Why get a diagnosis?

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I am a 48 year old male living in Northern New South Wales Australia. My 8 year old son is diagnosed with high functioning Autism which has been helpful for him to a point. After researching Autism and Aspergers and being told by my soon to be ex partner, I think I may be an Aspie. I am considering getting a diagnosis but not sure how to do this as an adult (bit old for a pedeatrician) but then even if I am diagnosed what difference will that make?

I am writing from Sydney, so the following will be relevant, but not completely.

In northern NSW your best bet might be the Mind and Hearts clinic in Brisbane, where Tony Attwood* hangs out (you won't get him, as he is booked out, but they are all good there). There are good clinics in Sydney also (e.g. "Embracing the Other Half" Clinic at Pymble, which has a clinic director who used to be at the Brisbane Mind and Hearts clinic, and the Brain and Mind Research Institute at Sydney University) but they might be too far away. There is also Aspect, also known as Autism Spectrum Australia, which provides diagnostic services (http://www.autismspectrum.org.au/index.php?mn=2-2-4-4&option=com_chronocontact&Itemid=548&Itemid=548).

You may be able to get a referral from a GP to be assessed by a psychiatrist or a psychologist. I just booked myself into a psychologist who was recommended by an excellent source and dispensed with Medicare coverage for the assessment. It was one two-hour session by myself, and another one-hour session with my wife present.

What is the point? Well, you get to go over your whole psychological history with an intelligent and insightful and supportive observer. You get an objective answer - not just "I think I might be" or "I probably am", but an objective diagnosis. That puts the "maybe, maybe not" mind to rest. It can be a bit of a shock in the short term, as you become used to the change in your identity (I am not a failing NT, I am a normal Aspie). My psychologist pointed out that I had the Aspie strengths and an Aspie mind and gave me other feedback about my verbal and non-verbal communication. I also realised, as I went through my life's story, that I spend a lot of time in self-calming activities. So all in all, it was a bit self-discovery for me. But then, I am middle-aged, so I wasn't looking for childhood intervention or anything like that.

Hope that helps.

* if you don't know Tony Attwood, he is Australia's leading expert on Asperger's syndrome and widely respected by both professionals and people on the spectrum. He is often a guest speaker at American and other overseas conferences too - not just a local hero.

I think I understand why Montana wonders what the use of getting diagnosed is. I am 40 years old. I never even heard of aspergers until about five years ago when the son of an acquaintance was diagnosed with it. The child's parents explained aspergers to me and their explanation as I have come to understand is very wrong. They made the kid sound like he was a future serial killer and that his lack of emotions would wind up meaning that he would be extremely dangerous. I basically thought apergers was a type of pathological mental disorder.

When I actually finally looked it up after my Girlfriend suggested that I may have the disorder I realized that I had been mislead.

However I see little reason to be formally diagnosed. In America at least being diagnosed can lead to all sorts of legal complications such as being labeled mentally defective and having certain rights taken away (I'm a very avid gun collector and that could be impacted). I have made it 40 years without a Dr.s excuse for being weird I think I can manage.

Yeah maybe I do have aspergers maybe I dont. Its just about being a bit different and not quite fitting into the requirements of todays society. When my son was first diagnosed I was very angry when all the specialists told me he needed early intervention if he were to fit into todays society. I wonder if we lived in a more tolerant society if the label of apergers or high functioning autism would ever exist. Has this what the world has come to. People who think and behave differently require a label to survive?

To WrongPlanet!! !

Welcome montana!

I just had to laugh at that quote from the specialists... not 'haha' funny either. So, by the specialists reasoning, there are no functioning adults with Asperger's. Hmmmmm... so the condition didn't exist until the medical community finally embraced it as a diagnosis in 1981? Considering there is a strong familial link in Asperger's, I think I'd be asking these 'specialists' to explain their assessment a bit more clearly.

That said - I do see the value of early intervention even if their strong arm tactics were way out of line.

I too realized I'm probably an Aspie after my daughters diagnosis but I'm not sure a diagnosis for me would be of any benefit and, possibly, a hindrance as Gideon suggested. I don't own guns but I am concerned about medical insurance and employeers. I don't consider myself disabled in any way - perhaps disadvantaged at times - but I've held my own for this long. Asperger's has a whole host of comorbid conditions. If the insurers have a diagnosis - they can deny you coverage for any condition that may come to light later as preexisting if it is considered comorbid to Asperger's. This is my concern - I'm in the US - and enough of a reason to remain undiagnosed.

Welkome to WrongPlanet.

The WP Kink

If i could go back in time I would not have got a diagnosis.

I wanted a diagnosis so I could get help and perhaps people would not get so cross at me. However people tend to not believe I have it and say i was misdiagnosed or they say I do have it and undermine my rights, for example people in my family now say Im misinterpreting because of my aspergers where as before they would listen to my opinion.

Also as a parent I think it can be used against one in divorce and social services stuff.

If I could go back in time I would just be self diagnosed and use it for self knowledge and not let others know that I have AS.