Self-diagnosed people: why have you not obtained...

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...an official diagnosis?

Just an opportunity to explain without people jumping up and down and yelling about Wikipedia.

I am professionally diagnosed, but when I wasn't, my main problems were

- Money, lack of, needed to pay highly competent, trained, professional

- Executive functioning issues getting in the way of actually making an appointment

- Communication difficulties getting in the way of actually making an appointment

- The highly competent, trained, professional's constant misattribution of AS symptoms as being caused by anxiety rather than being the cause of anxiety

I'm in the process of seeing about an ADHD diagnosis, mainly so I can see if medication might help me bring some order to my chaos (not too much hopefully)

Out of curiosity what is the process of getting an official diagnoses? Do I make an appointment with any psychotherapist?

I find simply organizing and motivating myself and getting up and doing stuff, making phone calls and stuff just doesn't happen unless I make a tremendous effort. I also knew my GP wasn't going to be overwhelmingly helpful, so that put me off. I tend to be someone who would rather struggle alone than attempt to get help, especially if getting help is going to be a hassle. But I persisted and got a referral.



With me, all my symptoms were attributed to depression.

This seems to be a hot topic on this forum. Maybe someone can help me:

If I'm an adult and don't need or want any help, why is it good to get a professional diagnosis?

I guess my answer is: I don't see the point.

It really depends on where you are in the world. It's different all over. In England you might go through your GP.

The main reason I have not got an official diagnosis is the lack of a psychologist in my area who specializes in AS.

That seems like a very good reason. I am someone who is all about the use value. Having a label in itself is no use at all.

Then the question arises: if you don't need help, why do you think you have a disability? Part of the diagnostic criteria is that it has to cause clinically significant impairments in social, occupational, or other important areas of functioning.

If you have autistic traits but they don't significantly impair you, Broader Autistic Phenotype may be a better match for you.

My sole professional diagnosis was during an irregular appointment with a psychiatrist (I went to her for Valium, which is something I only take during social situations). During one visit, I asked for a diagnosis, she said Asperger Syndrome, and then went on with what she was saying like it was no big deal.

To get an official AS diagnosis in Texas requires a battery of tests and and the opinion of lots of professionals. Though I am fully confident I have AS, I've never bothered with an official diagnosis for two reasons: First, since the psychiatrist left town, there isn't a mental health professional within 120 miles of me. Second, the only reason I can see to obtain an official diagnosis is to keep the bureaucrats happy. And since I'm not asking for special favors or handouts, it's none of the government's business.

Come to think of it, there's a third reason: It would change nothing for the better and be very expensive and time-consuming.

So a child on the spectrum who receives and thrives in early intervention can be cured of their autism because they learned how to function?

Just because an adult has taught themselves coping skills and can get along without assistance doesn't mean they are not impaired. It simply means they have learned to adapt. Adaptive behavior is not a cure.

As pathetic as it may sound, my main reason for not getting a diagnosis is because I do not want my family thinking I am disabled. First I need to be independent to avoid any suspicions of not being able to live on my own.

To be honest, I think I have already proven to them that I am as high functioning as any other guy my age, except when it comes to social interactions. But I always fear the worst possible outcome, no matter how unlikely it seems.

Other very important reasons include:

- I need to be sure the doctor knows what he is doing. A diploma does not automatically gives people god-like omniscience;
- I must find more than one competent professional, because I am not willing to accept the opinion of only one person, regardless of how that opinion fits my own self-diagnosis;
- money, my dear boy.

Besides, my only reason for wanting an official diagnosis is satisfying my own curiosity. I do not believe autism is a disability, therefore, I do not think I need a cure/treatment. OK, maybe I have a little depression, which may have been caused by the problems I had while growing up with autism, but I am adapting as I get older.

Granted, I still have more problems than I would like to, mainly in social functioning, but I will eventually get over them.

I don't have health insurance, and I don't have the money to pay out of pocket for an evaluation.

I self-diagnosed my ADHD when I was 17. I told my GP and he immediately prescribed Ritalin, so it wasn't necessary to get a psychological evaluation to get medication. Then I started college and they insisted I be evaluated, because they were hesitant to provide accomodations without an official diagnosis. They still didn't provide proper accomodations after I got it, so it accomplished nothing. Furthermore I found out later that telling my employers about my disability, did more harm than good, so I stopped telling anyone. I stopped taking medication a short time after I was diagnosed and have never needed counseling or treatment. It served no purpose whatsoever to get a professional diagnosis. Could it still turn out to be useful one day? Maybe, but I doubt it.

So what purpose would it serve to get an official diagnosis of AS/ASD? I am only looking for self-understanding. I am not looking for accomodations, and I am not seeking treatment.

I neither said nor implied that.
People can still have autistic neurology but not be impaired enough to qualify for a diagnosis.

Haven't gotten an official diagnosis because I'm not sure what the point would be. I'm almost 40 years old - there's no cure, and therapy, such as it is, seems to help mostly when you're younger, if at all. I'm not on any medication, and I get by in the world ok, I have a good job, make good money, so I don't need any financial aid. so how would it benefit me?

Although I am reasonably sure I have AS traits, I’m not currently looking for a formal diagnosis as I do not believe a diagnosis would add any value to my life. I have a diagnosis of dyslexia which offers me some protection at work; and my social problems and anxiety I am coping with quite well at the moment, although it’s fair to say this has not always been the case. When it comes to diagnosis I am quite reluctant to be labelled; and also quite mercenary. I am only really interested in a diagnosis if there is something in it for me. Otherwise I’m happy to believe what I believe and to hell with the rest of the world. I only got my dyslexia diagnosis because I got into some pretty serious trouble at work and so was forced into being tested. During my dyslexia assessment, I did take the opportunity to speak to the educational psychologist concerning AS and he seem to think it was likely I was on the spectrum somewhere. But I have no intention of pursuing this any further, unless I can think of a good, solid practical reason for doing so.