Hi

[unsurewhattoname]

So I guess I post a short introduction

It was suggested to me in march this year that I may have Asperger's, but recently they've changed it to autism? I'm not really too sure of the differences as it's all new to me. I'm not currently diagnosed but I have been continuously assessed and asked questions since march. I'm in the UK if it makes any difference or something, I'm not very sure.

But anyway... hi.

 

[Progster]

Hi Ok, a brief history. When the specialists diagnose medical conditions, they use a set of guidelines which have been previously agreed on to do so. There are two main sets of guidelines being used, one is the ICD 10, or International Classification of Diseases. The other one, used most in the USA, is the DSM 5, or Diagnostic and Statisical Manual of Mental Disorders. They both list the same disorders, but sometimes the name changes, or changes are made in one but not the other.

Previous to 1994, Asperger's Syndrome wasn't listed and recognised as a condition. You were diagnosed with autism if you had a speech delay and severe symptoms, and those with AS were commonly labelled gifted, ADHD, social phobia or gifted or something else or not at all. Then it was introduced into the DSM IV, and then the ICD, classified as an autism spectrum disorder, but there was always debate whether AS is a form of autism or a separate condition. Then, about a year ago, the experts who review the DSM decided that all autism spectrum conditions, including AS, were to be classified as autism, under the name ASD (autism spectrum disorder). However, AS is still listed in the ICD as Asperger's Disorder, a separate disorder from Autism but still an Autism Spectrum Disorder. That's why both Asperger Syndrome and Autism Spectrum Disorder are used in tandem, and can be interchangeable. The condition hasn't changed, just the classification and the label.

 

[Tom]

Hi & Welcome,
Basically the autism spectrum runs from milder cases to more severe. It sounds like you are on the milder end, which doesn't mean it isn't significant just that you also have a lot of regular neurotypical functioning too. The large majority of people on the forums have HFA (High functioning autism) just like you.

There are a lot of other conditions you might also have, that are sometimes called co-morbids. Some are very common for Autistics also to have, like Anxiety.

Hope its a good experience here for you and helps you with your understanding.

 

[unsurewhattoname]

Thank you both of you. So if they say it's autism it may be asperger's? Correct me if I'm misunderstanding.

You can tell where someone is on the spectrum from what they post? That sounds interesting, tell me more.

And they did mention anxiety but I'm not too sure on the details of that.

And thanks, I hope it's a good experience too.

 

[Tom]

Autism is an overall term and you can have it do different degrees, basically something like light, moderate and severe. Just as examples, it can be hard to tell if a person with a light case has autism at all, and they may never even know. But a person with a severe case may be non verbal and unable to do many tasks, and its quite obvious. But inside of the basic classification there can be many other behaviors that many or only a few have, like anxiety, depression, obsessive/compulsive, etc. It can be so different in so many people that it is hard to make hard and fast classifications or draw lines. Thats part of why they call it a spectrum with many colors and variations.

Aspergers was a syndrome defined/discovered by an Hans Asperger, a Austrian Doctor. It was important because it helped reveal High Functioning Autism (HFA), which had mostly gone undiagnosed/untreated. There have always been HFAs, but we were called 'different', 'weird', 'strange', etc, not autistic. We didn't know we were autistic ourselves.

But as study on autism has increased the professionals reassess and in America at least decided it was not a true seperate condition but just an early identification of HFA. But that point is still very much in debate and most other countres still use it as a diagnosis. For practical purposes the term Aspergers and High Functioning Autism are basically the same and interchangeable.

There are a lot of online sources with some basic explanations of the clinical side of things and I encourage you do do some surfing in that direction. Its actually not that hard to understand because it only is attempting to define things you instinctively know being one.

 

[wyverary]

Welcome. We have many UK members (our founder is, I believe, a Brit himself). Make yourself at home!

 

[unsurewhattoname]

I don't remember them saying anything about high functioning or asperger's past the first mention, they've just said ASD or autism. I guess by autism they mean autistic spectrum disorder? All I know is that I've been referred from psychiatrists to psychologists, what's the difference? I tried googling it but I'm still not sure I understand, especially in the context for me. I've found out so much in the past few months it's unreal, yet interesting.

 

[metalminx24]

Hey, I'm Kerry I was only diagnosed a few years back, and it is a lot to take in, but for me was also some kind of relief, validation in a way of the way I'd felt weird/different/isolated during my childhood. It is really difficult when people (esp NHS) treat you as a thing to be studied and prodded without ever caring enough to explain things clearly to u. Do you think you'll want an official diagnosis or would you be happier not knowing?

 

[unsurewhattoname]

I do hate not knowing - I don't know when I go to psychology, all I know is that I will go there at some point. They haven't said when or what is involved and that has made me nervous.

I don't really think I have a choice in the matter, I'm not independent and I am struggling a lot and I need help and a diagnosis would get me that help from what they have told me. I don't really have any thoughts on what I would feel about it, I have no idea how I feel most the time anyway.

 

[metalminx24]

I do hate not knowing - I don't know when I go to psychology, all I know is that I will go there at some point. They haven't said when or what is involved and that has made me nervous.

I don't really think I have a choice in the matter, I'm not independent and I am struggling a lot and I need help and a diagnosis would get me that help from what they have told me. I don't really have any thoughts on what I would feel about it, I have no idea how I feel most the time anyway.

Then I hope that you get the things you need. It's so easy for people to tell you not to worry, or just to see how things go, and it's really unhelpful because it's not an on/off switch. So I guess I'd say really hold on to the things you enjoy and the people u like to be around. If you ever wanted a faceless person to type to, you're welcome to write to me.

 

[Rocco]

Welcome aboard

 

[Epicurean Pariah]

We welcome you home, you will find friends and perhaps a family here.

 

[unsurewhattoname]

I saw another psychiatrist. He said I could not be autistic since I do not talk like a robot and I made a joke and that instead I have Asperger's. Is that true? Why is it that I keep being told different things by different people?

 

[ancusmitis]

I saw another psychiatrist. He said I could not be autistic since I do not talk like a robot and I made a joke and that instead I have Asperger's. Is that true? Why is it that I keep being told different things by different people?

That...is extremely silly. I suggest you seek someone more knowledgeable.

Or perhaps he was telling a joke of his own. It is still a very silly thing to suppose

 

[unsurewhattoname]

All he did was see if I had MDD or severe anxiety or anything that can be cured with medication and referred me to psychology so it is likely I will not see him again. He is a psychiatrist and those give medication I think, whereas psychologists do the diagnosis thing but not medication? That's what I understand from it anyway.

I don't think he was joking, he seemed serious in how he said it. He was talking about autistic disorder, rather than autistic spectrum disorder. He likes the ICD 10 but not the DSM 5. I don't know, that's all he really said. And that Asperger's and autism look very different and are different. I'm not saying that's true or anything I'm just saying what he said.

 

[Elemental]

Hi

Sorry to hear you're getting some confusion around your diagnosis; I think this is quite common to a lot of us because even where we have a prescribed diagnostic label, either Aspergers Syndrome or Autistic Spectrum Disorder, the reality of how that affects each of us is going to be quite different because ultimately it affects our cognition, our pereceptions, our emotions, our everything & that's going to be variable in everyone anyways.

There's a lot of reading available on AS - ASD in men & women: I don't know whether you might be able to access a copy of Prof Tony Attwood's The Complete Guide To Aspergers; it's a very straightforwardly written book & because it compares aspects of AS ASD in both children & adults, not only can it make our own current condition-situation clearer, it can enable us to rethink & perhaps understand differently, our earlier experiences when we were unassessed or undiagnosed & maybe then we can cut ourselves a bit of slack & be kinder & more accepting of our AS ASD because there can be a lot of guilt & anxiety associated in both pre & post diagnosis. We don't not feel, we feel way overboard too much!

I'm always advising that reading books about AS - ASD, watching YouTube vids about Other People's AS - ASD Experiences & checking in at sites like this to know & understand that however lonely, insular & isolated we may sometimes feel...well, we are not alone, there are a whole big bunch of us scattered across the globe, is really, really, really useful in coming to terms with ourselves on spectrum & actually, we're a pretty special Rare Breed

Welcome to Central Pal

 

[StephF]

Hello !

 

[unsurewhattoname]

Hi

Sorry to hear you're getting some confusion around your diagnosis; I think this is quite common to a lot of us because even where we have a prescribed diagnostic label, either Aspergers Syndrome or Autistic Spectrum Disorder, the reality of how that affects each of us is going to be quite different because ultimately it affects our cognition, our pereceptions, our emotions, our everything & that's going to be variable in everyone anyways.

There's a lot of reading available on AS - ASD in men & women: I don't know whether you might be able to access a copy of Prof Tony Attwood's The Complete Guide To Aspergers; it's a very straightforwardly written book & because it compares aspects of AS ASD in both children & adults, not only can it make our own current condition-situation clearer, it can enable us to rethink & perhaps understand differently, our earlier experiences when we were unassessed or undiagnosed & maybe then we can cut ourselves a bit of slack & be kinder & more accepting of our AS ASD because there can be a lot of guilt & anxiety associated in both pre & post diagnosis. We don't not feel, we feel way overboard too much!

I'm always advising that reading books about AS - ASD, watching YouTube vids about Other People's AS - ASD Experiences & checking in at sites like this to know & understand that however lonely, insular & isolated we may sometimes feel...well, we are not alone, there are a whole big bunch of us scattered across the globe, is really, really, really useful in coming to terms with ourselves on spectrum & actually, we're a pretty special Rare Breed

Welcome to Central Pal

Is Tony Attwood's book good for parents? What if I don't have either ASD or AS but something else or nothing?

 

[Aspergirl4hire]

So I guess I post a short introduction

It was suggested to me in march this year that I may have Asperger's, but recently they've changed it to autism? I'm not really too sure of the differences as it's all new to me. I'm not currently diagnosed but I have been continuously assessed and asked questions since march. I'm in the UK if it makes any difference or something, I'm not very sure.

But anyway... hi.

Welcome to AC, Unsurewhattoname! A lot of us go through this piece. I've had almost a dozen diagnoses...so many that one of my doctors has asked me to participate as a volunteer for the doctoral board exams in neurology and psychiatry, because, as he said, "It would be a hoot, watching them try to get you right on the first try."

He disclosed how he got interested in Asperger's: he was testing an adult by asking him to count backwards by seven, and the adult kept saying, "But I want to talk about the problem of good and evil." After several go-rounds, the guy finally just rattled off the entire numeric string from 100 all the way down. While my doctor was still gaping at him, he said, "Now can we talk about good and evil?" and carried on.

You don't have to put on a show. But, in some way, each one of us does, making other people wonder.

Welcome again!

 

[Elemental]

Yes Tony Attwood's book would be good for parents or anyone involved with or interested in anyone AS - ASD.

I guess exploring the book might help you to work out whether you feel anything like the accounts of the AS ASD experience described & there are a lot of free online self-tests for AS ASD indicators on the Web, some of which are already linked on this site.

I had my diagnosis & I didn't understand it, I saw the list of diagnosed symptoms + ASD & I thought that the ASD was some 'unknown-something-else-extra- added' not realizing at all that most the symptoms listed on my assessment report WERE the ASD. It wasn't until I self-tested online after hearing musician Gary Numan who's AS, say something in interview that soooooooo resonated (& this was nearly two decades after my original diagnosis) that the cogs in my brain started (re)turning to the subject of ASD & me & then additional reading / learning about it & participating on dedicated forum sites like this excellent one, really helped, is all.

Maybe it will for you too & if not, rarely is any learning totally wasted Plus there's quite a lot of social convo going on, on here, anyways