Soon to be diagnosed, need advice please.

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Hello,
I'm soon going to be seeing a therapist for the first time, I'm pretty nervous about it.

I have strong suspicions that I have Aspergers.
Almost everything I've read about it fits me perfectly and it was actually a real relief to be able to frame what I'm going through under one 'umbrella' of sorts.
It truly resonated with me like nothing else ever has...and never before could I sum up my many issues with one single word.

So here's the dilemma:

Do I go in to the therapist and say "Pleased to meet you, I think I have Aspergers, lets find out if that's what I have."
Or
Do I avoid self-diagnosis (Since I've heard its frowned upon by medical professionals) and simply hope that the therapist gets around to considering Aspergers eventually.

I mean I don't want to waste my time or thiers, and I'd really like to cut to the chase, so to speak.

Not sure how to go about the whole thing from a social sense...and I'm getting pretty anxious.

Thanks in advance!

i would say open with everything you have, face value, open face, et al, etc

let them make their own determinations; after all, they are professionals
but don't let them talk you into anything yer uncomfortable with... ever

my own experience has been that a diagnosis (dx) is a commodity
that they know people will be happy to waste their time on chasing
sorry to seem so pessimistic, but i've been hunting for services =o.

I'd go ahead and tell him your suspicions; that'll allow him to direct his questioning and not waste time gathering information that may not be helpful. Don't be nervous; the therapy session I went to (where I got my initial diagnosis and a suggestion to get legally tested) was a very comfortable experience. The therapist isn't judging you on what you're saying, and they're there to help.

Thanks for the replies so far.

I guess I'll do my best to be direct and voice my suspicions.

Any other advice to add would be welcome.

I agree, be direct, but seek a specialist in ASD if you don't feel confident that the diagnosis offered doesn't feel right. Also, be careful of meds.

Yes! thank you. I plan to avoid meds unless its a last resort once all other options have been tried and exhausted.

I went to a new psychiatrist asking for conformation on a current diagnosis. I told him I wasn't comfortable with what I have been labeled and needed a new perspective. During the hour long conversation he asked me what I thought it should be and I told him that I suspected Asperger's and was not sure about the bipolar. He agreed with AS. Now, I'm a Bipolar II Aspie.

I consider it best to choose a good doctor and trust him.self diagnosis is not a good thing, I agree with Freud on this topic. (others are free to disagree, that's my opinion)

The problem is: some people go to the doctor to demand a diagnosis, and get upset if the doctor disagree. A diagnosis is a medical evaluation, not a club Id.

On the other side, nothing prevents you to voice your suspicions. Go ahead, speak your mind, but don't demand it. Listen to the doctors reasoning. Maybe you have it, maybe not.

I'd be happy not to have an asd diagnosis. Sadly, that was not the case.

Good luck.

I was seeing a therapist that got very upset with me for suggesting that *I* knew myself better than she did, so I found a new one

For the new one, I just made a list of all of my AS traits. When they asked me why I came to see them, I said it's because I think I might have AS, and gave her the list of traits. She made a photocopy and informed me that they have an AS specialist in their office. So, I'll be seeing the specialist who will supposedly just confirm that I'm not imagining my traits. I should have a diagnosis within a few sessions so that they can cut to the chase and start some behavioral therapy. This new office is VERY different from the last one I was going to. They are not interested in wasting anyone's time, and they seem to have a lot of respect for what I have to say about myself.

I guess my point is that if you find that your therapist doesn't approach your situation in the way that you would like...there's probably a better fit for you elsewhere.

Great advice, thank you.
I can't say that I 'want' a diagnosis, I just want to figure this problem out.
It sure would be nice to have something concrete to work with.
So far I've been aimlessly wandering through life without really understanding what my problems are, and always being an outside observer of life.
Being able to identify the problem and having support for it will be a big deal for me.

Let me put things in a positive light for a moment:
I'm not even sure 'problem' is the right word.
I like how my brain works in a lot of ways. I often see things other people don't.
I can focus on topics for a long period of time and really figure things out. I feel like I can freely flip between right brain thinking and left brain thinking with little effort. I did really well in school. I've been told I would massively benefit any field I chose to focus on. (now if I could only sort the social problems)
So its not all bad, for sure. I want to work on the negatives but certainly not lose the positives.
I'm sure many of you can relate to this...and being an Aspie does have its upside!

its simple man this is what i did in 6 steps.

1.I drove to the mental health clinic
2.Saw the psychiatrist ( was nervous of course)
3.Told her i think i have aspergers
4.Told her why i think i have aspergers
5.Left the mental health clinic with a new appointment time to start testing for aspergers.
6.Drove home and cooked a barbeque (was magnificent)