Aspergers: Worth a Diagnosis?

LegacyUser

Hi, i'm a guy in my mid twenties and I suspect I may have aspergers, but not sure how to proceed and if it is worth following up.

I've read up on it and taken the online tests, allot matches up and I have a brother who was diagnosed with it at a young age. Pretty sure my Dad has it as well and he has dropped jokes himself that he probably does. My mother has a serious mental health disorder that I see also has links with a higher chance of having children on the autistic spectrum.

I've spent a few days reading properly up on the condition, and allot of things fit the bill, including what I was like as a child. I wouldn't regard myself as much different from my dad and brother, we even share a very similar voice tone.

I'm not entirely sure though, my parents never told my brother he was diagnosed, until he brought up the subject himself. We both got help from teachers in primary school when growing up, but it's a pretty awkward subject to bring up, "hey, by the way, was I diagnosed as well?". Not sure how i'd even process that, if I was and they withheld that from me.

Also, i've read people from homes like mine, can end up with similar traits without actually being on the spectrum themselves. I visited a doctor recently due to anxiety, but to be honest, the doctor barely looked at me and prescribed anti depressants & a psychologist which I could not afford, as i'm currently unemployed.

I have held full time jobs in the past, had a GF and have friends, but nothing has come easy in those respects, people are difficult and tire me out quickly, like I lack the same reference points to the script of life! My friends even have a joke, that i'm a bit robotic and can come across as unemotional & offensive, until people learn I mean no harm.

I just feel, a bit lost altogether and frustrated that getting help is so difficult.

The only advice anyone can give you is to go see a behavioral or educational therapist.

Another day

Absolutely worth it. One always feels better when they know (a) what's wrong and (b) get the help they may need. While your brother was diagnosed it does not mean you have the same form of aspergers but you may have another form. Social skills is a large part of it and if it makes you feel better about yourself to know why you find things difficult then honestly its a no brainer.

FizzleSticks

This post has been deleted.

Stojkovic

My uncle has mild aspergers.
He lived with us for years and then I looked after him when my mother died.

Firstly, I didnt know it was possible to know that you had aspergers ? Can you expand on this.

Secondly, have you watched the excellent Danish/Swedish series The Bridge. If not you should get the boxset. One of the main characters has Aspergers.

santana75

Its possible of course but I get the feeling from your post that you dont have Aspergers. It sounds very much like it was the environment you grew up in. I mean imagine you were raised in a house were your parents were healthy individuals and didnt have mental healthy issues. I think then it would be an entirely different story. People are too quick to label themselves Autistic or ADD or whatever. Worse still, end up on medication as a result.
Why not try doing a course in mindfulness? Theyre all over the place at the moment and relatively cheap(less than 100 quid for a 5 or 6 week course). I think if you started to develop your self awareness and more importantly, compassion and acceptance for yourself, you'd see massive changes in your life. Because when people are offensive the way you describe yourself as being, whats going on there is a lack of self love. Its how you speak to yourself, so you speak to others in the same way. And how you speak to yourself is how your primary care givers(your parents) spoke to you as a young child. By developing love and kindness for yourself, you'll treat yourself really well and wont speak to yourself, and consequently others, in an offensive, blunt manner. And I know you probably dont realise that you talk to yourself that way, but if you do it to others then you are 100% doing it to yourself. Forget labels and diagnosis for now. Why not try to self care route first, and then if nothing changes, go down the clinical route. But id be 99% sure that if you were to develop compassion and acceptance of yourself, that you would see enormous and positive change in your life.

Emme

Aspergers isn't necessarily a bad thing. Many people on the aspergers scale are very high achievers, particularly in areas related to math and science.

LegacyUser

Thanks for the replies all!

@ Stojkovic, thanks for the show suggestion! Well my brother figured it out himself, although he was diagnosed at a young age, no one told him. I never thought he was that different as like most, i'd tend to think of people on the autistic spectrum as easily identifiable in an apparent manner upon meeting them. After I read about it when I was told, yeah, it made sense, but you'd have to know him well and be read up on the subject to really cop it. My father would seem to share many of the same traits and behaviours.

@ Everyone: I don't think i'm that far apart from them and my bother has said i'm even more rigid in following rules and less socially adapted, but like others have suggested, self diagnosing is a crap shoot and it could be the environment I grew up in. I had to attend a psychologist for a single session in my teenage years for assessment, as referred by my GP due to pretty bad insomnia (shutting down my mind is..hard to say the least!). He seemed to be just making sure I did not have my mothers illness though, which is frustrating, because when I visited the GP years later due to anxiety, I felt they look at the file and go, "well theres your explanation right there". A 10 minute conversation where i'm barely looked at and a prescription + leaflet about stress!

Psychologists seem to be really expensive, or even getting an adult assessment. I have looked at organisations that do counseling on a sliding scale around the area. But i would definitely prefer a qualified professional.

By the way, I don't mean to put forth the idea that i'm totally socially inept either, i've always felt a bit out of the loop in that regard and different, but through socialising with friends, hobbies and work/college, I can make conversation fine if a bit out of tune at times, but it is like a learning curve where I make mental notes to avoid some things, even if logically, I don't really understand why the person got offended.

For example, last week, I commented that someones 1 year old child acted like a dog, they know me well enough to not take offense, but apparently that is not something you say, even if to my mind, I meant no offense, it's just an observation and I quite like dogs, if anything I meant it as an endearment that their child was active, curious and sociable to the world around him. But I now know, not to say that in future!

cloud493

I was diagnosed with aspergers at an early age, and recently got it in writing from a doctor, and its helped me a great deal knowing what I have.

stickybookmark

there's definitely free psychologist available to people on the public health system here. you might have to wait for a bit but get a referral asap from the GP. I know for sure you can see a psychologist and even a psychiatrist here for free on the public system. GP writes you a referral and you go into the hospital psychiatric department for assessment. then you can be put on the psychology programs etc. just ask the GP and refuse to leave til they refer you onto the public scheme

eviltwin

Both my kids have AS, one was diagnosed in her late teens. She was the one who flagged it and I remember thinking why bother with a diagnosis, she'd got that far without one but it's made a huge difference to everyone knowing what's behind her behaviour and personality. Day to day nothing has really changed but it does help to know not just for her and us but for other people who cut her some slack now they know. A diagnosis isn't a cure all though and your concerns will still be there but it gives you a starting point and its easier to find coping mechanisms when you know what you have. Definitely get onto your gp for a referral but in the meantime Google sites that specifically deal with adults with AS and you'll find help and support while you're waiting.

stickybookmark

Yes should also have mentioned ASPIRE. If you contact them I'm sure they would help you out

Diziet

Emme wrote: »

Aspergers isn't necessarily a bad thing. Many people on the aspergers scale are very high achievers, particularly in areas related to math and science.

Some are, some not. Not all persons with AS are high achievers or maths and science experts. Current thinking is that the distribution of intelligence is about the same as in the rest of the population.

I agree that AS is not a bad thing.

blatantrereg

Don't know how useful an Asperger's diagnosis is. Some people get a lot of insight from having it; some people might have already learned how to be themselves kinda. I do think you should talk to a GP/clinical psychologist or psychiatrist in order to make sure you don't have something more serious. Trouble turning your mind off and getting to sleep can be a dangerous warning sign.

Also calling a kid a dog sounds more like disinhibition than anything related to Asperger's to me - not that that means anything I'm not a doctor - just saying I wouldn't self-diagnose. That way you risk misattributing manifestations of something that you woul absolutely need to get treatment for.

Keane2baMused

Take a look at Asiam.ie

If you can get in touch with Adam Harris he has HFA/ aspergers syndrome and is a wonderful autism advocate.

What I will say is this. If you feel a diagnosis will help you in any way then do try and get a referral. Failing that there are clinical psychologists and psychiatrists in the private system who can do the assesments with you. I know of one specifically who is based in dublin who doesn't charge astronomically like the rest and he himself has AS.

My 6 year old son has classic autism and I am pretty certain my older brother (mid thirties) is on the spectrum also with HFA. My mother has since said she sees now 2 of her own brothers with autistic traits (especially one in particular).

Best of luck

LegacyUser

Thanks again for all the replies, i'll be sure to follow up on the suggestions.

The last two times I had to visit GP's, with gaps of a few years between each, I have to say they were pretty unhelpful. I enquired about help via the public system for anxiety, as I lack the money to go private for therapy, both times I pushed the doctors on it, after a few weeks each time, they got back to me and told me i'm not eligible as I don't have a medical card. The best they can do in my case is a prescription for anti depressants which i'm holding off on.

So i'm guessing the idea of a public system assessment for asperger's is definitely a no go at my age. I looked around at some costs of getting an assessment, and they seemed really expensive.

Keane2baMused

Op there are lots of low cost/donation only counselling services that could help you? Have a Google there should be plenty that come up.

If you feel this is something you cant let go don't let them fob you off.

TwoGallants

People really need to stop pathologising themselves.

I read your post OP, and I got the impression that you're overthinking this. So what if you're a bit different, it doesn't make you ill.

Only see a doctor if you feel this is having an overwhelmingly negative effect on your life and you can't go on as it is. Otherwise, just live your life, embrace the spectrum of human varience, and get on with it.

blatantrereg

A counsellor isn't going to be able to diagnose someone with Asperger's and is unlikely to offer any useful insight unless they're familiar with it.

The state of things the way they are I think free counselling services should only be used if you are having severe issues. They've very limited resources and they need to be available to people in critical situations who might benefit from them.

stickybookmark

OP999 wrote: »

The last two times I had to visit GP's, with gaps of a few years between each, I have to say they were pretty unhelpful. I enquired about help via the public system for anxiety, as I lack the money to go private for therapy, both times I pushed the doctors on it, after a few weeks each time, they got back to me and told me i'm not eligible as I don't have a medical card. The best they can do in my case is a prescription for anti depressants which i'm holding off on.

So i'm guessing the idea of a public system assessment for asperger's is definitely a no go at my age. I looked around at some costs of getting an assessment, and they seemed really expensive.

I asked around about this in another forum where people would know. Apparently is is possibly to see a psychiatrist and psychologist on the public system but as resources are limited they tend to be only available to people with serious disorders. Having said that if you found your local mental health service centre perhaps you can go back to the GP (or try another one) and see if they would refer you to there.
Click on your county here to see your local mental health service centres: http://www.hse.ie/eng/services/list/...alth_Services/

Basically I've heard from a few people that suffer with anxiety that they were able to access services by getting the GP to refer them but there are long waiting lists and you will encounter people on the severe end of the scale i.e. people with serious disorders which could be upsetting as you're waiting in waiting rooms etc.

It does seem that like alot of things in the irish health system that if you are neither poor enough to have a medical card Nor rich enough to have health insurance you fall between 2 stools and are kind of screwed. Especially in this case as anxiety is probably seen as a low grade mental health disorder. And back to the Asperger's diagnosis, it would probably only take 1 or 2 sessions with a psychologist for this. I would push for your GP to refer you for same. For example just one aspect but my brother has Aspergers (diagnosed as a kid) and he receives a disability benefit and other benefits. Considering despite being highly intelligent he's unlikely to ever be able to hold down a job, this obviously gives him some financial security.
So you could always push that angle even if that's not your real driving force - tell the GP you believe you are entitled to disability allowance and therefore want a diagnosis of whether you do have Aspergers or not. Good luck OP