To be or not to be that is the question that wasn't answered

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Went to the shrinkologist today to discuss wether I have Aspergers or something, something.

I got a 'very probably you are on the autistic spectrum'.

I guess they can't just tip you upside down and see if you have an ASD sticker on your bum but I expected something a bit more, solid. One way or the other.

Need more time, need some tests. Yada yada yada.

Then again it took me 52 years to figure it out. Maybe I should cut them some slack

How long does this sort of thing normally take??

Depends. For me, an initial evaluation, then three days of testing. Some people have been diagnosed after fifteen minutes, though really I think that's irresponsible of the doctor not to do a more thorough check of their symptoms. People who have really obvious, textbook cases might be diagnosed pretty quickly... but you're 52, and you've obviously gotten along somehow without a diagnosis, so your case is probably going to be a bit tougher for them to evaluate. They probably aren't used to diagnosing autism in anybody old enough to get a driver's license.

Trying to diagnose adults causes them to shoot sparks and spin in random circles. They have no idea what they are doing in that realm, so you have to know it even more. In my case, I brought in a stack of supporting documents including all my school records, psychiatric history, self-tests, work history, etc., etc. and so the doctor gave in under the pressure. It helped that on top of it all I repeated myself under my breath and flapped my hands the entire time.

Last edited by dyingofpoetry on 15 Sep 2012, 2:02 am, edited 1 time in total.

To be or not to be? The question really should be 'am I or am I not?' 'To be' relegates the questioner to a choice. Autism isn't a choice. Some would say it's a curse.

Thanks Callista, I was thinking my doctor really has no idea but perhaps I should look through her eyes. She didn't seem to want to come right out and say things outright. She fluffed around the edges of things like a confused butterfly near a plastic flower. At least now I have some rough time frame to look at. I'll assume my diagnosis may take longer than three days given she will need to get past my learned NT traits. Be like peeling an orange with multiple skins I'd imagine.



So using the Co2 extinguisher on her wasn't the right thing to do .
I must admit I felt like I had to play the game to get the result I wanted.
I took 7 pages of typed notes I made over the last 2 weeks, a letter from my Mum (yes I'm serious) describing my childhood through her eyes.
Holding my hands tightly together to stop my finger to thumb stimming may have been a mistake then...
I have this image of you floating like a humming bird beside a stack of paperwork, your hands moving in a blur. Floating in the doctors office and the doctor, an older guy with thick black glasses, hand stroking chin thoughtfully and a thought bubble saying "Hmmm" above him.




Redrobin62. You are completely correct in what you say. I was attempting to inject some sort of lame humour into the post's topic by using the opening phrase of a soliloquy in William Shakespeare's play Hamlet. I seem to have failed
Or were you being sarcastic, in which case I didn't see the sign
Link

A psych who is not sure is not a problem. She is not sure and wants to test you further or have moar time to find out moar of your traits, such as by observing your behaviors, reactions, etc. She doesn't know you as well as you do, so she needs moar time and information.

The problematic therapist is the one who says, "You went to college, so you can't possibly be autistic."

It really depends on the doctor, the methodology, the patient, the tests, etc. I wasn't diagnosed until I was about 15-16 something like that, but in my case, the condition didn't have a name and wasn't well known yet.