Life after AS

[Geordie]

So how was life like after your diagnosis of Asperger's or Autism?

Do you feel that life simply changes, either for the bad or hopefully, for the better?

Do you feel more constrained or liberated with autism?

 

[Uhura]

I was diagnosed about 6 years ago. I remember it was in April but don't remember the year. I find the diagnosis a huge relief. It is an explanation. It is a combination of a way of life and a disability. And it is a pain in the neck at times. But having a diagnoses is something I am grateful for.

 

[Geordie]

Yep. AS gives us a framework to understand our weaknesses, and explore our strengths, if we are ever diagnosed with AS

 

[Occasional_Demon]

I think finding out that I was AS was good and bad. Good in the sense that it finally explained some of my additional behaviours and I finally felt like I was being taken seriously. Before, I almost felt like I was making things up.

It's also good in the sense that I've been able to get some accommodations for uni due to AS, because now I feel like I have a more complete diagnostic picture of what is impacting on my life.

It's bad in the sense that it officially adds a complication to my diagnostic picture. I mean, I would still have AS issues with or without the official dx, but having it means things like looking for a new psychologist [when my current one leaves private practice] is slightly more difficult. I have to look for someone who can deal with multiple issues.

 

[Geordie]

I thought AS is coexistent with some other disorders?

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AD/HD

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Dyslexia

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Depression

 

[Occasional_Demon]

Sometimes, but not all the time.

I've got schizoaffective, so ideally I would love to have a psychologist who can work with all of my issues, which can be grouped into three main categories:

+ ASD;
+ Mood disorder - I have the bipolar subtype of schizoaffective;
+ Psychosis.

Unfortunately, it seems that psychologists usually don't do all three, so I'm starting to wonder if I have to focus on the areas which bother me the most and put the others on the backburner.

 

[Geordie]

Unfortunately, it seems that psychologists usually don't do all three, so I'm starting to wonder if I have to focus on the areas which bother me the most and put the others on the backburner.

If I have similar sets of disorders, I'd be confused, too

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[Occasional_Demon]

There's no confusion for me, it's more a matter of prioritising what I need from a psychology and what I could potentially leave to my psychiatrist to handle. I usually find that the psychologists who deal with ASDs don't deal with psychosis or mood disorders, although some will deal with mood disorders to an extent because mood disorders are fairly common amongst those on the spectrum. The ones who deal with mood disorders and psychosis usually don't have much to do with ASDs.

 

[Geordie]

There's no confusion for me, it's more a matter of prioritising what I need from a psychology and what I could potentially leave to my psychiatrist to handle. I usually find that the psychologists who deal with ASDs don't deal with psychosis or mood disorders, although some will deal with mood disorders to an extent because mood disorders are fairly common amongst those on the spectrum. The ones who deal with mood disorders and psychosis usually don't have much to do with ASDs.

My thoughts:

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AS and other co-conditions are the same, but different.

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Because they are different.

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There will be a time for this.

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Have hope.

 

[Occasional_Demon]

I'm not quite understanding. Perhaps it's the mixture of pictorial and textual content that's obscuring your message. Asperger's and other conditions are not the same. That's why they have different criteria and there's differential diagnoses. To say that they are the same is to ignore the impact these other conditions can have on a person.

Sorry if I'm a bit touchy over this, I had to fight a bit hard to get my ASD recognised.

 

[jayraytee]

I agree they are not the same, hense the different name. I appreciate the diagnosis for the simple fact that it is validating to what I had a suspician about.

 

[Geordie]

Yep. ASD is part of what ASDs are like after all