Does This Mean I'm Officially "Diagnosed"?

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Up until my last visit with my psychiatrist, I have accepted that I am Aspie when it suited me. Here's a brief description of my "diagnosis" path:

1. I joined Wrongplanet.net in 2008 because I felt an affinity with others here, especially the social fears and loneliness. I do not have a conventional social life. It is all "structured." (safe), i.e., in dance classes, Friday night dances, zen weeklong dance camps, band practice, zen retreats, and online. I have improved my social skills through these venues, but I rarely have friends over or have people I can confide in. I have had boyfriends from time to time and was even married twice (they were not good matches for me). This has led to depression and the medications have brought on bipolar symptoms, which I now have to deal with. Maybe the friendship issues are enough to qualify me. In addition, I am clearly focused on limited interests: dancing, zen, and blues harmonica. I like to keep my days structured and pretty much the same. I monologue with people and have a hard time getting myself out of too much detail that I may be mired in. I work as a technical writer (wonder if this exacerbates my Aspie issues). And I tend to be blunt, even in important matters. (However, I do not stim or have physical sensitivities.)

2. Shortly after joining, Alex Plank made a trip to LA where I lived at the time and he stayed at the Zen Center I lived at. It was a great visit, and I enjoyed spending time with him, sightseeing and attending the talk he gave, and my housemates enjoyed meeting him. During that time he confirmed that I did have Aspergers. Again, Alex is probably the world expert on the subject, and may be enough to qualify me.

3. Recently I took the online tests. (BTW, one of the links was broken and the Freindship test did not return results, but they were obvious to me by the questions). I learned that, in addition to my friendship challenges, I am also highly pragmatic and an extreme systemizer. However, I have a high emotional IQ, good face and voice emotional recognition and I'm a strong empathizer, and I am NOT highly sensitive through physical senses (I guess this is what threw me off before.).

4. I am frequently attracted to guys who seem to me to have Aspergers. Am I imagining it? Is that the type of guy I feel comfortable with? I live in the greater silicon valley....it's said to be epidemic up here.....

5. I recently saw my psychiatrist for my emotional meds. (I'm proud to say that I need a very low dose. Obviously, I'm helping in other ways with these...meditation, exercise, taking care of financial and physical issues, socializing in structured ways at lease.) She said that it only requires one or two of the symptoms to be strong enough to qualify and that she agrees that i am Aspie.

So, does the last recognition by the psychiatrist (I don't think she concentrates on Aspergers in her practice, but of course has the usual education in it), does this qualify me to say that I am "Officially Diagnosed."?

Frankly, I think my own "diagnosis" (which my very astute psychiatrist acknowledged) and Alex's are the most valuable. Would like to hear others' opinions as well.

Best,

WonderWoman
Socially Aloof, Extreme Systemizer, Trance Addict (dance, Zen, music)

Pretty sure it's been said on here that if you think you are, you probably are. That's the fact of the matter. You asked if you are "officially diagnosed" now and that's another question all together.

You aren't officially diagnosed until you've taken the tests, been evaluated, or otherwise given a paper signed by your doctor saying that is what your diagnosis is. I've now been officially diagnosed as an Aspie twice- and the "bad" psychologists and such refuse to acknowledge either diagnosis. I'm still trying though.

The good news is that an official diagnosis isn't necessary unless you are wanting work accomodations, or disability. For either of those you will need a formal diagnosis.

That's cool that you got to talk to Alex Plank though.

If she wrote it down then you are probably considered diagnosed. I'd ask for a written copy and see if she will just do it or if there is further evaluating to be done.