How is the process of getting diagnosed?

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Soon, I will embark on the great mission of getting diagnosed, and i've heard that it takes a while. Can you tell me how you were diagnosed, and how long it took? Thank you

I think it depends a bit on where you live.

In Canada, it took five one-hour sessions with me, plus a phone call between the psychologist and my parents. The sessions involved various discussions with the psychologist as well as doing things like looking through a book to tell a story, arranging lego to tell a story, and things like that. The psychologist talked to my parents about things like various developmental milestones I had growing up.

I also had to fill out a a 380 or so question written questionnaire.

I think some people do it in a single day.

Oh ok, thank you. Was it difficult or hard in any way?

Hiya. It all depends on where you're from. I got diagnosed few weeks ago and it took a year. This is my experience in the UK:
Autistic diagnostic interview (family & psychiatrist)
School descriptive questionnaire (4)
ASSQ questionnaire (family/school)
AQ questionnaire (me)
ADOS-2 Module 4
All, in total, took a year. But well worth it, I guess. Good luck!

I personally didn't find it particularly difficult or hard. There were a few questions that I felt a bit uncomfortable answering, that that's about as bad as it got.

The psychologist did ask me at the end of each session whether I was OK - apparently it does cause quite a bit of stress for some people, but I don't see why it would.

Wow this is helpful to know. I’m in Canada and my full assessment is coming up. My therapist thinks I definitelt have it - that’s about all I have to go on ‘officially’-

My parents are not in the country and strongly deny any flaws in their kids (eg they ignored my brother’s severe OCD till it got completely to rock bottom) so I doubt they would answer properly

I don't think you need to worry too much about whether they answer "properly". I think psychologists are pretty good at digging to find what they want if it's there. As long as they're cooperative and willing to participate, it's probably enough. Might want to consult with the psychologist about this though to confirm.

The fact that your brother has OCD, I think, makes it more likely that you have ASD. They both run in families, are often co-morbid, and at least one study says they share the same genetic roots. See this article:
https://spectrumnews.org/news/sweeping- ... bsessions/

Oh interesting!
So perhaps what he does (CBT) will work for me too. As the article states. Thanks for sharing.

Below continues a long winded ramble I don’t expect anyone to read but to get it out of my system-


To be honest I think 2 of my brothers have ASD.

The one with OCD has it v strongly- the savant, but otherwise ‘mentally disabled’ type- eg No executive functioning, gets lost (eg has multiple times taken train to ottawa instead of downtown toronto!), obsessed with patterns n numbers, cannot read social cues, stims openly, etc.

he is classic- if you met him you would spot it immediately.. the good thing is he is using all the strengths of it to build a promising career. The other one tried to subdue it but it is causing him debilitating anxiety.

I think I have it very obviously too and maybe that is why my parents got me married off - so i would have a built-in ‘caretaker’ in the form of a husband.

I truly believe autism is genetic as my kid has it and several cousins.

In Canada they are doing DNA research with blood tests of siblings with autism now! I hope research grows in this area.

My assessment specifically lists Cognitive Behavioural Therapy as a possible treatment option for me. And I don't think I have OCD.