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Adults, How Were You Diagnosed?

Robby

Robby

Well-Known Member
So I am meeting with a clinical psychologist next week on the recommendation of my apn who I've been seeing for medications and anxiety. After a few sessions with my apn, he thinks I should see her for therapy and also testing to find out what's going on with me I think he strongly suspects Aspergers. I'll be meeting with her for the first time next week and then I guess she will do the testing. I won't be shocked if she says I have it. My question is what is involved in the testing for aspergers is it just a bunch of written tests and stuff? And then based on that they tell you have it or not? How does it work.
 
Interview and test. I've ordered a copy of the Clinician's Guide to find out exactly how this works from the doctor's side of the desk, since I'm still tinkering with my own "alphabet soup" of issues. As a social disability, a lot of it is about consistent perception and persistent problems in social situations, with strengths concentrated in a few areas.
 
I did a horrific oral IQ test (with one written portion) and then an interview at a clinic that specialises in ASD. I waved my way through the IQ test with 'nope, not doing that, sorry, I don't do oral tests' and I bet that helped the psych diagnose me. :D Good luck next week!
 
I suspected that I had AS. I had my regular doctor refer me to a Clinical Psychologist. I made a appointment with him and saw him three times. During these visits I was given the Wechsler Abbreviated Scale of Intelligence and the 16PF personality measure. The rest of the time we just talked and he took notes. His diagnosis was Asperger's Syndrome. All in all, it was a pleasant experience and well worth the cost. The diagnosis was a real revelation for me as it answered a lot of unanswered questions. Ever since I have felt like I know myself better than I ever have.
 
Cool thanks for the comments just was wondering what the process is. They told me I'll meet with her first and then I'll go back and take the tests which they told me were quite long, like 4 hours total. I guess they'll be oral and written but not sure yet until I meet with the psychologist. Anyone know what types of questions and stuff she'll likely ask? Like is there a standard test psychologists give for aspergers or is it just the totality of test questions that paint the picture.
 
You know what? If you're on the spectrum, it will come out more if you aren't prepared for what questions they might ask you, ironically enough. You could show your clinician this thread, though, and explain how much you like to plan what is going to be happening. ;)
 
Just answering because.....

I am not professionally diagnosed, but there are some, who have relatives etc or friends, who are, and immediately recognised me as one, and so, that is good enough for me and being on here, screams out that I have it.

To get professionally diagnosed, I would have to travel over 2 hrs away and that is pretty unfair on my husband and thus, not doing it.
 
clg114 said:
I suspected that I had AS. I had my regular doctor refer me to a Clinical Psychologist. I made a appointment with him and saw him three times. During these visits I was given the Wechsler Abbreviated Scale of Intelligence and the 16PF personality measure. The rest of the time we just talked and he took notes. His diagnosis was Asperger's Syndrome. All in all, it was a pleasant experience and well worth the cost. The diagnosis was a real revelation for me as it answered a lot of unanswered questions. Ever since I have felt like I know myself better than I ever have.
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IS the 16PF the same as Meyers-Briggs?
 
A GP referred me to a private psychiatrist who conducted an interview, 20 minutes into which he said he was sure I had mild Asperger's, and then at the end of the interview he confirmed this diagnosis along with a second diagnosis of depression. 2 weeks later a report came in the post. No tests, nothing, he seemed to be satisfied with his conclusions after the interview. The diagnosis is official, but I worry about the accuracy of such a simple assessment procedure - although i have no doubt that the psychiatrist was highly qualified and experienced, it seems very subjective and not concrete enough, and I often wish I could have had more thorough testing to be sure. This issue causes me a lot of anxiety.
 
Thanks for all the helpful responses I hope the meeting with the psychologist goes well I'm kind of nervous I'm sure she'll be nice but those things make me so uncomfortable when I don't know someone. So when you meet a psychologist do they just come out and tell you if you have aspergers or do you like ask them if they think you have it how does that work I don't do well with social clues unless someone spells it out for me or tells me point blank I get confused thanks again for responding people.
 
I'm glad you posted this thread because I"m starting the journey to look at being tested as well, and it's really helpful to have an idea of what's going to happen and that it won't be all that bad.
I might have to travel a ways to find someone who will assess me, as there aren't many specialists around here. Hopefully I'll have some answers soon.
good luck!
 
That was helpful as well, Penguin. I'm hoping to get tested not so much for accommodation sake as for an answer to my own unanswered questions. hopefully, it won't take me very long to find some answers!
 
I was diagnosed bipolar 30 years ago, and as far as "docs" were concerned, that explained everything. It didn't. I tested INTJ, which has a high degree of overlap with Asperger's. I realized that my father (an engineer) fit the Asperger diagnosis and that I did too. I've been going to the same doc for 10 years for bipolar meds - our interactions are always uncomfortable - when I brought up the possibility of Asperger's she pulled out the DSM and started checking off symptoms. It really helped that she had known me for so many years (and been perplexed by my "strange" behavior that had nothing to do with bipolar. Light bulbs went off. She changed my diagnosis to Asperger's with bipolar comorbidity. Hey! I won the mental health lottery - not one but 2 disorders.
 
I have been diagnosed with ADD clinical depression anxiety disorders and OCD. I take medicine for these conditions and they do help. If I miss a day I am a mess. I have been going to a new psychologist for almost a year. While working with her MAINLY on my social skills. We are thinking that I have Aspergers. When I asked my other psychologist he pulled out the new DVM to go down the check list. He has pulled it out when I asked about it before and he said he didn't see it. The check list I feel is one for boys and not women. I told him very rudely that he already pulled o u t the book on me before. He listened to me about why the other psychologists and me thought AS fit me. I think he now is listening to me about it. I am afraid to bring it up with my psychiatrist because he has helped me a lot to become stable in my life but I feel there is more to my life story that I am AS. Any thoughts out there? My brother sees AS in me too.
 
I only had multiple oral interviews with one specialist, over a few months. They will ask you why you think you have it, your history and then also how you react in certain situations. They may also do testing. At the end of all this, they will review their findings and come to a conclusion about whether or not they think you are on the spectrum.
 
TSS said:
I have been diagnosed with ADD clinical depression anxiety disorders and OCD. I take medicine for these conditions and they do help. If I miss a day I am a mess. I have been going to a new psychologist for almost a year. While working with her MAINLY on my social skills. We are thinking that I have Aspergers. When I asked my other psychologist he pulled out the new DVM to go down the check list. He has pulled it out when I asked about it before and he said he didn't see it. The check list I feel is one for boys and not women. I told him very rudely that he already pulled o u t the book on me before. He listened to me about why the other psychologists and me thought AS fit me. I think he now is listening to me about it. I am afraid to bring it up with my psychiatrist because he has helped me a lot to become stable in my life but I feel there is more to my life story that I am AS. Any thoughts out there? My brother sees AS in me too.
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I think it's time for us to stop looking at psychologists and psychiatrists as gods that we must please. They are supposed to be working for us. We pay them.
 
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