Online Therapy and Diagnosis

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Long story short: I am not diagnosed. Anyway, I am very interested in being diagnosed just to have a final answer to the ages old question "what the hell is wrong with me?". However, for a variety of reasons, I cannot currently go to a clinic to be evaluated.

My question is: can I be evaluated online? I know there will be difficulties determining if I have problems with body language, eye contact and motor coordination, but are not most (if not all) evaluation tests done by filling forms? It could easily be done over the internet. In fact, I have done many tests around the internet, including real diagnosis tests like the RAADS-R, the Emotional Quotient and the Autism Spectrum Quotient. My scores are always high on the autism spectrum.

The CFP (the entity responsible for the fiscalization of psychologists in Brazil) has a list of authorized professionals for online therapy, which means it will be no problem finding somebody to help me. The real question is: should I? Or is it better to wait for Darkseid knows how much time until I have spare time to go to a clinic?

No you cannot be. It requires observation on the part of the psychologist, and anyone offering to do it online is a fraud (if there are any people offering it online). You'll definitely need to go in face-to-face. I mean, is it over webcam or anything like that. Or just email? Sounds really odd....

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Online_counseling
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/09/25/fashi ... d=all&_r=0
http://psychology.about.com/od/psychoth ... epsych.htm
http://edition.cnn.com/2009/HEALTH/08/3 ... index.html

It is not a scam. And it can be by e-mail, MSN or Skype, by text or video (but I do not have a webcam and I am not interested in it). If you think about it, it is not so different from what we do here at WrongPlanet: asking for advice on the internet. The difference is that online counseling is done by professionals.

The only problem is that I see no mention anywhere of evaluating patients online.

I never said it was a scam. I just don't believe it is possible. Yes, you can post links, but that doesn't change the fact that diagnosing something like autism is far different than talking someone through depression. It needs to be observed, otherwise taking an online test would be sufficient. Autism CANNOT OFFICIALLY be diagnosed through an email. But if you are already convinced that it can be diagnosed online, why bother asking?

I never said I was convinced I could be evaluated online: I only said filling forms could be easily done online. In fact, it was precisely to confirm it that I made this topic.

As I mentioned in the original post, I am interested in figuring out what exactly I have, but I cannot currently go in face-to-face. But I am not spending 50 bucks with something I am not 100% sure is going to work, either, which is why I am asking here.

That is why I am telling you: no! Or are you waiting for a yes?

If you are unable to get a face-to-face diagnosis at the moment, it is my opinion that you would be better off saving the 50$ and just waiting until you can. If I brought an online diagnosis to my school for accommodations, I am almost certain I would be laughed right off the premises.

No. I was actually expecting negative replies before I even posted this, but it never hurts to ask. Besides, I need more opinions.

EDIT: Not that it would make too much difference if I were diagnosed. I have already lived 22 years without a diagnosis (and I only figured out that I could have Asperger's syndrome 2 years ago). Damn you, brain! Why do you have to be so curious?

No, you can't. And, most important of all, on the web you can never know if the one you're talking to is a real psychiatrist/psychologist or someone else who's trying to cozen you. You must go to a psychiatrist in real life, or you must renounce to the diagnosis.

This is why I say, if it is really just out of curiousity, you are DEFINITELY better off to save your money and wait a little longer. I totally understand the frustration and curiousity of the wait though. I suspected I had it for over half a decade before I could find someone to diagnose me in person.

You are right: I should wait a little more. Besides, if I am completely honest, I already know that I have Asperger's syndrome. I only want it to be official because it would be easier to tell other people (specifically: my parents and a few friends) when I have something concrete to present as evidence.

I think I am sounding like Phoenix Wright now.

Mag:

You cannot be evaluated or diagnosed online.

People can give you ongoing therapy as per a personal treatment plan if you already have one, online.

The two are totally sparate things.
So for the initial evaluation and diagnosis, no - it can't be done online.

As you can see I am an old man... but to me it sounds like you want help. But I dont see many posters sharing how great their therapy is going. It's not really like people with Asperger's need to be taught how to think and act like a NT. It's not like Asperger's is a neurosis, or a psychosis. But... it seems to me that once you present a problem to people in the helping professions, they won't be letting you go anytime soon.

I am just interested in answers. Which I kind of got through research on books and websites, but it is not "official", therefore, they are not 100% reliable. Therapy is not really what I am looking for, since I think I can handle life without help from anybody.