Horrible Psychiatric Evaluation

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Even with Student disABILITY Services, it might help to have an advocate sitting there with you. If anyone asks, you can just say, I invited a friend to come with me. If they ask further, which is unlikely, you can say, I want someone to bounce ideas off of.

Some Student disABILITY Services are good and some aren't. And having someone with you kind of puts them on their better behavior.

I wish you all the best in going back to school. I went backseveral times and got my bachelor's at age 28. There are skills, such as pre-studying and not putting all your social eggs in the one basket of school. I have some experience, and other people here at WP have some great experience, too.

ADD is highly overdiagnosed, and autism isn't as well understood as it should be. Even though I was officially diagnosed AS/HFA when I was a kid, I still have a hard time explaining it to a lot of people, since they tend to take one look at me and tell me "you don't seem autistic". Now, this usually happens more with people who don't know me as well, because people who know me well tend to know about my sensory issues and special interests, as well as my other "quirks". I'm not entirely trusting of a lot of people though, and there are a few people I've known for years who I've never told about it.

Yeah, this is horrible.
It was horrible that he was so eager to diagnose you with ADD after saying that he was against labels.
He should have at least evaluated you for ASD instead of dismissing it immediately.

It sounds worse than dismissing it.

They guy said, "just because you have all the characteristics doesn't mean you have it."

Doesn't it? I mean, unless there is another explanation? Unless he is speaking some personal dialect and "characteristics" means something totally different than diagnostic criteria.

He isn't just dismissing it he is saying that he sees it but for some reason won't name it.

He said diagnosing someone as having high functioning autism makes him "sad" because there is no treatment. He also said he believes that having a diagnosis would make no difference in my life. He told me I should be satisfied with him saying that I do have a lot of the characteristics. He came across as very condescending.

That shrink is a total butt-hole. What's helpful about getting an evaluation is so that you can learn what areas you need to work on, and then you can see someone trained to help those of us on the spectrum.

I got evaluated through Easter Seals (for free!) and then they recommended a licensed social worker who I see every two weeks. She's exceptional. She recommended a great workbook by Valerie Gaus, "Living Well on the Spectrum," and we work through my issues.

I want that for you.

He probably means if there is no impairment, you don't have it. That is the whole point of a diagnoses, if there is some significant impairment.

Did you ask about impairments and accommodations?
It is wrong of him to dismiss without asking about those.
Next time you see a psychologist about this, tell them what your impairments are, how they affected your life, what accommodations you might need at school, etc.

He didnt spend enough time with me to see my impairments. I have, over my life, improved on many of them but I still have a lot of problems. Most people would not notice that there is something different about me. I come across as very well put together, intelligent, and down to earth. Here are some of my impairments, past and present.

I used to go on and on about my interests to anyone who would listen but I've been yelled at so many times for it, that I've gotten much better. I still have issues with eye contact though. Going to the store or anywhere in public used to cause a great amount of anxiety but I've gotten over that a bit.

My obsessiveness gets in the way of my life a lot. At times, I will be so engrossed in a topic of interest that I will neglect everything else. My 4 year old has to remind me when it's time to make lunch a lot of the time. My interests change e wry few months but their are a couple that have remained constant.

I have had many family relationships fail due to my social blunders. I offend people without knowing how i did it all the time. Needing my distance really upsets people and I feel that they expect things from me that I cannot provide.

I do not handle change well at all. For instance, if someone asks to stop by unexpectedly, it causes me a lot of stress because its not part of my routine. I will pretend I am not at home if a friend knocks on the door when I wasn't expecting them.

I have terrible executive functioning. Household chores are difficult for me because I become overwhelmed easily. For example, my room is a mess right now but I can't tidy it because I can't figure out the best way to go at it? Should I make the bed first or should I sort the laundry? What if I make the bed but then decide to wash the sheets? I know that must sound ridiculous but that is literally what life is like for me. Everything is a huge, complicated matter.

I cannot drive because it is sensory overload to the max. If someone honks, I forget where the break is and panic. Driving often leads to meltdowns. I also cannot tie my shoes properly, I've invented my own way of doing it.

I have 2 children who are very well taken care of physically but I have trouble relating to them emotionally. Hugging and cuddling is almost physically painful for me. I am great for doing science projects with, but when they need comforting, they go find their dad.

To me, these things seem like impairments. I've done my best to hide them because growing up, I just thought I was stupid.

I hope you have better luck that I have. I was privately diagnosed with Asperger's Syndrome by a consultant clinical psychiatrist commissioned by my employer to repair me after I had a nervous breakdown in the office in 1994. But do you think I can get the National Health Service to confirm it now that I am retired - not a chance! They've even had the nerve to tell me that they haven't got anyone on the staff well qualified enough to diagnose if I have Asperger's Syndrome. That's strange, because the psychiatrist who diagnosed me in 1994 was employed by the NHS at their local county psychiatric unit at the time and interviewed me there and diagnosed and treated me there as an outpatient. So why can't the NHS do that now?

I'm finding that unless you are a child, no one really gives a damn. It is incredibly difficult to get a diagnosis as an adult. But a diagnosis is necessary to receive assistance or accomodations from the government, universities, and employers.

I think that it's dumb that they won't diagnose you again. There really needs to be a better system for dealing with adults with autism. Just because we are not kids doesnt mean that we don't need some of the same services that children do.

There's a chance your kiddos might be Spectrum-friendly, which might mean they have the best of both worlds.

Speaking for myself, I'm undiagnosed and less aspie than my mother, I tend to prefer physical touch like someone placing a hand on my shoulder but not rubbing it. And I prefer physical touch which is generally more on the short and sweet side.

In any case, don't be phony. Play to strength. And even when you branch out, keep it authentic to yourself.

I don't think my kids are on the spectrum. Well, the 13 month old is too young to tell but the 4 year old is definitely not. She is like the anti-aspie. She is so outgoing. She loves everyone and makes friends so easily. When we are out and about, she starts conversations with everyone we pass (not very fun for me at all lol). She once invited a homeless man who was going through our dumpster to come out for frozen yogurt with us.

My understanding is that the behavior you describe is not inconsistent with being an extrovert on the spectrum. Not seeing that some people are people to avoid/not talk to is not necessarily neurotypical.

Is the quality of the relationships with these "firends" reciprocal? The social deficits may not be obvious to you in the environments you experience. If the traits are there, it will probably become more obvious in school.

Last edited by Adamantium on 16 Jul 2014, 4:52 pm, edited 1 time in total.

I can be like that too. I am definitely an extroverted Aspie.

I guess extroverted Aspie might not be the exact right term because from my understanding an extroverted person gets rejuvenated by spending time with other people. I don't. I get exhausted by spending time with other people unless it's people that really truly understand me and my needs and can help me and not wear me out. But I am extroverted in the sense that I can and usually go up to everyone and anyone without much discretion and fore thought and say just about anything. And to my surprise a lot of what I say can actually be considered inappropriate. Most people are very polite with me though because I think that they sense a definite innocence and naivetee which I think is part of my Aspieness. Every now and then I get corrected or reprimanded for being inappropriate but a lot of people are actually nice about it. I don't know what they are saying about me behind my back once I leave though.

But Jenna, it sounds like your daughter is a total little sweetheart.