i decided to finally be assessed for asperger's

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for those who've been assessed as an adult, how did you go about it? what i'm hoping to learn is how you approached the person doing your assessment. i don't know which way is best to approach the assessor. do i state that i want to be assessed for asd because of "reasons"? do i let the assessor guide me with what questions he or she would ask?
i am concerned that if i go in saying that i think i know that i'm an aspie, that the initial reaction of the assessor will be one of skepticism or suspect.
what suggestions would you make to someone going to be assessed for asperger's?

I went into to my assessment like a bull in a china shop, I didn't hold back anything, at the end she had me do a quick assessment and when we finished her response was, well looks like you knocked have Asperger's out of the park. However, that said, I still have to do a battery of tests to confirm her preliminary diagnosis. My question is how do you "know" and I mean really know that you have Asperger's, even after I do my assessment next week will that really change me? Or how people think that I am lazy or simply not trying hard enough. When I went to my doctor to get a referal she scoffed at the idea that I had AS so you definitely need to stick to your guns if you strongly suspect that you have AS, I was diagnosed with ADHD and social anxiety disorder before figuring out that I have AS.

At this point I know more about ASDs than my doctors do; on my last visit I was instructed to print out my online quiz results and bring them in, so "at least that way they'll be in my chart". As it is my T believes I am almost NT compared to her regular clients

for myself:

AQ: 44
AspiQuiz: 171
Mind in the Eyes: 4 (ouch! there needs to be an "i don't fooking know" option!!)
BAP: You scored 129 aloof, 109 rigid and 105 pragmatic (i have no idea what to make of that)

should i bring printouts of online rudimentary quizzes as evidence of my hypothesis when i see the therapist?

i don't think that anyone who has met me believes that i'm anywhere close to nt.
i tend to research and affirm anything before bringing it to others for review. i've "known" for close to a decade, give or take some years, that why i'm different is due to aspergers syndrome. what concerns me is bringing what i know to someone who is supposed to be qualified, and then the person who is likely nt and fueled by arrogance will react to my blunt self-assessment in a negative way, leaving me to need to prove my presumptions.

if i'm not making complete sense, please let me know and in the morning, when i'm not drinking tequila, i'll gladly clarify. i think i'm tipsie and tired.

Just go in and be honest. State your problems as best you are able to interpret them yourself. There is nothing wrong with suggesting a hypothesis but there is no need to be bringing in results of online screening tests. Rest assured, they will have several of their own tests they will want you to perform/fill out if neuropsychological testing is in order.

Do not attempt to spin your answers towards the positive or negative. I say again, BE HONEST.

Don't bother with the print outs. I've found that when I did that and the doctors were very sceptical and basically ignored the papers. They prefer to do it themselves.

I know I'm only 18, but the way I would go about it (which I semi did, but I won't go into detail as it's a long story) is to go to my GP (assuming you live in the UK) and ask to be refered to someone who can diagnose adults. You don't have to spout all these reasons. You don't have to prove it to him, he won't diagnose you. Doctors can be very understanding, but don't let them push you around. You want to get a diagnosis. You will get that diagnosis.

I hope this helps and good luck!

i know no other way to be but to be honest. i would think it counterproductive to try manipulating the opinion of whomever will do the assessment or referral to have one done.

my doctor's office didn't give me a referral. they recommended me call the local mental health clinic or to seek out a former colleague of one of the doctors. i chose the second option, but saw a photo of the gentleman and i'm not sure i'd feel comfortable in a room with him. i know that probably sounds rude, but he's very strange looking.

soooo, i'm calling the practice the gentleman works with today and let them choose who i will see.

i don't know how to open the dialog, though. "hi doc, i think i have aspergers!", seems a bit forward, but i don't need to be assessed for anything else. i'm not overcome with ocd, (i'm comfortable with my affectations of it), i'm dealing with considerable stress and anxiety but not in a generalized way. my family life is very complicated and distressing in recent years......and that is why i believe it time for me to have a formal diagnosis. in order to help my son, who has been having such severe complications of what we think is due to hfa, but has not had his assessment with the neuropsychologist yet. he became so overcome with life that he wound up in the hospital for a few months. i would think that any bright neuropsychologist would more seriously recognize or acknowledge the asd affect in my son if he knew one or both parents had a formal diagnosis.

it's also about time i got a diagnosis, for myself. i finally want to put a name to "why i'm so strange" as my ex, and parents, and acquaintances put it. perhaps they'll all realize that strangeness is not just a quirk of personality but a matter of my different reaction to stimuli in everyday living.

I am 30 and currently mid-process.

I told the GP I suspect I have AS and that I wanted to a referral for diagnostic evaluation so that I can be more sure. She asked why I thought this and I explained how I discovered the details of AS accidentally reading a book and that I identified with a lot of what was described. I told her how I also recognised my own experiences in the writing those diagnosed with AS. I also explained that I had looked into the traits and symptoms and found that I ticked pretty much every box to some degree. I emphasised that, with hindsight, as a child I behaved and felt in a very AS-typical way. She seemed very interested in the darker times in my teens and I gave her the less than comfortable details as she asked for them.

I did not mention the online tests but, when she asked, I explained that I had taken these and scored as AS but that I also understood that many of these gave a large percentage of false positives and that these tests were only one of many many reasons I believed AS would fit. She seemed perfectly happy to refer me and even a little curious especially about the book I read describing growing up with ASD first-hand.

She realised that I had done a lot of research myself and asked me to write down details of all the reasons I thought I was AS, seal it in an envelope and bring it back for her to use in writing up my referral. I dropped off the letter this morning and there is, sitting on a desk somewhere, a couple of pieces of paper with my name above paragraphs detailing everything I would never want NTs to know about me. Feels a little concerning but it has to be done I suppose.

I felt very overwhelmed once I got home given the personal and emotive nature of what I had been disclosing to a relative stranger but am very glad I went and will let you all know how I get on.

How about "I suspect I have aspergers and am looking for a professional opinion."

I talked to my GP and he suggested it wouldn't be a bad idea and referred me to a Psychiatrist to talk to. I have no idea how it's going to go but he will likely give a clear answer as to whether a diagnosis is needed. I'm only looking at one so that I can have validation and if necessary, workplace accommodations although I already get them (i.e. I have my own private office already). I made it quite clear I already know I very likely have Aspergers (and am 100% certain I'm on the spectrum) and I do not want to be 'cured' as I don't see it as a disease. I will be honest and not sway my answers and will provide detailed written rationale for my belief, especially as it pertains to the DSM IV criteria.

It also helps when I'm on the outs with a social group to say 'Aspergers' rather than give a detailed life history for my behavior even though I'm not formally diagnosed yet. The few I've tried that on were much more accepting of me in my experience and they probably looked it up on wikipedia and thought "so that explains why he's so distant, is always alone and avoids eye contact".

As for my GP visit, I came right out and said "time doesn't permit me to give you a detailed explanation, but it has become obvious that I have Asperger Syndrome....." and followed up with "I'm aware you have countless patients self-diagnose absurd things after 5 minutes on Google or YouTube (to a rare chuckle from him) but I want to assure you I carefully researched this for months using both mainstream and medical literature as well as having conversations with those with experience helping those with Autism. I was really surprised how seriously he took me because you can't tell from a 15 minute conversation anymore but if you knew my life history, I might have been one of the most Aspie kids in history! Like I said when I joined I was speechless because it was like reading my own autobiography. Some of the things mentioned I never knew anyone else on Earth did and I never met them growing up like hand flapping and refusing to eat foods that touch each other even to the point where I was literally starving. To this day I have to get a separate plate for each item.

Jonny23, thank you. that seems like the simplest and most concise way to approach the doctor or therapist.

I called to make an appointment Friday, and they were not open. I'm somewhat excited to get going with this.

i appreciate everyone's insight and the experience you've shared.

i tend to over-do things, but since i want the assessment to be accurate, i think i'll have to restrain myself from wanting to prove something to the assessor rather than letting the person do their job and validate my presumptions about myself being aspie.

Si_82 please update me with your results. i hope things go well and you learn what you need to from your assessment.

Good luck!

Tell them whatever you can think of--get your parents to come in, if you can, because they raised you and they can tell the evaluator what you were like in early childhood.

Some doctors don't realize that you can get to adulthood without a diagnosis--it might help to mention that you have read about how autism used to be diagnosed much less frequently, and that you think you are one of the many people who had a milder case and had it missed in childhood.

Make sure to mention specific facts, specific problems you have in your daily life. A psychologist doesn't really care if you've got a quirky or eccentric personality; we're taught in the first weeks of undergrad that being eccentric has got nothing to do with having anything diagnosable, that quirks and unusual personalities are not something you want to diagnose, because psychologists should NOT be dictating what is "normal"; just treating mental illness and teaching people how to survive life stress. So you focus on the things that are holding you back, causing distress.

Don't put on the NT act. Be honest about the things that you have to work really hard to do, and the things you can't do. Don't try to fake them into thinking you are okay, like you probably do in your daily life--I know I do, much of the time, because I'm afraid that they won't see me as an equal, or will pity me. Talk about what you're good at, and how you're coping with your differences; but also talk about what those differences are and why they get in the way.

If you can, explain what you want out of treatment: What do you need to learn? Do you have problems with overwhelming emotions, with meltdowns or shutdowns, with poor social skills? Do you need training on how to take care of yourself, how to interact with others, or how to manage your sensory and cognitive differences? It helps to know what problems you need to solve.

i really appreciate all of your comments and advice and shared experiences.

i saw a mental health practitioner today. after a short visit he let me know that if he had the credentials to do so, he'd give me an official diagnosis, but since he doesn't, he gave me a referral to a psychologist which can. i've got an appointment set for a couple of weeks from today for a complete evaluation.

the appointment itself was a validating experience for me. after years of wondering if i were ridiculous for suspecting i've got aspergers, a professional reaffirmed that i've got many reasons to warrant the preliminary diagnosis that he gave me.

i guess it's still not fair to say that i'm definitively an aspie until or unless the psychologist does the evaluation.
i'm certain to obsess about the next appointment. what is the evaluation like?

I had a neuropsych exam (AKA an IQ test), and I had a genetic test done for research purposes. The genetic test turned up positive for an incredibly minute gene deletion. My parents were tested for it as well, and it turned out to be a spontaenous mutation, though if you put me in between my parents, they are very obviously my biological parents. My mom was also asked a lot of questions about my toddlerhood/early childhood, like when I was five or younger.

i got a call from the receptionist at the psychologist's office this afternoon. she was confused and called to make an appointment for me, but i had already set one up for a couple of weeks away. i took the opportunity to ask her how long the appointment will be, thinking that i'm going in for the evaluation. she told me that the first visit is a 30 minute appointment to get background, and ask some questions to see which tests i should have administered at a subsequent visit.

i understand the logic of it, but am a bit disappointed. i really want to get through with being evaluated and know once and for all what definitive diagnosis (if any) that the doctor will make.

is this how it's always done?