Hello Peeps Have I been misdiagnosed

[Daniel Dutton]

Hello Everyone.

I'm a 34 year old male who has for the past 15 years of work, suffered intolerably in office environments when I am expected to interact with other people. Not just in offices but any social setting. I just can't do it. I always thought I was very shy. Anyway, I am now unemployed because I reached the point where I just 'Couldn't do it anymore'. It was such an effort and I was anxious every day that I went into work. I put on an a 'front', an aloof one at that. I probably look on the outside like I'm not struggling, but inside I am. I think I come across as very ignorant hence I soon get hounded out of work.

Anyway I went to see a specialist, a Clinical Nurse skilled in the Autism Spectrum and she told me that she is 99.9% certain that I have Asperger's syndrome. The thing is, I have only spent three hours with her in total. On the first visit she simple gave me a 'yes/no' answer questionnaire, declared that I was probably on the spectrum, offered me some leaflets and sent me on my way. It was almost like she was trying to get rid of me. I could swear blind she looked disappointed when I asked her for further help. On the second occasion, she gave me another questionnaire. Again declaring I had Asperger's and said I was in denial when I refuted this.

Anyway, she has now booked me in for an ADOS test and says she will be very surprised if I do not have it. I don't know what to think. Is it possible to diagnose someone that quickly and just using questionnaires? I have been doing a lot of reading on the topic and a whilst a lot of the things I can identify with, I cannot find anywhere in my childhood where I had such issues. It's almost like the mental health team are trying to give me a label and send me on my way. I certainly don't think there is anything wrong with having Asperger's so no offence people, something in my gut is just telling me otherwise.

It would certainly be nice to talk to people about this so I can try and get some personal experiences about how the condition affects them day in day out. I have to really dig deep on google to try and find any such info.

Sorry about the ramble. I'm very confused. Hi all by the way.

 

[arthousesalem]

Hello, and welcome.
Aspergers in some people can be identified straight away. I did a questionnaire and a one hour face to face session that also included a diagnosis. It was the best day of my life. For my son it made no difference (he was diagnosed at 19).

Because of your age it is probably more evident than you realise. You have just learnt to manage yourself through life the best way you can without strategies on how to deal and cope with situations that create the anxiety and social situations.

As for the childhood stuff you have read in books, remember that every childhood is different. The books are a general guide not a specific fact. When I was a child I was always on the roof of the family house, up a tree or sitting in my closet to have space and be away from family. I needed space and to be left alone, but in my day Aspergers didn't exist. My son on the other hand just wanted to play and did not like school. He was fascinated with cars and placing them in colour coded order. He is now into Lego and builds Star Wars models.

We are all different and none of us fit into the same mould even with an Aspergers diagnosis.

 

[Daniel Dutton]

Hello, and welcome.
Aspergers in some people can be identified straight away. I did a questionnaire and a one hour face to face session that also included a diagnosis. It was the best day of my life. For my son it made no difference (he was diagnosed at 19).

Because of your age it is probably more evident than you realise. You have just learnt to manage yourself through life the best way you can without strategies on how to deal and cope with situations that create the anxiety and social situations.

As for the childhood stuff you have read in books, remember that every childhood is different. The books are a general guide not a specific fact. When I was a child I was always on the roof of the family house, up a tree or sitting in my closet to have space and be away from family. I needed space and to be left alone, but in my day Aspergers didn't exist. My son on the other hand just wanted to play and did not like school. He was fascinated with cars and placing them in colour coded order. He is now into Lego and builds Star Wars models.

We are all different and none of us fit into the same mould even with an Aspergers diagnosis.

Thanks arthousesalem. I guess I'm still a little bit in denial. I just thought I was shy and introverted and maybe a little low on confidence. I'v read a heck of a lot by Tony Attwood. He seems to know his stuff. I guess I will just have to wait for the official test, be myself and see how I fare in that. Thanks for the reply.

 

[arthousesalem]

Thanks arthousesalem. I guess I'm still a little bit in denial. I just thought I was shy and introverted and maybe a little low on confidence. I'v read a heck of a lot by Tony Attwood. He seems to know his stuff. I guess I will just have to wait for the official test, be myself and see how I fare in that. Thanks for the reply.

Tony Attwood diagnosed my son and I. His books are fantastic to understanding Aspergers. Your on the right track. Good luck and all the best.

 

[Judge]

Hello Everyone.

I'm a 34 year old male who has for the past 15 years of work, suffered intolerably in office environments when I am expected to interact with other people. Not just in offices but any social setting. I just can't do it. I always thought I was very shy. Anyway, I am now unemployed because I reached the point where I just 'Couldn't do it anymore'. It was such an effort and I was anxious every day that I went into work. I put on an a 'front', an aloof one at that. I probably look on the outside like I'm not struggling, but inside I am.

Welcome to AC Daniel. You sound like you're at a point in life where I have been for quite some time. I'm surviving through being self-employed, but it's another kind of struggle. Not being in a public work setting though seems to have therapeutic benefits. My social anxieties aren't anything of what they used to be. Mostly these days I just have to deal with survival and loneliness.

 

[Ste11aeres]

One of the main things that helped me come to a deeper and more accurate understanding of Aspergers was this forum, Aspies Central. If you hang around here, you might learn a lot and become better and more secure in your self-evaluation, whether you end up understanding yourself as someone with Aspergers or without.

 

[Daniel Dutton]

Welcome to AC Daniel. You sound like you're at a point in life where I have been for quite some time. I'm surviving through being self-employed, but it's another kind of struggle. Not being in a public work setting though seems to have therapeutic benefits. My social anxieties aren't anything of what they used to be. Mostly these days I just have to deal with survival and loneliness.

Hi Judge. Thanks for the reply.

I can totally sympathize with you on all accounts. Sometimes I feel normal when I have an extended amount of time away from the hum drum of office life. I program. Write games etc and sometimes go off cycling for miles on end. It makes all the difference. Working from home for me would be ideal. I hope to get that sorted soon. In a way I'm glad I got to a point where I couldn't take it anymore because it forced my hand in seeking help so I could put my finger on the issue. I intend to have a good chat to people on this forum and see if I can identify with some of the problems they have. Hope you get things sorted.

 

[Judge]

Hi Judge. Thanks for the reply.

I can totally sympathize with you on all accounts. Sometimes I feel normal when I have an extended amount of time away from the hum drum of office life. I program. Write games etc and sometimes go off cycling for miles on end. It makes all the difference. Working from home for me would be ideal. I hope to get that sorted soon. In a way I'm glad I got to a point where I couldn't take it anymore because it forced my hand in seeking help so I could put my finger on the issue. I intend to have a good chat to people on this forum and see if I can identify with some of the problems they have. Hope you get things sorted.

Thanks Daniel. Actually my whole life got somewhat derailed starting about 13 years ago, and I just never really recovered from it. Living one day at a time, often by the seat of my pants. Sometimes it feels comfortable, sometimes not. But it's only been around a year since I concluded that I was mildly autistic.That's still a relatively new journey for me. Being part of this online community has helped a great deal for me. Hope it will for you as well.

 

[Daniel Dutton]

One of the main things that helped me come to a deeper and more accurate understanding of Aspergers was this forum, Aspies Central. If you hang around here, you might learn a lot and become better and more secure in your self-evaluation, whether you end up understanding yourself as someone with Aspergers or without.

Hello Ste11aeres. Thanks for taking the time to reply. I'm currently getting through about one professional book per day on the topic of Asperger's and there are just so many elements I can identify with, but then again so many I don't. I intend to chat to as many people as possible and hopefully yes that will help me to reach a positive conclusion.

 

[Ste11aeres]

Hello Ste11aeres. Thanks for taking the time to reply. I'm currently getting through about one professional book per day on the topic of Asperger's and there are just so many elements I can identify with, but then again so many I don't. I intend to chat to as many people as possible and hopefully yes that will help me to reach a positive conclusion.

It's important to remember that Aspergers manifests differently in different people. So even if you are an Aspie, there will be details that don't apply to you. The one thing that seems true of us is that we operate in extremess, but those extremes are differnet in different people. So one Aspie might be hypersensitive to sensory things, touch, loud noises, another might be hyposensitive to those things, not even noticing them. Some Aspies are extra emotional, some are extra unemotional. Some have trouble reading emotions on people's faces, other Aspies can sense the emotions other people are feeling, but have no idea why the person would be feeling that way.
Part of this is briefly mentioned in a very good youtube video by Dr Tony, maybe when I find it I'll post it.

You're definitely going on a good route in researching this.

 

[Daniel Dutton]

Thanks Daniel. Actually my whole life got somewhat derailed starting about 13 years ago, and I just never really recovered from it. Living one day at a time, often by the seat of my pants. Sometimes it feels comfortable, sometimes not. But it's only been around a year since I concluded that I was mildly autistic.That's still a relatively new journey for me. Being part of this online community has helped a great deal for me. Hope it will for you as well.

Did you ever consider Social Anxiety might be an issue for you rather than Autism. I say that because for a long time that's what I believed I was suffering with. I really just don't know what to believe. When I'v got through a few hundred more books on the topic then maybe I will start to accept. I don't like being off work at all. It makes me feel lazy and to be honest a bit worthless. I'v contacted a specialist job agency called Specialisterne (Danish for Specialist) in the event that the final test confirms I do indeed have Asperger's. They appear to offer help to get people on the Autism Spectrum into meaningful employment and they have branches all over the world. Just a thought.

 

[Judge]

Did you ever consider Social Anxiety might be an issue for you rather than Autism. I say that because for a long time that's what I believed I was suffering with. I really just don't know what to believe. When I'v got through a few hundred more books on the topic then maybe I will start to accept. I don't like being off work at all. It makes me feel lazy and to be honest a bit worthless. I'v contacted a specialist job agency called Specialisterne (Danish for Specialist) in the event that the final test confirms I do indeed have Asperger's. They appear to offer help to get people on the Autism Spectrum into meaningful employment and they have branches all over the world. Just a thought.

I sought formal treatment for social anxiety some thirty years ago. Was diagnosed with chronic clinical depression and OCD. However this was just before Dr. Asperger's research was mainstreamed into the medical community. Even my parents thought there was something different about me...but 53 years ago I was given a "clean bill of health" by medical professionals of the time. I'm just one of those cases who kept "slipping between the cracks".

 

[Daniel Dutton]

It's important to remember that Aspergers manifests differently in different people. So even if you are an Aspie, there will be details that don't apply to you. The one thing that seems true of us is that we operate in extremess, but those extremes are differnet in different people. So one Aspie might be hypersensitive to sensory things, touch, loud noises, another might be hyposensitive to those things, not even noticing them. Some Aspies are extra emotional, some are extra unemotional. Some have trouble reading emotions on people's faces, other Aspies can sense the emotions other people are feeling, but have no idea why the person would be feeling that way.
Part of this is briefly mentioned in a very good youtube video by Dr Tony, maybe when I find it I'll post it.

You're definitely going on a good route in researching this.

Thanks. yeah I can't stop reading about it at the moment. My main concern really is if I do receive a misdiagnosis, then I might miss treatment for something else it might be. The issues I have are that I really cannot identify with the early ages of Asperger's. I seemed to be fine up until about the age of 13 when I had quite a bad bout of depression and I was never the same since. I say to my specialist could it not just be I suffer with Chronic Depression and as a result I cant handle people? She replies with 'no your depression is an excuse, and you tell yourself it's that to excuse how you are around people when actually it's just Asperger's'. Actually one of my main concerns was to do with emotions. Stupid little things can upset me sometimes. Say a petty argument. But then really big major issues, bereavement etc, which you would expect to hit people hard, with me they just don't register. Many a time I have sat and reflected about this and considered myself to be a cold and heartless person. Have you yourself received an official diagnosis?

 

[Ste11aeres]

Have you yourself received an official diagnosis?

Me? No. Lack of money always prevented the possibility of seeking it.

 

[Daniel Dutton]

Me? No. Lack of money always prevented the possibility of seeking it.

That is a shame indeed. I guess we are lucky over here with the National Health Service. A lot of people take them for granted and those people I could just punch. It's a wonderful free institution. Well I'm going to have a google session on Dr Attwood and see what wise nuggets of advice he can offer as a lot of people seem to hold him in high regard.

 

[Daniel Dutton]

I sought formal treatment for social anxiety some thirty years ago. Was diagnosed with chronic clinical depression and OCD. However this was just before Dr. Asperger's research was mainstreamed into the medical community. Even my parents thought there was something different about me...but 53 years ago I was given a "clean bill of health" by medical professionals of the time. I'm just one of those cases who kept "slipping between the cracks".

Sorry to hear that Judge. I'm guessing maybe there might be support groups you could possibly go to? I'm thinking of giving them a try. I'll try anything at the moment. There is nothing worse then being down about it I know. It's awful.

 

[Judge]

Sorry to hear that Judge. I'm guessing maybe there might be support groups you could possibly go to? I'm thinking of giving them a try. I'll try anything at the moment. There is nothing worse then being down about it I know. It's awful.

Unfortunately locally everything pertaining to autism is geared to children. Not adults.

 

[Warwick C]

Hi and welcome Daniel. I too thought I was shy as well, until I was diagnosed last year.

I had assistance by the regional health department and Social welfare for my diagnoses.

 

[Daniel Dutton]

Hi. B

Tony Attwood diagnosed my son and I. His books are fantastic to understanding Aspergers. Your on the right track. Good luck and all the best.

Hi. Before you vani

Hi and welcome Daniel. I too thought I was shy as well, until I was diagnosed last year.

I had assistance by the regional health department and Social welfare for my diagnoses.

Hey there Warwick. Thanks for the reply. Much appreciated. If the test they are giving me comes out with a definite diagnosis then I will accept it. What are your main traits then Asperger wise that you can identify with? Like the real biggies which stand out? I keep reading from text books but you cant beat hearing from people who live with it.

 

[Warwick C]

For me it is interacting with people and making conversation. One thing I have found is a difficulty in finding the right words for a sentences, as in expressing my thoughts.

There are more tests you can try in the games section, what kind of thinker are you. when doing a test it is how you compare to the reference point.

In my signature is one for my test results.