Hello :)

[enantiodromia]

Hi Everybody.

I'm horrible with introductions, so I'll keep this brief. I'm a female diagnosed Aspie in my forties, also diagnosed with Major Depressive Disorder and mild-to-moderate OCD. I like being an Aspie and wouldn't change it if I could; it's a big part of what makes me "me." My family and friends are all very accepting and have made the effort to learn about AS. Since my own diagnosis, other members of my family and a couple of my friends have also been identified and diagnosed. Interested in sharing thoughts and experiences with a wider range of others like me. I have done advocacy work for people on the Autism Spectrum, especially helping adults obtain diagnosis. Happy to be here!

 

[JackSkellington]

Hello! Welcome to the site!

I hope your day is going alright.

 

[tree]

 

[xudo]

Welcome

I like being an Aspie and wouldn't change it if I could; it's a big part of what makes me "me."

I wholeheartedly agree.

 

[Katleya]

Hello and welcome!
This here has to be the best place to share perspectives and advice.

 

[Warmheart]

Welcome! I hope you find AC to be a good place to learn a d share.

 

[Nitro]

 

[DoNotDisturb]

Hello, new person.

Your username may take me a while to get my head around.

 

[WittyAspie]

Welcome! Good to hear you have support and thank you for being an advocate.

 

[Lady Penelope]

Hi! I'm an adult female undiagnosed and looking for guidance and other perspectives.
Can you say more about how you help adults receive diagnosis?

 

[enantiodromia]

Thanks for the welcome everybody!

@Lady Penelope, I am trained as a social work case manager and I have several friends and family who are medical and psychiatric professionals. This gives me the perspective to assist people seeking diagnosis with putting a case together for strong self-advocacy with assessors.

Diagnosis is still so subjective in the United States. There are really no set standards for making a determination, and many mental health professionals pretty much "wing it." This is supposedly part of why the DSM5 "simplified" the array of Autism Spectrum Disorders down to a single diagnosis, though it doesn't seem to have helped much. This state of affairs leaves individuals to fend for themselves, to a large extent, which can be hard to do because their experience and their desire to be diagnosed is so personal. So, I help how I can, doing things like:

- Helping individuals locate well-qualified assessors, including navigation of public mental health systems
- Giving guidance for getting effective testimonials from individuals' friends and family members
- Helping individuals present their case in a clinical, unemotional way that speaks well to assessors
- Helping individuals to organize articles and other data for concise presentation
- Advising on how to present data from self-tests

Ultimately it's about the relative bias and openness of the practitioner, mostly. And of course, whether or not the individual is correct in their self-assessment. I have no special training in assisting with ASD assessment, but I've helped quite a few people get the diagnosis they were after, even a few who had tried unsuccessfully before. I don't promise anything because it's an inherently uncertain proposition. I just do my best. My own diagnosis has done so much for me that I feel obligated to do my part to help others.

 

[Lady Penelope]

I'm in Australia and information on adult females with HF aspergers is limited.
I just spoke with a psychologist referred by my local association who did not feel me with confidence about getting diagnosed based on current criteria she needs to assess on. I'm going to try to locate an advocate like you in my area, as I feel this may assist me. I found it difficult to talk to her about all the things that I feel point towards aspergers, from childhood experiences and behaviours, to my interactions and thought processes with adults. I found myself putting on the 'mask' to be normal in front of her: making eye contact and not fidgeting. I even managed to stave off an anxiety attack during the session.

I am really comforted that there is someone like you offering support and guidance for those seeking a diagnosis. It would be beneficial for you to relay more of your experiences on this to others, as there are lots of new members here seeking answers and could use your knowledge.

It is a bit like that saying;
"If you think you are insane, then you are not. Only a sane person questions their sanity."

Aspergers: If you think you are aspergers, you probably are. Neuro-typicals don't question if they are.

 

[enantiodromia]

@Lady Penelope, sorry I disappeared for a few days. Life intervenes.

Have you tried contacting ASAN AU, the Autistic Self Advocacy Network of Australia & New Zealand? Paradoxically, I am sometimes a bit wary of self-advocacy groups, but I have no reason to believe this group couldn't be a helpful resource to you. Groups like this usually have at least a member or two well-seasoned at helping others get diagnosed.

I fully understand what you described about the difficulty of articulating your own "case" verbally, and especially the part about putting on a mask in your sessions. That's what we're trained by experience to do: Act as "normal" as possible when we deal with other people, especially for any sort of personal or professional business. I find it almost impossible to do otherwise. I have Major Depressive Disorder, and the same thing happens when I present for treatment when I'm in a particularly bad place—I end up masking the reality of my current state of mind to my own detriment. After so many years it becomes automatic. So yeah, I really empathize with you.

Thanks for encouraging me to share this stuff with others here. I'm always a bit worried about coming across as a know-it-all (more social conditioning!), but I certainly hope there will be some opportunity to help others out.

You make an excellent point, in that Neurotypical people don't question their status—aren't expected to—while we are asked to prove what we are. It can kinda make a person mad if they really think about it. I guess that's the trouble with any minority status, particularly a relatively "invisible" one.

Ah, life.

 

[Lady Penelope]

@Lady Penelope, sorry I disappeared for a few days. Life intervenes.

Have you tried contacting ASAN AU, the Autistic Self Advocacy Network of Australia & New Zealand? Paradoxically, I am sometimes a bit wary of self-advocacy groups, but I have no reason to believe this group couldn't be a helpful resource to you. Groups like this usually have at least a member or two well-seasoned at helping others get diagnosed.

I fully understand what you described about the difficulty of articulating your own "case" verbally, and especially the part about putting on a mask in your sessions. That's what we're trained by experience to do: Act as "normal" as possible when we deal with other people, especially for any sort of personal or professional business. I find it almost impossible to do otherwise. I have Major Depressive Disorder, and the same thing happens when I present for treatment when I'm in a particularly bad place—I end up masking the reality of my current state of mind to my own detriment. After so many years it becomes automatic. So yeah, I really empathize with you.

Thanks for encouraging me to share this stuff with others here. I'm always a bit worried about coming across as a know-it-all (more social conditioning!), but I certainly hope there will be some opportunity to help others out.

You make an excellent point, in that Neurotypical people don't question their status—aren't expected to—while we are asked to prove what we are. It can kinda make a person mad if they really think about it. I guess that's the trouble with any minority status, particularly a relatively "invisible" one.

Ah, life.

@enantiodromia thanks for the suggestion.
It's comforting to know putting on the social mask is common even if a little disappointing when it is to our detriment. However if i can condition myself to wear the mask and play the NT game, gives me a little hope that perhaps i can condition myself to drop it in time when talking with professionals and those i can trust.

I find your insights helpful and not know-it-all-y at all. Everyone has a story and you never know what piece of information is going to resonate with someone... so tell what you know.