A trip to the psychologist

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At the pestering of my mom, I have made an appointment with the same psychologist who saw me as a kid.

The appointment is for next friday, Aug 5th.

On the one hand, I get to update this person on my situation. One the other hand, this is the person who used my case as the base for all of his research and lectures on ADHD which I now realize is was a misdiagnoses, or at the best, a co-morbid to AS.

I now have to figure out how to approach him and not bias him in anyway.

Oh yea! The Joy!

Scoots,

Is this for talk therapy or...?

Maybe its time to see a different psychologist?

How was he like when you were a kid?
Why the appointments??????


Coming up soon!



What are you expecting to hear?



Misdx'ing or not! Your case makes you famous!
To be used as a example for others to be compared
to is awesome! That is of course it is a good example!



Hmmmmm? Why do you say that?



Just let events ride their course and use your adult
coping and observation skills and the rest will take
it's course.

Sincerely,
Ghosthunter

Oh yea! The Joy!

This is a "what has been going on in my life for the past 12 years, what do you think" type meeting.



I don't really remember. He has his own radio program on a local station. Mom said he did a program on AS. I've listened to it myself. I can say one thing...

Psychology is his strong point, not being a radio personality.

Better that then the other way around, I guess!

I am a 40 yr old who is also diagnosed now as add adhd the combined type. my psychologist who i see now said it is high functioning autism. In the past i was diagnosed schizophrenic, borderline personality, bipolar, add adhd combined type now, and my psychologist thinks it may be high functioning autism. I take concerta for it. It can be possible that you can have add adhd and asperger or high functioning autism with it.

I have been diagnosed with both ADHD and AS, and they're thre at the same time.

Scoots, so this is just a one-time meeting?

Depends on if he's willing to be open minded. My parents want me to have another round of testing to see how I am today vs. 15 years ago.

However, if he tries blame everything on ADHD, I feel as if I won't be paying him a return visit.

Based upon what I've read here and what I've seen first hand, I think the approach of going in and saying "I think I have aspergers" is not the best one to take.

I have to try and "steer" - not coerce him, in the right direction so he will say. "Ok, I test you to see if you have this"

1200 posts and going strong!

And after meeting you I have the upmost confidence
that you will shine brightly in the autism specturm in
a good way. I love how you are developing coping
skills!


I agree, a quack is a quack, it just thought it new
everything!



Again, agreed! let him interject his opinion, and
let his observations be his!




And I am proud to see this as well as to have meeting
you!

Goodluck! Scoots

Sincerely,
Ghosthunter

P.S....PM me his results!

The psychologists office called at about 4pm today. They wanted to move my appointment up to tomorrow morning.

It's at 8:50am.

Ah, good luck then, Scoots. And good to know you are giving yourself the option to not see him again if he insists on focusing on ADHD and ignoring or denying AS.

Each case is different, I'm guessing. When I arranged to have my diagnosis I was interviewed by the intake assistant so the doc would have my history and a good idea of why I was there. I told both of them that I thought an AS diagnosis was probable but wasn't sure if my symptoms could be explained in other ways and wanted to make sure.

I must say that this morning was rather productive.

First off, the appointment he had before mine ran late, and as a result, I ended up waiting until 9:05.

The doctor did indeed remember me (my mom says as a kid I was one who wasn't easy to forget) and he was quite interested in why I was back.

I sat down and informed him point blank that I had my notions, but I wasn't going to mention them so as not to bias his judgment in anyway.

I then told him my problems and asked him what he thought.

So with that statement, I've been reasured that he will be at least open minded on this. I asked him about my child hood and how if I have this, it could have been missed. His answer to me is that trying to figure out what is wrong with a kid is like trying to shoot a moving target with a bow and arrow. As children get older he says, symptoms change, dissapear, and new ones sprout up. He also said that children don't yet have to cognitive ability to reflect upon their own thoughts in a manner that is helpful to psychologists, so they have rely upon parental observations, which at best, can be very subjective.

Essentially, nailing down a proper DX in a kid is near impossible task.

I will be keeping my Aug 5th appointment. In the meantime, he gave me the "Millon (tm) Clinical Multiaxial Inventory - Third Edition" to fill out. He says this will give him a good snapshot of where I stand in terms of my current mental state.

One cavet though: Psychology here in the states is $$$$$$$$$$$ The session this morning was $150, and the assement was $180.

For my sake, my parents have offered to help foot any cost I might accure from this.

I'm glad it was productive. It sounds like it might be very worthwhile.

BeeBee

Please keep us posted, Scoots; I may be pursuing my own assessment in the near future, and I'd like to be as prepared as possible...