What not to do at your first psychologist appointment?

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i was referred to a psychologist by a local psychiatrist. this appointment is not the assessment but is supposed to be to give the doctor an idea of what tests, if any, to have me take at a subsequent appointment.

not only do i not like the very long drive there, nor meeting new people, nor being scrutinized, i'm not feeling quite well and my day will be starting before dawn.


i'd really like to know what to avoid doing or saying or wearing (i'm quite obsessing over this! being comfortable is important to me) if i want an honest and impartial, unbiased opinion.

i also would not mind constructive advice about what might help him diagnose me.


in lieu of any of the former, feel free to relate a humorous anecdote or joke as a distraction.

Just be yourself. Dress as you normally would (unless you're a nudist) and refrain talking about all of the voices in your head that keep telling you to KILL!! ! KILL!! ! KILL!! ! In all seriousness, how you normally dress tells them something about you. If you are spectrum, you are more likely to dress in certain ways. You will also present yourself in certain ways too. It's important they see the real you to see what they need to do to help you.

i don't think much i do is "normal"......... i guess i'll do what i usually do and pick something out of my folded laundry bin at random and reject it if it does not "feel right" at the moment....and hope i remember to wear or at least bring shoes.


as for the voices, they'll stay quiet unless somebody really pisses me off

What not to do... Lie... They cannot help you if you do

Yeah, just be honest. They've probably talked to people who were completely confused or totally overwhelmed by their emotions--they're not going to freak out if you're acting like your autistic self. It can be a bit tough to admit to the problems you usually hide to avoid worrying or unsettling the NTs around you, but it's okay to be honest. Also make sure you ask them what they think about your situation and your traits, so that you can check to be sure that you're saying what you mean to say, and they're hearing what you mean to say and interpreting it as you meant it. They are usually better at figuring out mixed-up communication than most NTs are, but they can still make mistakes.

Just wear whatever, so long as you're wearing a top, bottom, and shoes. Some buildings do require shoes, so--as you said, at least bring them. The psychologists/counselors will probably be wearing professional clothes, but that's because they're at work--the patients usually wear everyday clothes when they go to see them.

There isn't something to do or something not to do. Just be honest, and say the truth.

I believe you need to be honest for them to be able to help you.

It is important to know what your issues are or goals are as they will tend to drift off in a direction that is uninteresting or in some cases wrong and desperate for finding issues, for instance one of mine suggested that I had issues with my mother (lol at old Autism theories, before my diagnoses) and was concluded without a single solid incident or fact or ANYTHING. There were countless other issues that only came out later that were serious or relevant.

I've also got a lot of bad experiences with them.

For instance, as I am at any point at least thinking of suicide in general, but not planning to do it, it may not be very smart to mention it since it can lead to a lot of problems while it may not actually be an issue. Especially heavy medication may be prescribed to you. Best to stay clear here unless you are actually seriously considering suicide, then it is best to intervene because later on you will not feel the same.

Those psychologists do some weird things sometimes, a long time ago I admitted to using marijuana, the "big time" psychologist suggested to my parents to take me for a drug test, as if it was unrelated to the information he has received. Basically, get some trust first or get to know them better before you over commit to information.

i just got back from the appointment! had to travel 2 hours each way. but i remembered my shoes, even without having had enough coffee before leaving very early this morning.

the psychologist asked many basic questions, and after 40 minutes let me know that he'll have me take two separate two hour tests and informed me he won't bother with any cognitive testing. i've got to wait until nearly the end of december for the next appointment, though, but they put me on the stand-by list in case there is an opening before then. i hope there is an opening before then! i don't like such waiting.

the doctor wasn't forthcoming to say if he had an opinion or not, as to if he believes me to have asperger's. i would think that an intelligent doctor would not initiate testing if he didn't find due reason. am i right? or would he have a patient go through all the time and trouble of traveling that distance without some inclination towards a diagnostic hunch?

Y'know what's funny? My psychiatrist did the same thing--suggesting that I had issues with my mother--and she actually turned out to be right! My mom is the person who taught me what I "know" about disability, and in general, it wasn't too encouraging to learn that I was supposed to be some kind of pitiful thing whose life wasn't really worth living. My psychiatrist gave me the heads-up about that, and I'm glad she did, or I'd have had a tougher time challenging the things my mom unknowingly taught me about what it means to have a disability.

But, yes, you are very right--you have to make sure to direct the conversation toward the problems that are bothering you the most. Sometimes a counselor will hear "family problems" and, though your family problems are minor and your real problem is your difficulty with, for example, managing your meltdowns, they will focus on the family problems because that's what they're used to helping other patients deal with. It's especially annoying if you have a history of abuse that you've pretty much dealt with and put in the past; many counselors will just make the assumption that it's still bothering you, even if you worked through it just fine years ago. You can't even blame them for doing it, because abuse really is hard to deal with, and many people who need counseling do still have unresolved issues--but it's not a guarantee. I have to specifically state, with new professionals, that yes I had some experiences with abuse from my stepfathers, and yes, it hurt, but I've worked through that and it's a part of my past that doesn't control my present or my future.

I would say just try and explain every deatail that gives you stress in life..and try to inculde problems that make you feel the way you feel,so that whatever your problem is they can address it in the right way..as most of the time if you find it difficult to explain your problems they sometimes diagnose you with the wrong condition...so try and be yourself and just be honest.

It depends on what your psychologist is like. I recommend to wait with being completely open to him/her until you build a trust to him/her,

Tell them just what bothers you.

If you stim, better don´t tell him/her because he/she would probably want to cure you of it.

And remember, you don´t have obey your shrink in everything. He/she can give you an advice, but you know the best what helps you.

Good to hear you survive the initial appointment. Sounds like they'll do a full assessment for you later. I agree that just be yourself. Don't get drugged up. This is not job interview. I remember being frustrated in some of my tests, and told DH how I felt like an idiot for not doing them well. He said that's an aspie test, if I "failed" it that meant I passed with flying colors. I think the tests will help you to understand yourself better as well and find something fascinating. Like I was able to tell the distance from earth to the sun precisely, but could not tell a story that made sense based on some pictures. Good luck on your future appointments!

i was referred to a psychologist by a local psychiatrist. this appointment is not the assessment but is supposed to be to give the doctor an idea of what tests, if any, to have me take at a subsequent appointment.

not only do i not like the very long drive there, nor meeting new people, nor being scrutinized, i'm not feeling quite well and my day will be starting before dawn.


i'd really like to know what to avoid doing or saying or wearing (i'm quite obsessing over this! being comfortable is important to me) if i want an honest and impartial, unbiased opinion.

i also would not mind constructive advice about what might help him diagnose me.


in lieu of any of the former, feel free to relate a humorous anecdote or joke as a distraction.
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"i want an honest and impartial, unbiased opinion."

"unbiased opinion." oxymoron. no such thing. there ain't no systematic, objective method for coming up with all the right diagnoses and none of the wrong ones.

I was seeing a therapist, who is one step short of a PhD and is licensed to diagnose ASD in both children and adults where I live. I was seeing her for issues related to my marriage and was failing to understand and grasp most of what she was trying to help me with. This is when she told me she suspected Asperger's and wanted to put me thru some tests. All of which placed me, without a doubt, on the spectrum and would give me a level 2 designation under the new DSM. She said that many days I would be a 1.5 but she would call it level 2 as I struggle with many things and always will. The test were not hard, but very draining and tiring for me. In the end it was well worth the effort as I got better support and she was able to help me learn better ways to cope. Mike

EH just be yourself. Talk about your concerns and problems. You can even ask the psych what you should do. As long as you dont assault the doctor theres really nothing you can do wrong. I wasnt keen on seeing a Psych on my first visit and ended up talking about a poster for half the session. Which was fine with him. They will literally talk about anything with you.

Sit as far away from them as possible, hands held between your legs so they don't move, staring at the floor, all the time trying not to say anything that might mark you as a loony...

Hey, it was my first time and didn't know what to expect!