Getting nervous...and not knowing what will happen!

Post Reply New Topic

What was your first psych appt. like, especially for those who suspected Aspergers?

What kinds of questions do they ask...or do they really go off the non-verbals? I am sooo nervous beyond belief. I feel like I am going to go there and forget everything I want to tell this psychologist. And I feel stupid bringing in a sheet of paper with all the stuff I can think of. Also, I keep telling myself that I don't have it because everyone tells me how normal I am.

Help me feel better!! !

You should alway write things down on paper when visiting important meeting or person. Writing a message and giving it to him is ok since this is your psychologist who evaulating your mental health. Plus when you give it to him, indicate that you have a forgetful and very shy about talking things which dislocate any important information that you might have for him.

That how I did mine so that I don't forget because idea can be distracting and you can forget other things to say.

If you have Microsoft Word and a printer, it would help even more to make your message lot clearly if you have a messy writing.

Just meeting a new person can be scary, so I feel for you.

I brought in about 10 pages of past experiences that I thought fit and did not fit AS profile traits. I have a real problem with being asked questions...go blank of they are even close to being "ambigious" and they often are to me.

Then he just asked me a bunch of questions about particualr traits I might recall from childhood to present. There were 8 basic criteria seperated into 2 sections of 4 questions each. One section, you need to be at least one...the other section, you need to be at least 2. He said I had 7 out of 8 but I don't know if I agree with his interpretation about 2 of those. (I think I am very empathetic and I don't totally freak out about change....just some changes)

Anyway. we met 3 times and it wasn't to painful, just uncomfortable.

I hope you are seeing someone that specializes in adult AS. I would never trust someone who only sees AS kids or is a general psychologist...they just seem to have a lot of stereotpes about AS, that no longer fit current research.

As far as family or friends thinking your normal....lol. For one thing, they do get "used to us", it's a desensitizing thing. I also am very different around people I know and trust. They have learned to read me and I them to a much bigger degree then a stranger, (we do cognitively work out these things over time). So, they are the least likely to see our AS traits. It's frustrating because I could point out traits to my mom and she would agree with them but then say....but that is just because you are insensitive, lazy, not trying hard enough, seeking attention, "fill in the blank". Frustrating but they are not the ones making the DX, so....

Good luck. Hope you get someone who is empathetic and has some theory of mind, (I have noticed this lacking in many NTs when it comes to people with AS )

They will definately avoid giving an Asperger's diagnosis in those over 16. You have to actually bring it up, then they will ask you questions about your childhood and such as that. Never the less, they won't give an adult an asperger's diagnosis easily. Unless, of course, you have a child with a diagnosis.

There are several adults her, myself included, who have DX. I didn't go out of my way to get one, just showed up, so perhaps this is changing?

Well, when I was a teenager or kid, AS was not really anything people went to the psychologist for or knew about that much. Since it's been 12 years since I've seen a psychologist (and the first time was brief)--I'd say that if I do have it, I just slipped through the cracks, that's all.

Well, I feel encouraged to write down things now. Maybe I will share it with you all.

That is what happened to me as well. I stopped even trying to get help from psychologist around 1991....mostly they just said I was depressed with anxiety and they missed the social anxiety because I had been more social from 16-26 because I drank to be around people. They did believe "something" traumatic had happened to me that I was surpressing...I think it was having unDXed aspergers.

As far as structuring your memories...I found it helpful to ask my mom some specific questions about traits when I was younger. She remembered way more then I did about my issues with other people. Mostly, I had just not recalled peers and thought they had just avoided me...she says it was the opposite...I seemed to be indifferent or avoid them and be off in my head(or a book).

I worte out every question from the RDOS test(even though it isn't 'scientific for DX),it did give me a format to work from. You can also look up the criteria from Wikki for the DX to get the 8 criteria and write your memories based on that...what fits and what doesn't. I think it helped me to have something to help me catagorize my experiences. I think it's important to try and mention not just the "behavior" but as much of the internal motivation for the behavior as you can recall. Some things can look like Psychological" until they understand it was about sensory over load, (for me it was clothes issues, loud screaming kids and getting water on my face).
Good luck.

this is the same for me. I'm not sure if I have AS or not but I need someone's help and my family isnt very good at that

I went to a psych appointment about 6 months ago before I even heard about AS. He didn't DX me with anything, I just went because I was in a weird slump.

They know you'll be nervous and they are very good at alleviating that problem. Psych doctors have a genuine interest (at least i hope they all do), not just a professional interest. The guy I went to was very relaxing and knew what to say when I didn't have anything to say, and knew exactly what to tell me to make me feel a lot better.

Don't be nervous, hopefully it will be rather enjoyable. Afterall, someone is giving you attention and you can talk about anything you want!

UGH, now it's less than a day and I swear, I think it's partly why I was so restless last night that I barely slept a wink. I am such a chicken and I see myself just cancelling the whole appointment or not showing up! I just HATE talking about myself or opening up to people I don't know (and people I do know). I wish I didn't have to do this alone. I feel like I want someone with me, is that weird or what...but I know this is my thing. I have to do it alone, right?

I guess you have to do it alone.. If the psychologist hasnt said anything about you being able to bring someone? Maybe you could ask if its ok to bring someone?

some professionals actually prefer that you have someone else who knows you there, especially family members who knew you as a kid.

I went to the firsst appt. by myself and was very frstrated when I was asked "abstract questions"...the next two appt. I brought my boyfriend. He knows me well and I prefer being with him when I am in public. I think it helped me feel more relaxed. He also serves like those service dgs they have for people who "freeze" when they are walking,(they step on the persons foot and it sort of wakes them up to continue walking...he does that for me when I become "mute" when confused about a question.
Well, it's har for me to explain...but he seems to be able to trigger me out of my "trance" and get me talking again.

Let us know how it goes...don't cancle....you will regret it.

When I was seeing a psych to get a Dx. i was a little nervous, but nothing out of the ordinary. The doctor didn't ask me question after question but just talked to me about my life at home, school and the occassional question about my past. She gave me examples of different scenarios and asked me what I would do in that situation, and also what I thought the characters were thinking and feeling. I'd say that my mother had to answer more questions than I did. She also had to do a LOT of paper work and voice-recorded interviews with a psychiatrist about my past.
It wasn't as bad as I thought it was going to be. The psychiatrist who was evaluating me was nice and I was more relaxed than I thought I would have been. I didn't write anything down before the evaluation as I just told myself that I would answer any questions directed at me as best as possible.

I would think that depending on who evaluates you, you may either find it ok or get nervous. Remember also that you have a right to choose a doctor, so if you don't get along with the one who initially assess you, you can ask to see another one.

Good luck! I'm in a similar position to you. I'm also 27 and at the moment I'm waiting for my referral to come through. Let us know how it went.

Hey what you exactly mean?

I am not positive what you mean by "what d you mean"? but I will try and expand my answer.

Adults often "present" AS traits differently then children. Some of us have learned how to make eye contact, improved our vocal intonations, learned to tolerate certain sensitivities. An individual who is trained to look for traits like rocking, may not realize that the individual "use" t rock but has learned how to find a more socially acceptable stim....playing with your hair, rubbing your skin. It can be more subtle. Some have learned some communication skills just through constantly being forced to interact with people. In this way, I believe some AS traits can be suppressed and NT traits "faked". Some people might assume..."whats the problem then. If you can fake it, you should be able to function like an NT." The importance is in that it takes energy to "fake" something that comes naturally to an NT. This can cause problems in relationships and work, where you have to "fake" for hours on end.

Someone who is practiced in adult assessments, realizes this and will ask about childhood behavior and see beneath the mask we have learned to wear in public. I have also talked with some DR's who say they understand aspergers but don't think the person has it because they can talk and aren't banging their heads ....in other words, they are not only clueless but unaware of their own ignorance.