What is Significant Impairment?

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So I understand to be diagnosed with Aspergers, one has to show significant impairment in daily functioning or some words to that affect.

Define significant impairment or problems in daily functioning.

Up until New Years, I thought I was fine. I thought it was everyone else around me with a problem. I thought they were shallow, self absorbed. I thought I was a great guy. I didn't acknowledge anything wrong with me. Why should I? It's not my problem.

But I feel like my eyes are opening to the true nature of the world around me. I see people laughing, joking, crying, talking, asking questions, reaching out, making connections, making friends.

I have a few friends, but I have nothing like this. Some people join the group and are solid friends in six months compared to my six years.

Im not like this with everyone, I know that, but Im realising that:

I am insecure, Im clingy, I get confused by peoples unpredictability, I catastrophise and think the worst of people, my conversation is very limited, Im not comfortable with certain topics of conversation. My boundaries are haywire. So Im too reserved where other people are easier going, and perhaps far too open whether other people would be more reserved. Im obsessive, posessive, protective, fiercely loyal, want others to be loyal to me, protective to me. I get jealous. I over think, over analyse, over compensate when I think there may be a problem. Someone asks me if I had a good week, I find it difficult to ask the same in case Im being too forward! But it's not. IT ISN'T! So why can't I ask? Why am I so guarded? Why do I struggle with knowing whether a topic of conversation is appropriate? Why is it I feel like a kid when I meet someone I want to get to know better (as a friend) and keep asking, waiting for some comfort, some acknowledgement, some response that they've heard me and want to meet too? For them it's easy. They don't think there's anything wrong. But Im catastrophising here. I want a new friend. I want to know my new friend. I want to find comfort in my new friend.

I've had enough of it. Whatever it is Im dealing with. I want to sort it out. First I need to find out what it is.

Typically I've posted my latest issues in four different places. No response to any of them. Great. That makes me feel even more alone! I feel ignored!

I don't know what these thoughts are part of. But Im not burying them again. Im going to try to talk about them.

while some things you witie about are personality a lot of it significantly impair you socially. Besides social impairmets to get an Autism Spectrum diagnosis you have to have repetitive behavoirs and probably sensory issues also. To findi out what is wrong with you seekiing an evaluation would be a good place to start.

Quoted from: http://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/autism/hcp-dsm.html

"Symptoms cause clinically significant impairment in social, occupational, or other important areas of current functioning."

Ultimately this is a judgment call on the part of the diagnosing professional. Impairment in occupational functioning is probably easier to determine, because it results in problems on the job. Impairment in social relationships is more of a grey area, because everyone has at least some social difficulties, and it's harder to know where to draw the line.

I support you in your quest to figure this out - I remember when my life finally got to the point where I needed that question answered, rather than forever wondering!

I'd say I have significant impairment It is quite the challenge to tie my shoes, but I can lecture my Science teacher without a problem.

Including trouble with speech by messing up words frequently (and noticeable delay in finding the correct word)...I have autism with dyspraxia.

Last edited by Lumi on 12 Feb 2016, 1:43 pm, edited 1 time in total.

A diagnosis of a disability typically refers to your ability to find a job and stay employed.
In other words, can you make enough to money for the necessities, or will you need government assistance?

But, disability is a spectrum. Do you need extra help--someone who is totally paralyzed needs a lot of help.
The government typically does not consider assistance beyond food, clothing, and shelter.

An exception is Japan.
http://www.economist.com/blogs/economis ... xplains-16

As you are realizing, you have an impairment that affects your quality of life that the government does not care about.

True, but an ASD diagnosis and official government disability ruling are two different things.

A person can have ASD and still be able to work, and care for themselves. It just means that they require 'support' in order to do so, to a degree that the diagnosing professional considers necessary and significant.

EDIT: at least in the US - might be different in other countries. (Sorry, didn't realize OP was in the UK!)

My history is already in various places on this forum.

Im not interested in a diagnosis for financial support, but I am interested in a diagnosis (whatever it may be) so I can either learn to accept myself for what I am and seek the support of others around me or actually get some help to get over it.

I find CBT doesn't work for me. I don't know if it's the same thing, but I say to myself, what's the worst that can happen, I've done this loads of times before, you can speak to that person.... And I have to do that every single time! But I can't say I have anxiety, or fear. Unless I've pushed it so far down and don't recognise it anymore.

I just realise at the age of 38 where I've never really pushed myself, where I've only had two girlfriends - and both of those someone set me up with, where I still live at home, where Im finding I struggle with work, where I don't know who I am, where I struggle socially, and there's things I want to do but can't do for some reason, I've got to do something about it.

This has only really come about in my eyes too because I'm immersed in a more social environment than I ever was, and so Im starting to see the cracks appear, that I don't measure up to other people, I am quite limited and I got those negative things above. I struggled with those things with a previous girlfriend, being around a group of people who were talking to each other and me feeling like I was completely left out and ignored because no one was talking to me. But I wasn't talking to anyone else either! Very subtle difference, a fine line. I think it's a posessiveness - not of a controlling nature, maybe more a jealousy that Im not included, I want to be part of the package.

I think Im obsessive. Since New Year, I've been obsessing about Aspergers. Over the past two weeks, I've been obsessing about this woman and wondering how I can be better friends with her. Im talking to people at work about her, posting comments here, talking to my family.

I really do just want to be friends with her, but I don't know how. I think I might tell her advising her not to take it the wrong way, and explain what I find positive about her. (That's going to make me sound desperate though. Best say nothing!) I think not having an answer is what tends to drive my obsessions.

It's why I don't obsess about my other friends - much to their disappointment - because I already have the answer with them.

But back to the topic - I read back through this, these things are major to me, these are some real problems. But because I have a job and drive a car, Im not welcome to any diagnosis.

I wonder whether is is possible to get an Unofficial Diagnosis in the UK via the government health system--an expert willing to just say what you have, without filling out all that paperwork.

An unofficial diagnosis is unofficial, meaning it isn't recognised in any official capacity. The government and the health service are official organisations, so they aren't going to provide, nor would they be interested in an unofficial diagnosis. An unofficial diagnosis in the context of something such as ASD would be self diagnosis, which for a lot of people is sufficient if they aren't looking for extra assistance or treatment.

I have a significant impairment in navigation (I get confused and lost very easily). Abstract concepts. Awareness of my surroundings (I am good at noticing detail, but could easily step out into moving traffic). Face blindness. Short term memory. Time management. Transitioning. Socializing (am extremely withdrawn). Speaking. Looking after myself. A few others.

Any social, communication or routine behavioral deficit that requires a conscientious effort to improve the deficit to the point of seeming neurotypical.

An unofficial disgnosis can be given out by an autism specilist. He or she would say after testing and observation is my proffessional belief you are autistic. No disgnostic report is written. It is the disgnostic report that often is needed as proof when applying for services. This type of diagnosis is useful for somebody who wants proffessional validation for thier suspicions but have no need for services or are afraid of the information getting in the wrong hands such as employers.

The kind of thing you are describing would essentially involve going through the assessment process, but without a report being attached to the persons medical file, etc. The only way I can see this happening is by paying privately for the assessment, which is very costly, if it were to be done via NHS funding, the report would be forwarded to their GP and thus attached to their medical file. As far as employers are concerned, in the UK, there is no longer a legal requirement to inform your employer of such a diagnosis.

I agree that those are some real problems. They are clinically significant, in that it appears you have not achieved living independently, you have not achieved a long-term intimate relationship (marriage or the equivalent) and you also feel you have problems at work (not sure what they are, but you mention them).

I can't say whether you are considered appropriate for an autism evaluation in the UK; I don't fully understand how your health system works. Also, be prepared for the idea that your particular difficulties could end up being due to social anxiety, a personality disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, dysthymia, or other things that are not even close to Aspergers. Whatever the cause of your difficulties, wanting to improve your life and your life satisfaction are reasonable desires.

Is not being able to do task such as cook (Beyond extremely simple things), Unable to tie shoes, etc. Be a Significant impairment? I know how to, But They are Extremely difficult.