self-dx v. professional dx

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Okay, this isn't a thread to downplay self-diagnosis. I'm just curious as to the WP numbers as to how many auties first self-diagnosed before they were later professionally diagnosed? Since the validity of self-diagnosis has come up in other threads before, I thought this might be a good idea to collect together some small sample percentages.

As for myself, I initially self-dxed in the summer of 2004. I received an assessment for AS in the summer of 2005 which helped me get accomodations at my university but wasn't a true official AS diagnosis. More recently (March 2007), I went in for the uber-official paper.

Everyone else?

I know myself better than ANYBODY, and although there are some people who might misunderstand themselves or blow things out of proportion (thinking they have OCD because they wash their hands before and after every meal, etc), I think ultimately most people know themselves well enough to know that there's something wrong and be able to figure it out, given enough information. Plus, while there are hypochondriacs with an "agenda" (going in already thinking they have something and skewing their answerst to reflect that), there are too many doctors out there who have their own agendas. I have been diagnosed with OCD, Depression, Social Anxiety/Avoidant Personality, and ADD (all co-morbids), but when I asked the doctor I'd been seeing for 20 minutes about Asperger's, he immediately said it was overly diagnosed and dismissed it. However, that was before I knew all that much about it, and after doing hours upon hours of research every day, even today, it was RIDICULOUSLY obvious what the problem is.

For some disorders, I think there are issues with self dx, and there are a lot of people out there who might say they have AS without actually having it. But I think the vast majority of self dxed Aspies are intelligent and objective enough to recognize the syndrome within themselves, and I think the vast majority of us here at WP are in the right place, regardless of what those who think that a doctor you see for 1 or 2 hours a week might know you better than you and your family members might think.

I was formally diagnosed with AS in 1996 at age 16. Previously, I was diagnosed with PDD-NOS in either 1988 or 1991 (not sure), but that was under the DSM-III (replaced by the DSM-IV in 1994).

Tim

I am a diagnosed ADDer with alot of Aspie traits.

I am currently self diagnosed, though for all intents and purposes for this forum, my profile will remain stating 'Not Sure If I have it' until I can scrape togeather the cash to get an official diagnosis.

Self DX'd, awaiting assessement for an official Dx.

Did not see a choice in the poll that reflects my personal opinion. Which is I refuse to label myself with something that has so little meaning. The differences in members here
that are officially diagnosed is so great as to render the label meaningless to me.

I think far more complex labels should be used. For example comorbid ADHD with ASD
leads to a very different aspies. Also those with more feeling personality types verse
thinking types are very different. So those two things alone create 4 aspies subtypes.

After I was diagnosed with ADHD I saw a psycholgist who referred me to yet another psychologist (her friend) as she and I didn't think ADHD covered every difficulty I have. I had never even heard of Asperger Syndrome at that point. Just before I had the assessment though, I read the criteria for autism and I was surprised about how in depth it was.
Then I had the assessment and I got called back later and I thought that I would be told that I just had ADHD that's all. Big surprise: HFA. I then went to a psychiatrist who confirmed it (made it official) immediately.
Took a few weeks for it all to sink in properly. I got so confused.

Anyway, that's my story.

Self DX, even though I was told that I was AS by a profesional in the field, this was by a friend and so not official. Waiting still for refferal for official DX.

I got diagnosed with Asperger's when I was 9, and didn't self-diagnose before I was professionally diagnosed. I don't think I would have known much about it when I was 9.

Only thing i heard of aspergers before i got diagnosed was 'Curious Incident of Dog in Night Thyne'.
And that was about a kiddie, so i did not really pay much attention to the diagnosis.
After years later i watched 'Mozart and the Whale' while i was in rehab. All the other fiends laughed and said the main character was like me.
I havent a clue what i am.
Labels are for fake T-shirts.

I may be self-DX, but I did not come to that decision lightly. It was only after a considerable amount of study. AS is the only thing I've come across that makes sense, that explains all the difficulties I've had inthe past. ADD, ADHD, OCD BiPolar, Anxiety Disorder, Social Phobia, etc., are all poor fits. AS, on the other hand, fits so well that it's scary.

I'm not going to bother with getting an official diagnosis because there would be no advantage in doing so. My health-care benefits would cover only part of the cost of seeing a mental-health professional, plus of course I'd effectively be shopping for a specific diagnosis (which is frowned upon). And if I wind up with someone who has little knowledge of AS (or worse, someone with an anti-AS bias Phenomenon experienced), I'm no farther ahead.

And even if I did get an official DX, it would not make one whit of difference in my life. Except that instead of a whole pile of literature supporting my own assertion that I have AS, it would be a whole pile of literature and the opinion of one health-care professional.

I agree! There are so many subtypes to AS, and I don't think most folks realize that. I think the only big things we all have in common are: major fixations/passions since early childhood; blunt/literal communication style; and some type of sensory issue(s). Everything else, ie: what types of fixations, etc. are up for grabs. And yes, I have co-morbid mixed-type ADHD, and that does make me come across very differently than someone without it.

I was buying a book on Aspergers at Barnes & Noble the other day, and the cashier said "oh, that's the new trendy diagnosis. So you think you have it?" I said "no, I know I have it." She said "but you don't look anything like they're supposed to look like." A year ago I would have said "what, you mean I don't look smart enough??" but I just smiled and explained a little about AS (thank you, Ritalin)! ! It's pretty funny how unenlightened people are. They assume everyone with AS is a male engineer.

I originally self-dxed but am now officially diagnosed.

I'm diagnosed and it's been written in my records. Before, no one knew what was wrong with me.

I was self DXed for a good while and was officially DXed this year.