Finally diagnosed...

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Hi all,

I thought I'd post about my experience with getting an official diagnosis of aspergers/high-functioning autism.

I had already had two previous tests. One was when I was 4, the second was when I was 15. Both failed to diagnose me. As both my parents had suffered with depression and sometimes found it difficult to look after me, the psychiatrists would often shift the blame to them and blame my unusual behavior on them.

The unusual behavior was hyperactivity, not mixing with other children, becoming obsessed with obscure things that children don't usually like (see below), strange speech patterns (which I had speech therapy for), lack of eye contact any various other oddities. I never fitted in with anyone at school. I was always on a different wavelength to everyone else and I was somewhat of a black sheep in my family, especially on my mother's side. I was more intellectual and a lot of them found this difficult to relate to. I have always had strange interests. For example, I was obsessed with the British Prime Minister Tony Blair when I was 6 (in 1998-1999) which makes me shudder to think back to now! Then I became obsessed with car number plates and the mid-1980s fashion and music (I am fascinated by the years 1985 and 1986, don't ask why this is because I just don't know, I just like this period of history). So it was very difficult to fit in with such obscure and unpopular interests.

But third time lucky, I went for an in-depth assessment with the Simon Baron-Cohen Clinic in Cambridge earlier this week, after waiting six months for my questionnaire I sent through the post to be processed, and they have now diagnosed me as having "high functioning autism". I have heard that this term isn't much liked but apparently, I don't have Aspergers Syndrome because I had delayed speech development when I was young. I scored 34 on the AQ test I did online also.

So finally, I have an explanation as to why I was always "different".

Unfortunately, because I was always rejected by my peers, I have developed crippling social anxiety so it is very difficult to be myself, especially as my "self" is odd and undesirable to neurotypical people. But as I have been diagnosed, I will now be able to get advice from my local outreach team.

I thought it would be a good idea to share my experience as hopefully it will show that it is important to be persistent in seeking a diagnosis, do not let one misdiagnosis put you off. Always seek a second opinion because it is quite clear that autism is a very difficult thing to diagnose as so many secondary factors can interfere with the assessment, which in my case was my upbringing with my parents depression.

Anyway, best regards and merry xmas

Hey jack1992 welcome and Merry Christmas to you too!

Welcome!

Welcome to Wrong Planet!

Hello, thank you for posting your experience - and I'm glad you've been successful in getting a diagnosis!

I find your post very reassuring, because I often feel like my experience is unusual or somehow invalidates my problems. I was assessed when I was fourteen, but the educational psychologist concluded that a diagnosis wouldn't benefit me at that time, despite all evidence pointing to the fact I did have an ASD. I always thought I had just been assessed not to have it, until actually getting to see my report a few months ago. I am now pursuing diagnosis as an adult (I'm 22) because I feel they made the wrong decision in not diagnosing me and I think a diagnosis will be beneficial - but I've been worried that because I have previously been assessed, I will be accused of attention-seeking, inventing problems, or claiming a label I have no right to. Though obviously I'm sorry you had a similar experience in not being diagnosed earlier, it's a relief to me to know I'm not the only one who has gone through this.

EDIT: Also, hello hello! I'm in Lincs but go to university in Cambridge, so am relatively local