I’m going to see my doctor next for official diagnosis

[Luigi]

I’m hypochondriac, and for some reason I’ve never thought I have aspergers. I’ve thought I’m bipolar. I officially have an anxiety disorder, and I’ve been asked if I wanted to take anti-anxiety and anti-depression medications. Being a hypochondriac, I looked up the symptoms of the medications, I read hundreds of responses on forums, and I decided I’m not taking medications because of the potential side effects.

I attended 5 middle schools and 3 high schools. I have always thought that was the reason for my social skill ineptness. I remember reading the social anxiety forums, and it made me cry because people were describing how I felt. I’ve been reading Asperger forums the last few days, and I felt the same way when I read the anxiety forums. I can relate to about 90% of what people describes here. I go to college in California, and I’m going to ask to see psychiatrist to get an official diagnosis when the semester starts next year.

One of the things I relate to people with aspergers is the lying. I’m honest not because I feel like I’m a good person. I don’t like lying because it’s uncomfortable. As do most people here, most of my life is filled with uncomfort, and I look at in black and white. I either do something uncomfortable or I don’t. So I don’t lie, and I’m not comfortable calling myself an”Aspie” until I get an official diagnosis, because I would feel like I’m lying.

 

[tree]

 

[Nitro]

 

[Beguiling Orbit]

Welcome, @Luigi! I can relate to what you wrote. Years ago I was diagnosed with "atypical bipolar disorder." In fact, every diagnosis I ever had was tagged with the "atypical" qualifier. I later came to realize that doctors add "atypical" whenever they're stumped and can't really pin down a diagnosis. Back then (late 1980s) there was no standard diagnosis of Aspergers or ASD, so they were never going to get it right, I now realize. Needless to say, I don't trust head shrinkers. Or meteorologists. They're all just guessing. (And nobody can convince me otherwise, so they shouldn't even try.)

As for meds, I have always reacted badly to any psychiatric med, which cause me to spiral out of control. So do alcohol and street drugs. I (eventually) came to realize that, for me, clean living is the way to go. I also learned ANT therapy and have had my anxiety well under control ever since. The only thing I still struggle with is the flop sweats when I have to interact with large groups of people for work. I just bring a handkerchief and dab whenever necessary. Oh, well.

As for the lying, I understand. You don't have to call yourself an Aspie, nor do we have to call you that. We can just call you Luigi.

Oh, and last but not least:

 

[Luigi]

Welcome, @Luigi! I can relate to what you wrote. Years ago I was diagnosed with "atypical bipolar disorder." In fact, every diagnosis I ever had was tagged with the "atypical" qualifier. I later came to realize that doctors add "atypical" whenever they're stumped and can't really pin down a diagnosis. Back then (late 1980s) there was no standard diagnosis of Aspergers or ASD, so they were never going to get it right, I now realize. Needless to say, I don't trust head shrinkers. Or meteorologists. They're all just guessing. (And nobody can convince me otherwise, so they shouldn't even try.)

As for meds, I have always reacted badly to any psychiatric med, which cause me to spiral out of control. So do alcohol and street drugs. I (eventually) came to realize that, for me, clean living is the way to go. I also learned ANT therapy and have had my anxiety well under control ever since. The only thing I still struggle with is the flop sweats when I have to interact with large groups of people for work. I just bring a handkerchief and dab whenever necessary. Oh, well.

As for the lying, I understand. You don't have to call yourself an Aspie, nor do we have to call you that. We can just call you Luigi.

Oh, and last but not least:

View attachment 40812

Thank you. I actually tried self medicating with alcohol, and I felt pretty good, but then I got sent to the ER for having a high blood pressure. That happened twice. Now I take a beta blocker for my hypertension. I did a lot if research, and propranolol seems to be universally liked for anxiety disorders, because it doesn’t have severe side effects. I’m pretty much living clean also. I have always been grateful of my health anxiety for not turning me into a drug addict.

 

[Kwickyfeet Icypaws]

Welcome.

I, too, am undiagnosed. I feel a deep empathy toward many symptoms or behaviors of ASD besides "social anxiety" but I also won't refer to myself as ASD without a diagnosis.

There are some very insightful discussions here, and I truly believe the challenges of ASD can be alleviated by strategies and modes of thought we learn as life goes on.

Best of luck to you.

 

[Streetwise]

Welcome - Unless you need accommodations for education ,welfare benefits you don't need a diagnosis,some people have used it to have an advisory note on their driving license, i only got one because I wanted welfare benefits,I wouldn't have bothered otherwise.

 

[Tom]

Hi & Welcome

 

[Luigi]

View attachment 40813 Welcome - Unless you need accommodations for education ,welfare benefits you don't need a diagnosis,some people have used it to have an advisory note on their driving license, i only got one because I wanted welfare benefits,I wouldn't have bothered otherwise.

Believe me, I don’t want to need a diagnosis. I thought the circumstances(Attending numerous schools) in my life affected my mental health. Aspergers isn’t a mental illness, and I want to have aspergers instead of always thinking I might have bibolar or some kind of mental illness. If I don’t get a diagnosis from a professional and being a hypochondriac, I will always think I have some kind of mental illness.

 

[Streetwise]

Believe me, I don’t want to need a diagnosis. I thought the circumstances(Attending numerous schools) in my life affected my mental health. Aspergers isn’t a mental illness, and I want to have aspergers instead of always thinking I might have bibolar or some kind of mental illness. If I don’t get a diagnosis from a professional and being a hypochondriac, I will always think I have some kind of mental illness.

Part of the reason I said it is because I know it's expensive in your country cheapest I've heard of a $300 but I can't remember where I think because I live in the UK I'm amazed when people have to pay that amount but it's swings and roundabouts I had to wait for 45 years for a diagnosis where if I could of paid it could've been weeks if I Guessed to start with.
To be honest I think I have the typical comorbid problems everyone on the autism spectrum has and the diagnosis hasn't made me feel one bit better .
Everybody does what is right for their self