Extra, extra! Greentea going for diagnosis! (of all people!)

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Yes, definitely. and the intellectual identification you find with others on WP. I certainly spoke with my psychologist about this. He is great and has been part of Attwood's team. We have an intensity about our exchanges that are for the most part, unmatched by people who are not of the ASD type. that is my perception anyway. We dissect, ruminate, fixate, rip apart, analyse and do it all over again!. we live in that space. PUrely and simply. Some people may VISIT that type of thinking here and there but we are LODGED in it. perseverative, steeped in it. It is all there is.

I would certainly mention it if I were you, and my perception is your thinking and analysis in relation to people is HIGHLY systematised and analytical. I am very similar in this regard, and again I have discussed this way of operating in the world, as a woman with an ASD, with my psychologist. It's evident to me you attempt to make sense of human beings and human nature through a highly detailed process of categorizing and compartmentalizing. It is heightened in you, Greentea. But it is also coloured by deep hurt, that may be linked in with being misunderstood for so long. That is also the case for many older people with an ASD who have been through a lot of pain through misunderstanding. the two have a kind of symbiotic relationship in the end, and a good ASD therapist understands this and can tease it out clearly and with insight and compassion.

I have now exchanged with you on WP for six months - most days. I feel my perception of you is fairly spot on. I would let her know of your WP acquaintances and their perceptions of you also. Often the psychologist wants to know how OTHERS SEE YOU, so they get a balanced view of you. feel free to cut and past this too, if you want. Ask people here - or pm a few people you trust here and ask them to offer objective viewpoints.

good luck.

Last edited by millie on 31 May 2009, 5:25 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Hmm yes, you're very right. Such a good way to put it too; I've spoken about this my whole life, but I've always just referred to it as "intellectual discussion", and when I felt like nobody was talking it with me I would complain I was suffering from a lack of "intellectual discussion". Before WP, I had first a close friend (who I suspect just might be undiagnosed AS) who would engage in intellectual discussion with me, then after that my first boyfriend would do it (he was NT but exceptionally smart, so I think he enjoyed it because it challenged him too), then after we broke off the relationship I found I had no outlet, and I was craving it and getting no satisfaction - until I one day on a whim signed back onto WP (I had first signed up years ago, but hadn't really spent any time on here) - and wham! I was addicted because I had all the "intellectual discussion" I needed, and then some. It fulfilled that constant craving in me.

But anyway, getting off topic, Greentea I think you will be just fine - all you need to do is firstly be yourself, and also open up and discuss all your past history, the things about yourself that are different from other people, etc.

^ so true, Sunshower. (and it is a little more driven than simple intellectual discussion. )

and if Greentea is just Greentea, it will all be as it is meant to be.

listen to millie's rhyme, and everything will be sublime.

Good luck with the psychiatrist, too unethical to be a podiatrist.

millie, thank you for that post. I've included it in my report for the diagnosis, which is now 5 typed pages long I'm surprised it came out so long when I write only points, and in note form!! ! I must have lots of autistic traits

good-o.
and as canyonwind says, let us hope she is not a podiatrist.

Greentea, I hope it goes well!

The psychologist who diagnosed me did not give me any tests. I assume that perhaps a child might be diagnosed partially through tests, but that that was not necessary for an adult who could express themselves fully. He observed and spoke to me for two hours, asked about my life and my family, my interests, and the difficulties I experienced.

I had also taken with me for him to read a list I had been keeping for a while of anything that came to mind and could be relevant about my habits, likes and dislikes and problems.

At the end, he was able to say to me, "I think you have Asperger's." He did not hesitate, even though he said it was relatively mild. Although I had come across so much that fitted in in descriptions of AS and posts on WP, I was quite shocked - almost simultaneously relieved and depressed - that he was so sure. I had expected him to say that I perhaps had some AS traits, or was borderline, or perhaps make a PDD-NOS diagnosis.

You probably know better than him, though?

I think the shrink I saw was terrified of diagnosing someone with AS. This may be one of the reasons we often encounter shrinks that dismiss our Autism with some stupid rationalizations. I think they don't trust themselves enough to be able to say "this person is autistic".

Good luck, Greentea!

Some diagnosticians just aren't very good......I was recently emailing a private one who started sounding like he was more interested in checking out non-AS problems than checking out AS. Sure, other possible conditions masquerading as autism are worthy of attention, but the whole venture seemed to be moving away from the original AS-diagnostic agenda. So I asked him to list the other conditions he wanted to check out. He hasn't done so. He hasn't even specifically confirmed that the initial 2-hour consultation he proposes will look into AS at all. All he'll tell me is that the consultation would be a "general" one. I smell a rat........I'd approached him about an AS diagnosis, but he moved the goalposts. Moral: shopping around is probably a good idea. You seem to like the sound of your new one. I think that's a good sign.

Is there a date set? I didn't see one in the thread, though I may have missed it.

Best luck (again) Greentea.

Sounds like a professional professional this time, cool!

Thank you all so much for your support! The date is Aug. 11 if she can't find a slot before that. I'm looking forward...

good luck WP friend.

hey there Gret hope allges well got my referal enquiry and I am thinking positive luckily my mum is going with me and have shown her the symptoms

That gives you some time to go through the disgnostic criteria and make sure you have the whole truth at your fingertips.........my weakness, when discussing my suspected autism, is that I tend to flip into "self-validation" mode and deny my problems, else I just plain forget to mention important things. But you've probably already got all those bases covered.

I typed 5 pages in note-form, the same day I made the appointment.