Recently Diagnosed with HFA

[Ruth_Alice]

Hello,

Feeling pretty uncomfortable as I write this. But I did intend to seek out to find others more like myself. For the most part I just tend to read these but usually feel more apprehensive to contribute anything of my own. It hasn't always been that way, but I've noticed it happening more in recent years.

But back to the original topic- I was recently diagnosed with High Functioning Autism (this week) after the suggestion to look into this from a dear friend of mine. He had originally suggested that I look into the symptoms of Asperger's Syndrome, and so I did. But of course that is no longer an official diagnosis, which I'm sure a lot of people still have pretty mixed feelings about. But could anyone let me know of some of the differences between HFA and AS? I've heard they can actually look pretty similar- so I guess I was thinking, if AS were still a recognized disorder along with HFA, which one would I officially have fallen under? I do tend to prefer it when I can narrow everything down to a science, so if anyone can help me out with my own understanding, I would greatly appreciate it.

Also, I was wondering how you all go about making new connections/friendships when you have decided that you would like to branch out? A lot of my close friendships are the ones that I have formed online, which I don't have a problem continuing to do, but I didn't know if any of you had any suggestions when it comes to meeting people on your wavelength when you see people in person. It just seems like it would be nice to connect with more people outside of books and the internet sometimes. But I do appreciate all of it, nonetheless.

 

[BlueChapel]

HFA is AS. There's no difference.

In regard to friendships, my recommendation is to consume cannabis. Smoking once a day helps me relate to the emotions of others. What I might otherwise perceive as information, while high I can attach emotion to.

Some over the counter drugs that help me get along with people are 5HTP, GABA, L-Theanine, and L-Tyrosine.

 

[paloftoon]

Unless you are in one of theareas of the country where marijuana is legalized, this is not something that can be recommended. Dr. Sunjay Gupta did a special on possible uses for marijuana, but it seems a lot more work is necessary.

http://www.cnn.com/2015/04/16/opinions/medical-marijuana-revolution-sanjay-gupta/

http://www.cnn.com/2013/08/08/health/gupta-changed-mind-marijuana/
http://www.cnn.com/2016/08/11/health/gupta-dea-marijuana/
https://mic.com/articles/126303/where-is-marijuana-legal-in-the-united-states-list-of-recreational-and-medicinal-states#.D13WgR2jK

 

[Nitro]

You can fly any flag you are comfortable with here on our forum,after all,it's only a name and changes nothing about your personal experience


In the USA,the Diagnostic Statistical Manual 5 eliminated Asperger's Syndrome as a diagnosis and replaced it with grades of autism that reflect the severity of symptoms.Some clinical people here still use AS as their diagnosis where my lil autie buddy got his AS tag while the DSM 5 was in full effect here.Hunter gets full support even without using the DSM 5 guidelines. Other countries still use an AS assessment.
I was assessed using the DSM IV rulings where early childhood developmental milestones were entered into the equation and was left out of the AS id by a history of delayed speech as a child and fly the autie flag as a result of it.
The newer grading systems of autism was an attempt to provide assistance for symptoms that was to make better sense of how the fiscal end was to be addressed in my honest opinion and not much more.
I read the entire DSM IV,skimmed DSM III and briefly looked over DSM 5 to come to my conclusion.
Don't ask me my opinion of the black art of psychology

 

[Elemental]

In UK, successive governmets won't allow hardly any conducted trials into the medical applications of THC & the CBD's contained within, which for some people have shown positive results in managing some medical conditions.

Nitro
In the USA,the Diagnostic Statistical Manual 5 eliminated Asperger's Syndrome as a diagnosis and replaced it with grades of autism that reflect the severity of symptoms.

- Is what I guess I fell foul of, having ASD assessments 18 years apart. It really messed my head until much later when I recalled discussion on here, about changed protocols in assessments. Where does that actually leave high function ASD / AS-er's??

PS
This time I had one background interview with an ASD diagnostic assessor, then a 40 min & a 45 minute consultation with a locum psychiatrist...How does that compare with others experience of assessment? I'm in UK.

My first was by an educational psychologist, it involved a background interview, numerous cognitive ability testing tasks & a general knowledge quiz, plus I think an AQ test of some type because I remember the "spider web" diagram of the results.

My 2 assessments were very different & I intuitively want to believe the first diagnosis over the 2nd.

 

[Elemental]

Hi Ruth_Alice Nice to meet you. Is that you in the avatar with the owl? Do you do falconry? I know a little about it & that it's quite differently run in US & UK. A falconer instructor said you need to be with your hawk 12 hours+ each day for 6 months when you begin with a young bird.

 

[Nitro]

In UK, successive governmets won't allow hardly any conducted trials into the medical applications of THC & the CBD's contained within, which for some people have shown positive results in managing some medical conditions.

Nitro
In the USA,the Diagnostic Statistical Manual 5 eliminated Asperger's Syndrome as a diagnosis and replaced it with grades of autism that reflect the severity of symptoms.

- Is what I guess I fell foul of, having ASD assessments 18 years apart. It really messed my head until much later when I recalled discussion on here, about changed protocols in assessments. Where does that actually leave high function ASD / AS-er's??

PS
This time I had one background interview with an ASD diagnostic assessor, then a 40 min & a 45 minute consultation with a locum psychiatrist...How does that compare with others experience of assessment? I'm in UK.

My first was by an educational psychologist, it involved a background interview, numerous cognitive ability testing tasks & a general knowledge quiz, plus I think an AQ test of some type because I remember the "spider web" diagram of the results.

My 2 assessments were very different & I intuitively want to believe the first diagnosis over the 2nd.

I guess where it primarily falls apart,the DSM 5 would require support for daily functioning in order to receive a level 1 diagnosis which is supposed to cover AS.
Not all on the autism spectrum need their hands held to survive in the world.Many prefer solitude and could care less if they had any outside contact. I had to reinvent myself in order to function at the level I wanted,but that didn't make me any less autistic,it just made me functional.
This is where many would get left out that would otherwise be considered aspie by the old criteria if they were able to develop their own coping mechanisms without any outside intervention. I guess this is why I stress that a person's entire developmental history has to be taken into account in order to come up with a sound assessment.

I sure as heck never had any questions about my deficits because I was granted gifts in my bag of tricks that far outweighed any of them from square one.Maybe it would have been nice to know why I flopped at my lovelife or coldness towards my family members at times,but no single person can turn back the hands of time,so why cry about it?



Levels 2 and 3 cover more severe symptoms,but even with more required support,it all boils down to an opinion in the end,so until you can get the entire psych world to agree on something as simple as what to have for lunch,it will remain a very flawed system of approach to what goes on inside another persons mind.I refer to psychology as the great educated guess because that is all it really is as they attempt to file individuals into neat little boxes with perfect fits. Yeah,right,like that will happen

My assessment was done informally by a team that was dealing with another brain related issue,so I cannot say that it was done to help me,but more in line to explain why I always functioned the way I did if that makes any sense.

 

[lemonie]

i guess the difference in title is severity of symptoms and how they affect your daily functioning, it being you cant even function or go out, or if you can and your level of intensity of for example sensory issues are controllable enough to lead somewhat of a life. As I said I guess the difference is in the severity and amount of behaviours related to ASD

 

[Ruth_Alice]

Hi Ruth_Alice Nice to meet you. Is that you in the avatar with the owl? Do you do falconry? I know a little about it & that it's quite differently run in US & UK. A falconer instructor said you need to be with your hawk 12 hours+ each day for 6 months when you begin with a young bird.

Hello Elemental! No, this is not me in my avatar, although I wouldn't mind if it were since she is very beautiful. Falconry would be pretty intriguing to get into, I'd say. In all honesty I didn't realize until just now that people did that sort of thing. It sounds really cool though

Here is a photo of me for anyone who is curious since I have stated that my avatar is not of me:

 

[On the Inside]

Through my assessments, I've been given the diagnosis of HFA, ASD level 1 (Aspergers). So, not sure what all the differences might be, and don't really care. My problems are my own, though they fit in this category.

Friendships are hard, even online, for me. I had lots of friends when I was younger, through my twenties. They were all centered around my interests. As I've gotten older, I have less and less time for interests, doing adult things and recovering from the efforts takes up most of my time and energy. Not much left to spend with others, and don't have much to talk about when I am around them, so I come across as dull, disinterested, or stuck up. Not friendly, at least.

 

[Elemental]

Hello Elemental! No, this is not me in my avatar, although I wouldn't mind if it were since she is very beautiful. Falconry would be pretty intriguing to get into, I'd say. In all honesty I didn't realize until just now that people did that sort of thing. It sounds really cool though

Here is a photo of me for anyone who is curious since I have stated that my avatar is not of me:
View attachment 28861

Hi Ruth_Alice You look very beautiful yourself, so I would try not to worry about that too much! I did a bit of falconry before & it is an exhilarating & quite wonderful thing, when it works as the hawks do go AWOL at times too. In US you need to find a hawk mentor & study for a year before being allowed to have & train a hawk, in UK apparently anyone can buy hawks or owls & there is little regulation. I attended a mini-course with my nephew in the summer too & enjoyed that hugely

 

[Astroganga]

I am in the UK and recently diagnosed with Asperger's, as they still diagnose it in this area. Under the diagnostic criteria here, to be DX with HFA requires having developmental delays in early childhood, especially speech and language delays.