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GreenShadow
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25 Jul 2012, 5:23 pm

Give me advice - should I go for formal diagnosis?

Let me explain:
I was diagnosed by my psychiatrist, and by my psychologist: they are sure that's Asperger
(they are good specialists who helped me a lot)

but

I'm not absolutely sure... don't know why (probably just another obsession - I always had obsession in systematics and perfect scientific data)

so

I could go for absolutely formal diagnosis

but

because in this country Asperger/autism spectrum equals disability, formal diagnosis is made only in few chosen places - so you need to wait a long time for this, with a billions of problems


summarizing

Should I trust my therapists? (and kick out the idea that they could be wrong)

or should I go to formal way?? (with all it's problems)


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kirayng
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25 Jul 2012, 5:43 pm

GreenShadow wrote:
Give me advice - should I go for formal diagnosis?

Let me explain:
I was diagnosed by my psychiatrist, and by my psychologist: they are sure that's Asperger
(they are good specialists who helped me a lot)

but

I'm not absolutely sure... don't know why (probably just another obsession - I always had obsession in systematics and perfect scientific data)

so

I could go for absolutely formal diagnosis

but

because in this country Asperger/autism spectrum equals disability, formal diagnosis is made only in few chosen places - so you need to wait a long time for this, with a billions of problems


summarizing

Should I trust my therapists? (and kick out the idea that they could be wrong)

or should I go to formal way?? (with all it's problems)


Who is more qualified than these professionals (bolded in your post)? I was diagnosed by a clinical psychologist that specializes in ASDs. I am thinking that's as formal as it gets in the U.S. Which country are you in?

Edited to add: Autism can cause a person to be disabled, but in the U.S. it's not a disability per se. In the U.S. you prove you're disabled from your conditions not because you have a condition. Is it different where you are?



nominalist
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25 Jul 2012, 6:50 pm

If you see a therapist, make sure that she or he specializes in developmental disorders or Autism.


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GreenShadow
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26 Jul 2012, 5:53 am

Quote:
Who is more qualified than these professionals (bolded in your post)? I was diagnosed by a clinical psychologist that specializes in ASDs. I am thinking that's as formal as it gets in the U.S. Which country are you in?


I just know that it will be hard to explain

I'm living in Poland

As I said, as far I'm diagnosed by clinical psychologists and psychiatrist - and they are absolutely sure about diagnosis


Let me explain what is "formal diagnosis"

Here, "problems" such as autism spectrum are labelled "disabilities" - so are under care of social security

Because of that, there's difference between "formal" and "standard" diagnosis

Standard is made by psychiatrist or psychologist with appropriate specialization and written to your medical papers - but it's labelled as "specialist opinion" - and can be questioned by another specialist (the same way as two doctors may argue about the patient's illness)


"Formal" is made by psychiatrist, psychologist and neurologist, only in few certified by social security medical centers (I know, that's crazy), and written to your social security data - and with "formal" diagnosis you can apply for privileges for handicapped persons


That's why I've got so may doubts about this "formal" way


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LittleDarwin
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29 Jul 2012, 6:12 pm

If I were you, I would probably only go for the formal diagnosis if I felt I was going to potentially need the benefits or protections provided by the governmental designation.

Your message sounds like your need is more internal. In medical diagnoses, it is often good to get a second opinion, and you already have that. If I were you, and the need was internal, I would deal with it by relying on my trust of the doctors who made the diagnosis. I hope you have enough confidence in those professionals to accept their findings, if that is what you need.

But, if you need more, I hope you have the patience you need to get you through the process.



nonneurotypical
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10 Aug 2012, 8:09 am

GreenShadow wrote:
...
I'm not absolutely sure... don't know why (probably just another obsession - I always had obsession in systematics and perfect scientific data)
...

If you have no real reason to question the diagnosis other than an innate drive to achieve the most precise measure, I'd say that alone is enough to assure me that Asperger syndrome describes you! :)

If you are questioning the diagnosis because you don't think you have an sort of condition and the psychologist and psychiatrist are the ones with the problem, then maybe it is something else...

Unless there is some sort of downside to pursuing the formal diagnosis, then I think you should do it. What do you have to lose other than some uncertainty, maybe a little time, and some effort? It doesn't sound like you need the formal diagnosis in any hurry, so even if it takes a while and requires some effort to get to the location and so on, take your time and do it in the most practical way you can.

Even if you don't need the benefits now, you never know when you might find yourself in a position to need the benefits that would require the formal diagnosis. You might also be furthering the cause of research by adding your information to the pool.


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