Diagnosis

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My psychologist says I'm on the spectrum, but since I'm over 18, I can't be formally diagnosed? What do you all think? I know people my age that were diagnosed as adults, so I'm confused.

Thank you!
Sara

Many women get diagnosed after their kids receive a diagnosis.

I understand your confusion & frustration OP.

I started seeing a psychiatrist after a mental breakdown when I was 20 & she told me that I had Asperger's syndrome. However she also told me that she was not qualified to test & since autism is a developmental disability that occurs before turning 21, it has to be officially diagnosed before 21 in order to know for sure that it occurred before 21. She referred me for testing & I got officially tested right before turning 21. The quack who tested me & his paperwork stated that I communicated too well verbally & seemed too intelligent to have anything on the autism spectrum. Paperwork also stated that I have Asperger's Personality due to having Schizoid Personality Disorder & I have nothing on the autism spectrum. During my MANY years on this forum as well as doing various online research about autism, I never heard of a diagnoses of Asperger's Personality except for the diagnoses I received.

Before I got tested my psychiatrist also referred me to an organization that provides various assistance to people with developmental disabilities. I had my first meeting right before I got tested & they told me that it was very good that I got referred to them before 21 because if I had gotten referred after 21 I would automatically be denied since they would not be able to know for sure that I had issues before turning 21. Due to limited funding I got put on a waiting list for services. My name came up five years later & we had a meeting about which services they could possibly provide including the possibility of a group home. However the group home & most other services would not be available for another couple years so they could only currently offer me a couple services that I didn't need. Shortly afterwards I had to have another meeting with them so they could evaluate me some. After that meeting I got told that they did not accept my psychiatrist's diagnoses since she was not qualified to test & they wanted me to get tested for autism somewhere. Me & my parents did NOT tell them how I had gotten officially tested & autism was ruled out. However my mom did say we were told that autism could only be diagnosed before 21 & the guy said it could be diagnosed much latter but they could only help people who get in their system before turning 21. My mom asked if the organization would cover the cost of me getting tested & the guy said we would be responsible for handling that. When I got tested right before turning 21 it cost my parents a couple thousand dollars & autism was officially ruled out so we did not want to spend even more money to get me tested somewhere else just to be given another BS diagnoses. We also found it very screwy that the organization accepted me into their system when I was 20 after my psychiatrist referred me when they would not accept her diagnoses when it came time to possibly provide some services. We figured if I got retested & I was actually given an official autism diagnoses, the organization would make up another BS reason to avoid providing me services whenever my name would come up for their main services.

My medical paperwork states that I have Asperger's & Autism & my general practitioner doctors believe I have it as well as a psychiatrist I briefly saw a few years ago. On this forum I often say that I have Asperger's or Autism but depending on the conversation I may add that it's not quite officially diagnosed.

I was diagnosed in the U.S. two days before my 65th birthday.

Got diagnosed late 30s.

I was diagnosed later in life, only after my daughter had been diagnosed. Reading up on high functioning autism, I found myself recognizing myself. I ended up getting a diagnosis from the very same psychologist.

Welcome to Wrong Planet Sara. Your psychologist is dead wrong. It isn’t always easy but adults can and do get diagnosed. Psychologists use questioners of parents, siblings, and school records as well as your own memory to see if you exhibited Autistic traits as a child.

A check of AI produced these results for getting assessed as an adult in Atlanta.

“ Adults in Atlanta seeking an autism diagnosis can go to specialized centers, private psychological practices, or their primary care physicians for referrals. Key providers offer comprehensive evaluations using clinical interviews and standardized tools to provide clarity, self-understanding, and access to potential accommodations.

Specialized Clinics & Private Practices
These centers often specialize in adult diagnostics, including for those who mask symptoms, and some offer virtual appointments.

Restore Balance Therapy: Offers in-person and telehealth evaluations using tools like the MIGDAS-2, focusing on a neurodiversity-affirming approach that recognizes differences across genders and ethnicities. This is a self-pay service.

Sachs Center Atlanta: Specializes in ADHD and autism testing for adults, offering evaluations via telehealth. They focus on identifying conditions in individuals who may mask symptoms, especially women and girls.

Anxiety Specialists of Atlanta: Provides adult (ages 19 and up) autism assessments, with a licensed psychologist who is also autistic and ADHD.

Heal ATL Counseling & Wellness: Offers adult assessments with an autistic and ADHD provider, emphasizing a neurodiversity-affirmative approach and quick results. It operates on a self-pay basis.

North Metro Psychological Services:Provides neurodiversity-affirming assessments for teens and adults, recognizing the role of masking.

The Rubin Center for Autism: Directed by a developmental pediatrician with extensive experience in diagnosing and treating children and adults with autism.

Cost & Insurance Considerations
Many specialized clinics in the Atlanta area are considered out-of-network providers and require self-payment.

Costs for comprehensive evaluations can be significant, ranging from several hundred to over two thousand dollars, depending on the provider and the extent of testing.

It's important to contact your insurance provider directly to verify coverage and understand potential out-of-network benefits. A formal diagnosis is often required to access certain services, accommodations, and disability benefits.

I'm 54 and got an official signed diagnosis a few weeks ago, just over the road from you in Huntsville, Al. Sounds like your psychologist isn't qualified.