FranzOren wrote:
The problem is that I never had a diagnosis of Asperger Syndrome, I only had a diagnosis of PDD-NOS until 2013. In 2013 I was considered to have ASD.
I am worried that I will feel like a fraud if I tell NTs that I have Asperger Syndrome, because I only have history of being diagnosed with PDD-NOS. It is only in 2013 my diagnosis of PDD-NOS changed to Autism Spectrum Disorder.
I hope you understand my confusion of suptypes of PDDs and why I prefer to say that I have ASD instead.
I agree with you! You don't want to state something as a fact if it might not actually be a fact.
I had the same problem when my bride and I concluded I was a High Functioning Autistic (I know, old term). We both thought it was highly likely but I could not have comfortably told someone I was an HFAS because I was not
certain--if I had decided to tell someone I would have felt obligated to explain it was an unverified opinion. I got a formal assessment so I could be comfortable saying it (and to be sure I wasn't giving an untruth).
So, if I am understanding your concern it is that you want to stick to things that are certain (commendable!) but when you tell someone you are Autistic (or have Autism, or however you phrase it) you are concerned that they will immediately assume the worst, that your problems are much worse than they really are.
Two alternatives come to my mind, though I cannot predict how comfortable you would be with them.
(1) That old term: "
High Functioning Autism". I don't think it's an official diagnosis, just a description. Now that I am officially diagnosed as
Autism Spectrum Disorder, Level 1 (Mild) I would be quite comfortable--in casual settings--saying I was a High Functioning Autistic.
or,
(2) Borrow a phrase from Hans Asperger: "
A Dash of Autism" (though, he wouldn't have said it in English, would he?). If I think of Autism as being one of my ingredients, I would think there was enough of it in me to make me interesting but not so much as to ruin the recipe.
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When diagnosed I bought champagne!
I finally knew why people were strange.