Where and how to get diagnosed?

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I was wondering if i could get some advice on where and how to seek a diagnoses. I have been doing some research on what makes me 'different' from others, because it has always been obvious, and i came across Asperger/Autism. I am Positive that this is what i have, but i have no clue how to go about getting a diagnoses for it, as i do not have a doctor or psychiatrist (nor do i really have the extra money to seek out some financially taxing professional, if there is an alternative).

Thanx

Go to your closest GP and ask for a referral to be diagnosed by a specialist. It's usually a psychiatrist or clinical psychologist.
It is a bit pricey but they may be a ways to work around it. I saved a bit on my assessment because I paid a gap fee.
Good luck!

Last edited by pensieve on 26 Jan 2009, 11:45 pm, edited 1 time in total.

hi alex - i went to your website and checked out what you are going through. good luck.
when you go to suss out for a dx - be very careful to stipulate you want to see a SPECIALIST in Asperger's SYndrome or ASD's.. ... it really is not enough to just get a referral to a psychiatrist or a psychologist -- you would be surprised how ignorant most in those professions are about autistic spectrum disorders. many of them are referring to old information that is way out of date.

at all times and at every stage, do not settle for anything less than a specialist on AS and ASD's. i cannot stress this enough.

those who are not familiar with our life experiences and our slightly altered views of the world will try to minimise and discount and will not understand the emphatic nature of who you are. if you start raving about a love for pebbles they will not cue into the fact that you are communicating abou tYOUR WOLRD IN YOUR WAY and they will not understand teh intensiities you have. i us that pebble as a mere example, but i suspect you will undertsand what i am saying. THey will perceive obsession as a 'problemtatic state" and they will psychopathologise and can often misdiagnose.
i have a stream of misdiagnoses. and i am also a fairly complex presentation.

i would suggest you also start a thread in the discussion forum asking if anyone knows of specialists in your specific area. was it Iowa? people can then see it clearly and respond.

good luck.

Last edited by millie on 26 Jan 2009, 11:41 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Hi Alex,

Just want to echo what Millie said about seeing an AS specialist. Do not settle for anyone else. A number of us have some really awful stories to tell about clueless professionals.

If you need to get a referral from your GP or any other provider, they may very well try to discount your perceptions of yourself. Don't let yourself get put off by someone doing this. If you're seeking professional, outside verification of what you know to be true about yourself, the only opinion worth listening to is that of an AS specialist.

Here's a list of AS specialists in order of the U.S. state in which they practice:

http://www.aspergers.com/asplist.htm

I found the doc who diagnosed me from this list, so perhaps you will have luck with it as well.

All the best to you, and keep posting...

Oh, i thought this was the general discussion forum for ASDs. And i am from Cincinnati Ohio. I will definitely not accept anything but an ASD professional.

Thanx for the tips.

oh, it is the general discsusion we were in. i just meantot put IOWA in your post title to garner an exact match from someone. Nesh is onto it though. good luck.

I am surprised that Plank (Alex) has not integrated that list into this site as a wiki of some sort. I think that would be a great idea...

yeah good point. we need oen from australia too.

and i know i will never do it because of my executive dysfunction issues.