What has your experience of diagnosis been like?

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Hi,

I first discovered wrong planet about four years ago. It was then that I realised there may be a reason as to why I found it hard to fit into society. After some research, it was pretty obvious that I was on the Autistic Spectrum.

I joined again recently as I think it is time I got some help. I don't have a job, find it hard to get one, I don't have relationships, I don't have friends, living at my parents place, I find being around people draining after a while. If I do go out it is usually for a walk by myself in the countryside. It is like my life has been on hold since I left college in 2001. As a result I just haven't had the life experience of someone my age. I don't even identify with my age, 34 is just a number to me. I feel as though I'm still in my early twenties.

I'm in the Scottish Borders and think it's about time I got a diagnoses. I'm just wondering what kind of help there is for someone in my position, first medically, secondly, is there any help with things like housing/benefits?

Hi, Welcome to Wrong Planet!

Now, I myself am self-diagnosed and am comfortable being self-diagnosed. What the Autism Spectrum gives to me is a conceptual whole which explains a lot of both the good and bad aspects of my life. And I really hope the Spectrum develops in the Civil Rights model where we have effective self-advocacy groups, as well as social support by decent governments. I want us to have both.

I have also struggled a lot with jobs. I have actually done better at the higher jobs like professional furniture sales or tax preparation, where I can slightly vary what I say and pay attention to what works and what doesn't. The entry-level, supposed "easy" jobs are among the worse, absentee management, bullying by co-workers, corporate environment which doesn't make sense, expecting you to be perfect cardboard worker drone.

I am the story/narrative/social studies kind of aspie (for example, if there's a movie which touches my heart, I can discuss it with someone who saw it two days ago even though I saw it five years ago). I'm not sure something like tax prep for a mathematical aspie, as I really think most of it is narrative and the conversation.

Occasional clubs like a chess club or a humanist club have been things I've enjoyed. I've also got a lot out pursuing my intellectual projects on the Internet including contributing to wikipedia articles (even though most people there seem interested in the formality of the writing rather than the content!).

And, after living on my own for 20+ years with a fair amount of financial help from my family, I have been back living with my parents since Oct. 2008, and it has been difficult at times.

Family can be difficult, especially when they refuse to try to understand where you are coming from. Mine just don't want to know. It seems they will only believe something if comes from an 'official' source.

I know what I am. I just don't have the capacity to communicate it with others. That is why I think a diagnoses could help. Has anyone else in the UK been diagnosed? Or elsewhere. What has you experience been?

note: I don't know anything about this topic outside of my own experience with psych assessments, diagnosis, and treatment strategies.

Autism spectrum wasn't the reason I originally went to see my doctor for help. It was depression. Depression and anxiety. I started on meds for those things while I waited on waiting list for psych assessment. Suppose I should add here that I live in Canada and went through the public system for all of it. Did psych assessment but was not immediately diagnosed with anything. Instead I was referred for neuropsychological testing for possible OCD, various personality disorders, and autism. Another wait on waiting list. Did neuropsych testing, was finally diagnosed with AS, OCD, and Dysthymia.

My psychiatrist and I fiddled around with my medication mixture to a certain degree and I start cognitive behavioural therapy with a therapist, primarily for the OCD related issues. CBT has been very helpful to me for the problems I was specifically trying to correct. I believe my therapist is just about ready to cut me loose, and I feel okay about that. Improvements have been made and I am grateful. As for medication, it's looking like I may need meds for the rest of my life. That is also okay.

I have not sought out any sort of autism specific treatment plan, nor do I plan to. It is my understanding that that is available to me should I want to try it, but I don't see much value in it. It is the OCD and depression that are the more acute problems for me.

No clue about housing/benefits, I'm afraid. Thankfully I am functional enough to support myself in that regard.

Hello there.

My experience of getting diagnosed was from getting referred from my GP to a clinic up in London. Although the process was mostly dealt with by my mother while i was at university, i understand it took a long time (9months) for the appointment to actually roll around, and then took almost the same amount of time for a actual report on the appointment to roll in.
This was about 4 years ago though, NHS has probably changed in that time.

So yeah step 1) see your GP.

I tried and after realizing I knew more than the 'expert', I had two choices: pay $700-$1000 to someone who can diagnose properly to prove what I already know or just remain semi-diagnosed and realize that's the best I can get given my financial state. Given there is zero help offered, I took the obvious choice.

My GF is being assessed for Autism and/or Learning Disabilities and it's going to take months and cost the above mentioned price. Luckily she has a good insurance plan that I lack. Simply not worth it at my age but it would have saved me years of heartaches had I known as a teenager.