Turns out I don’t have AS

Post Reply New Topic

I was finally able to see a specialist earlier today, and he virtually said that he doesn’t think I have AS or any other PDD. He said severe anxiety and clinical depression (which are the only conditions that I have been diagnosed with) could account for all of my symptoms, including my stimming-like behaviors.

I’m not too sure how I feel about it yet. I guess it not too many would choose to have a PDD if they had the choice, but on the other hand, I wish I had a better reason to not fit in socially.

Either way, I don’t see myself posting here very often anymore, unless I get a different opinion someday in the future. Despite the fact that most of you on here do have some form of PDD, most of you still seem to be happier than me, and for that you all have my respect. You guys have been an inspiration to me, and I have enjoyed most of my time on here.

So, you just went to see someone and that was it? If that's so, I'd get a second opinion

Oh yeah, somehow I left this out of my original post. Self-diagnosing yourself with a condition as complicated as AS isn’t always the best way to go. Although the experts themselves aren’t perfect, they are much more qualified to make these types of calls then we are. If you suspect that you may have AS, please go see a specialist.

I went to get two opinions (several more after that)

First one said I definitely didn't have a PDD or any symptoms similar to it. Just a BPD, maybe mood disorders and stuff.

Second, third, forth professional said I am easy to spot and obviously on the spectrum. AS or HFA, no PD or mood disorders or anything like that except for ADHD as co-morbid.

Don't let some lousy Dx (or lack thereof) rule your life. Post here if you enjoy the people. Hang here if you feel like you fit in. You're not a suddenly different person no matter what a Psychologist does or doesn't tell you.

I don't see it that way. It might seem "complicated" to THEM because they're idiots. To me, it's like breathing.

The last shrink I saw said that he couldn't do anything for me in one or two visits. He needed a long-term relationship and he needed to see my symptoms before he could diagnose anything. Sorry, I don't have that kind of money, I don't want the drugs, and I can't do the song and dance they're looking for. I'm an Aspie. I don't do choreography. I'm sorry if I'm not entertaining enough for you.

I'm too high functioning to be diagnosed and, after fifty years, I've learned a few tricks. Like for face recognition -- If it matters, I can silently recite words, like "old guy, shorter than me, full head of hair, blue shirt..." I can pass any test they throw at me in the isolation of a shrink's office. As if those baby tests could mean anything in my case...

Then again, I don't need some stupid shrink's permission. After a half-century, this is the first thing what has really made sense in my life. I'm in, and I don't give a damn if I'm never properly diagnosed. It works for me.

Amen!! !

Hey Tahitiii, I'm with you. It's like we have established raport but thats not possible for Aspies so maybe we are just equally angry for the same reasons.

It says something about your character that you're able to come on here and write about your evaluation. Also, you're completely correct about the self-diagnosing thing. You would think it would be common sense, but I guess some don't want to face that. If I wasn't diagnosed, I wouldn't be hanging around here. It's like hanging around a bi-polar board or something; what's the point if you don't have it?

As for those telling Hester386 to go see another person, I somewhat disagree. If it wasn't a specialist saying so, than yes, I would see someone else. Otherwise, it starts to become label hunting.

That sounds reasonable to me though.

Because I interpret this literally? You just cannot figure out a correct diagnosis in about 45 minutes.

That would be very irresponsible and would probably result in misdiagnosis, because professionals would probably just go with anything that comes to their mind instead of actually trying to help you figure out how you might or might not be different.

Might have been meant non-literal though I suppose.

Hester, please stick around. I also have lots of social problems and this is the best forum where I can feel free to be myself.

I think there should be another diagnosis for those who don't have all the main catagories of traits, such as mild aspergers, but not that mouthfull PDD-NOS. How would the so called experts like to wear that label? The specialists are often wrong as they get some fixed idea about who qualifies for a diagnosis that doesn't take into account the debilitating effects of social awkwardness when combined with other problems such as dyspraxia, executive dysfunction, difficulties knowing how to put together sentences etc. One so called specialist won't diagnose anyone who has a relationship or even a woman who has had a baby. Has she never heard of men taking advantage of gullible females? This is in direct contradiction to the diagnostic criteria and yes I've been on her web site where she states her relationship position.

I think that without any real treatments it's pretty pointless getting a diagnosis unless it is needed to claim some sort of disabiliy allowance. We know what our strengths and weaknesses are, we know our history, we know who we are without someone trying to squeeze us into a box when they've only seen us for a few hours.

No one even knows what ASD's are. There are 133 different genetic differences found so far according to Baron-Cohen. Each of us may only have 10 to 20 of those so that my symptoms might be very different from anyone else.

Trust yourself. You are a unique individual with many good and not so good traits like all of us and I see you've made nearly 300 posts so PLEASE stay.

The literal interpretation was correct.
But I neglected to mention a few details.
I'm unemployable, and need the diagnosis for employment services. I need money to get the diagnosis, need a job to get money, need a diagnosis to get a job... I also neglected to mention the 22 page letter I sent before my appointment and the history of wasted time with other shrinks. And the fact that there's nothing to see in the isolation of a doctor's office. For one thing, I'm not a head-banger. And I'm not a big talker. If he could work with me through e-mail, we might get somewhere, but in-person therapy is worthless for me. For another thing, there's nothing wrong with me. It's the rest of the world that's crazy.

I figure I'm the best judge, since I'm the only one in here.

If everyone took the time to look through every entry in the DSM, they would eventually find some disorder in which they satisfied every criterion for diagnosis. If you went to enough specialists you will eventually get the diagnosis you want. But why do this?

Why the insistence on a positive diagnosis? Go on with life, make the best of your strengths and don't let your deficits, real or imagined, define you.

If there is one condition that I'm sure everyone is suffering from, it's the human condition.

Don't go hester! Or if you do go, come back on and off like I do. Doesn't matter if you're aspie or not, if you know you're different then you're different anyway; these conditions are a spectrum, so there's no clear divisive line saying AS or not AS. And this forum is for everyone and anyone anyway.

I reckon if I went to a specialist today to get diagnosed, they'd say I was an NT and I was wasting their time. Sometimes I wonder if I would have been better off if I'd grown up undiagnosed... sometimes I think my parents coddle me too much, and underestimate me... but never mind that, can't change the past.

Once you're this age, diagnosis is no longer a sure thing anyway.

i dont really know you, but i dont think you should leave! you look like a cool guy. and also just because one person thinks you have this or that doesnt mean you cant post here
edit again, to fix what was already there that i saw wrong
edit. sorry, major error in spelling, im tired

Last edited by richardbenson on 15 May 2009, 4:43 am, edited 2 times in total.

hester, please hang around. I was misdiagnosed several times by the "experts."