS expert and not him... for example he kept writing that I "socialise in my spare time"... which I said I DIDN'T do. I said I had problems with social situations and never said I was a social person. I have only one friend and all we do is go see a film every month or so. I wouldn't call that me being sociable in my spare time as such. He's skewed that report and I won't be very happy if the AS people use it against me. He kept insinuating that there was nothing wrong with me socially or something and what with my mother's denial and ignorance... I'm just terrified I'll be told I'm fine... when I know I'm not. It's so stressful... having to deal with idiots and constantly justifying myself.

If my therapist saw you, he would diagnose you as having Social Anxiety Disorder. Of course my therapist has Social Anxiety Disorder, he runs a Social Anxiety Disorder group, and he believes everything that is wrong in my life stems from Social Anxiety Disorder. My doctor sees my primary problem as clinical depression. A doctor in the same health system diagnosed me with ADD after a series of tests. My therapist says my ADD and depression are merely manifestations of my SAD.

It sort of like the four blind men who encounter an elephant. One feels the elephant's leg and thinks it is a tree, one feels the elephant's side and says it's a wall, one grabs the tail and says it's a rope, and one feels the trunk and says it's a snake.

I know, it's really awful when people who are supposed to be authorities look down on you and tell you you're imagining things.

I agree. And since it's supposed to be objective, it ends up being subjective. I was diagnosed with PTSD the first session, and nothing more. I was happy in some ways, and reassessed why people bully me over taking things literally and seriously. Maybe it is just my personality and nothing more. Who knows.

There was never any denial in my family that I'm autistic but what bothers me is when they always side with the opposing side whenever I have a problem. And never let (and I mean let) me get angry! Your mom did exactly that--and it's downright cold and disrespectful. Parents need to be supportive!

Recognize that she is in a state of denial, don't listen to her, and get that much-needed diagnosis anyway!

I'll try my hardest to. As soon as have the appointment I'll tell them I'm not being 100% supported by people.... although, wouldn't that go against me? Because they'd want to know why.

I did not experience what you have experienced so far. But I definitely feel for you here. This is something of concern. Here are some things I would look at. Can you get to your school records? Often times teachers will write things down such as on report cards that might indicate things you need for your diagnosis. On mine a teacher wrote that I needed to socialize more, while another teacher mentioned me having difficulty in settling down. Another teacher recalled my obsessive pencil collecting. One thing I did that was a great help when I was diagnosed with Asperger's was to compile a notebook/diary on things in my life. After reading through this, I was then asked numerous questions about it---then I was evaluated on the DSM-IV and the Gilliberg. I have read many accounts here at the WrongPlanet of members not being diagnosed right away, only to receive the diagnosis later in life. I hope that the autism spectrum is not something your mother fears. She should see you for who you are and that no diagnosis is going to change who you are. She must know that this evaluation is for your benefit and that you feel it is of upmost importance to be evaluated fairly. I surely hope all goes well for you. I will thinking about you. Please let us know how it goes.

I guess I'm lucky. I spoke to my GP about this. Well, I handed him a piece of paper and he asked me what irlens syndrome is. This particular GP explained that he's a trainee. He then said that he feels as though because I have other disabilities which have similar symptoms to AS (I am aware of this) I am going to be harder to diagnose. I've had this before. College would not believe that despite me sending in a recognised report from my-then consultant, that I am not sight impaired and that I'm Dyslexic. Everytime I failed something, the educational psychologist said that would be normal for someone in my situation. I can't see detail; so failed any test involving pictures. Anything where he said to order letters, I had no problems with at all.

I've had one meeting with my psychiatrist and he never said in that meeting whether I have ASD or not.

Welcome to the "REAL" Universe. Objectivity actually is a myth, no human being will ever be *Objective". Scientists, who are supposed to be, are actually the worst offenders. Followed by those in the Medical professions.
Sorry you experienced that, but I guess you will HARDLY be alone in it!

Sincerely,
Matthew