Thanks for including us on your journey, firemonkey. I know you've been wondering about this for a long time. I bet you're glad you went through the process.
Joined: 23 Mar 2015 Gender: Male Posts: 5,575 Location: Calne,England
20 May 2019, 7:12 am
I am glad I went through the process. I'm really grateful to the psychiatrist who made the referral for me to be assessed. He did what about 8 previous psychiatrists failed to acknowledge ie reckon that there was more going on just than mental illness.
I'm also grateful for the support given by my stepdaughter and the members here.
In case anyone's interested my scores were Social communication 3 Social interaction 5
I am glad I went through the process. I'm really grateful to the psychiatrist who made the referral for me to be assessed. He did what about 8 previous psychiatrists failed to acknowledge ie reckon that there was more going on just than mental illness.
I'm also grateful for the support given by my stepdaughter and the members here.
In case anyone's interested my scores were Social communication 3 Social interaction 5
I wasn’t given my ADOS scores, so I’ve always been a little curious about how I technically fit the criteria.
_________________ Better to reign in Hell than serve in Heaven. – Satan and TwilightPrincess
Joined: 2 Feb 2016 Age: 53 Gender: Male Posts: 3,075 Location: Yorkshire, UK
20 May 2019, 8:50 am
It's great to hear that you've got the acknowledgement that you've been looking for, especially after all the doubts and anxiety that you've experienced on the journey. Like you, I was passed over for any kind of assessment for decades, even after counsellors etc. had agreed with my perception that there was something deeper driving my mental health problems. The acknowledgement alone has been a huge boost to my mental health and self-esteem, and I hope that you find likewise.
_________________ When you are fighting an invisible monster, first throw a bucket of paint over it.
Joined: 25 Aug 2013 Age: 66 Gender: Male Posts: 34,491 Location: Long Island, New York
20 May 2019, 7:01 pm
Congratulations.
Your persistence despite all the misdiagnosis is something to remember during future tough times.
_________________ Professionally Identified and joined WP August 26, 2013 DSM 5: Autism Spectrum Disorder, DSM IV: Aspergers Moderate Severity
It is Autism Acceptance Month
“My autism is not a superpower. It also isn’t some kind of god-forsaken, endless fountain of suffering inflicted on my family. It’s just part of who I am as a person”. - Sara Luterman
Joined: 23 Mar 2015 Gender: Male Posts: 5,575 Location: Calne,England
21 May 2019, 12:24 am
They did say the clinical picture is complicated further by my diagnosis of schizophrenia, anxiety and possible dyspraxia. . That it's always difficult in such cases to make sense of what may be due to one disorder or another.
Joined: 11 Jun 2013 Gender: Non-binary Posts: 26,635 Location: Australia
21 May 2019, 7:56 am
firemonkey wrote:
i am pleased.It confirms what I've felt for a long time,ie that there was more going on than just mental illness.
I had the same experience. I thought I was mentally ill even though I was diagnosed when I was 24. I only started researching autism at middle age. The realisation how it affected me improved my life enormously. "The truth shall set you free."