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My friends DH has Aspergers and they've been married quite some time and have 2 kids.
However, she does mention things he does that hurts her feelings or annoy/embarrass her. She is very patient and kindhearted, but I personally couldn't deal with what she does.
For example, we all went to an art museum for a special exhibit. Her husband kept pushing to the front of the circle of people looking at the art and then got close enough to touch it with his nose. He was asked to step back by the security guards, which he did...but then continued to do the same thing at every picture! He was asked at least 10-12 times to not get so close, yet he just couldn't process it (?). The wife kept grabbing his arm, reminding him to move back and that other people were trying to see.
Kudos to her, but I wouldn't be able to deal with it.
So, am I understanding this, correctly? Those who are arguing that a doctor's diagnosis is a crock, and unnecessary, because psychiatrists are not trained properly in autism, therefore their own (skilled?) self-diagnosis is more appropriate ... do you realize that there is more to a diagnosis of autism than seeing a psychiatrist? A psychiatrist did NOT diagnose my son. He was texted extensively by speech pathologists, neuropsychologists, neurologists, occupational therapists, at Emory University, Vanderbilt University, and the Marcus Institute, from the age of 2. His last diagnosis was done by 3 months of testing by an autism specialist at Reinforcement Unlimited, here in the Atlanta area. It is NOT a psychiatric disorder, and NOT a mental illness. There are dual diagnosis sometimes of bipolar, OCD, ADHD, and it's not uncommon at all for that to occur, or to have a whole list of simultaneously-occuring conditions. So, in that case, you need to have a good team of doctors, including a psychiatrist (a reputable one experienced with autism - yes, they exist), in the case of some of the comorbid disorders, working with you.
I cannot imagine how someone would decide to self-diagnose with all the resources available. There ARE specialists.
I really have a hard time taking anyone seriously who insists they have Asperger's, when they've never bothered to get it checked out. It seems unbelievably presumptuous, not to mention disrespectful to all those working in the field to help people on the Autistic Spectrum.
Lookie here... your son probably needs all those things because he has a severe form of it and they could not distinguish between that, autism, or something worse (empathy). But most people with mild to moderate forms of Asperger's do not warrant the extensive medical costs for diagnosing it. It would simply be practicing bad medicine if I were to take everyone I suspect has a mild form of this condition and refer them for a battery of tests and a dozen specialists... it would bankrupt the nation.
I didn't speak until 7th grade (atypical for ASD I know)... but hey, I'm fine today... what is a doctor gonna do about it now? Like I said, each case is different. Maybe I speak for myself because I have qualifications to diagnose myself. Most people do not, this is true... but maybe people should focus more on their own situation. It's really not a competition. When I was younger people knew that something was wrong with me, got a few teachers on my case... but my parents never took me to the doctor's and I of course was oblivious. So a couple of decades passed... then Asperger's syndrome became well advertised when I was in my late 20s... so excuse me if I don't have a diagnosis. I don't label myself or advertise it (especially not at work), just use this knowledge to help myself.
It means exactly what I have said. If you want to apply for any sort of disability insurance separate from the group disability insurance that you get from your workplace, the company will find any and all excuses to ding you for any pre-existing conditions. Anything perceived as psych history would be viewed as high risk. If you leave it out of your history and they find out about it, they can deny you payment.
A good reason to keep away from a diagnosis if it is not totally necessary for your well-being.
Lookie here... your son probably needs all those things because he has a severe form of it and they could not distinguish between that, autism, or something worse. But most people with mild to moderate forms of Asperger's do not warrant the extensive medical costs for diagnosing it. It would simply be practicing bad medicine if I were to take everyone I suspect has a mild form of this condition and refer them for a battery of tests and a dozen specialists... it would bankrupt the nation.
I didn't speak until 7th grade (atypical for ASD I know)... but hey, I'm fine today... what is a doctor gonna do about it now? Like I said, each case is different. Maybe I speak for myself because I have qualifications to diagnose myself. Most people do not, this is true... but maybe people should focus more on their own situation. It's really not a competition.
Okay, first, the "lookie here" is not necessary. I do not need you to talk down to me.
No, this is not a competition. But please don't try to spread around this absurd idea that a diagnosis is not necessary, because MOST PEOPLE who are even high functioning (and, yes, my son IS high functioning) cannot conform to society's standards as you have, without outside help. And if you had the awareness to do so in the first place, I highly doubt you qualify as being on the spectrum. I don't give a damn what credentials you have.
And if, for the sake of argument, you DO have Asperger's, perhaps an early diagnosis would have gotten you better school support, and you would never have jeopardized the lives of your fellow students and teachers by starting a fire in your school.
Okay, first, the "lookie here" is not necessary. I do not need you to talk down to me.
No, this is not a competition. But please don't try to spread around this absurd idea that a diagnosis is not necessary, because MOST PEOPLE who are even high functioning (and, yes, my son IS high functioning) cannot conform to society's standards as you have. And if you had the awareness to do so in the first place, I highly doubt you qualify as being on the spectrum. I don't give a damn what credentials you have.
And if, for the sake of argument, you DO have Asperger's, perhaps an early diagnosis would have gotten you better school support, and you would never have jeopardized the lives of your fellow students and teachers by starting a fire in your school.
I apologize for saying lookie here... I did not mean to sound condescending. I also "don't give a damn" what you "doubt". It certainly took me three times as long as normal people to figure out how to get around social norms, but I wouldn't agree with you that people who have figured it out for themselves do not belong on the spectrum, just because your son hasn't yet. That is degrading to say that Aspies are universally incapable of figuring things out on their own. At one point I certainly wasn't able to. But with knowledge, time, self-scrutiny, and feedback I was.
Diagnosis is definitely warranted when it helps the patient. An early diagnosis would have helped me for sure. But a *retrospective* diagnosis is completely useless. If you aren't sure whether you have ASD +/- social anxiety, depression, bipolar, ADHD, sure... get checked out. However, I don't need to label myself or to have people look down on me because I don't have a label. So what if I go and get a diagnosis, are you guys going to finally start respecting me like a normal human being with a differing opinion? Geez.
Continue your judgmental ways if you want. I only stepped in to say that it is okay for people not to seek a diagnosis if they don't feel like they need to. It's up to the individual. I also did not say that people should not seek a diagnosis ... they certainly can if they feel like they can't figure it out. Those of us who have things under control... kudos to us.
If I am an MD who specializes in neurodevelopmental conditions and I diagnose myself... would that be good enough credentials? Guess not.
I wish you the best of luck with your son... he is lucky to have somebody like you who is so involved. And good luck to the OP with his situation.
It means exactly what I have said. If you want to apply for any sort of disability insurance separate from the group disability insurance that you get from your workplace, the company will find any and all excuses to ding you for any pre-existing conditions. Anything perceivedas psych history would be viewed as high risk. If you leave it out of your history and they find out about it, they can deny you payment.
A good reason to keep away from a diagnosis if it is not totally necessary for your well-being.
Autism isn't a psych disorder. I'm quessing you fear a diagnosis other than aspergers.
your son probably needs all those things because he has a severe form of it and they could not distinguish between that, autism, or something worse. But most people with mild to moderate forms of Asperger's do not warrant the extensive medical costs for diagnosing it.
I also meant to expand on this idea a bit more, I was too thrown-off by all your other assumptions. And this illustrates perfectly why you should NOT be self-diagnosing, because you are making assumptions so quickly. My son has "mild to moderate" Asperger's. The only kids and adults I work with are HF Autistic or mild Asperger's.
Are you sure you even understand what "high functioning" means, and how that differs from "mild" or even "moderate" Asperger's? From the way you're writing, it doesn't sound like you have much of a grasp on what autism or Asperger's is, at all.
Edit:
Virgode took the words out of my mouth:
Quote:
Autism isn't a psych disorder. I'm quessing you fear a diagnosis other than aspergers.
Autism isn't a psych disorder. I'm quessing you fear a diagnosis other than aspergers.
"Perceived as... " is the operative term here... they perceive anything anyway they want. I know it's not a psych d/o. Some people are actually unable to work because of this condition ... making it something that I'm not willing to gamble with. Plus the fact that it may have comorbidities with actual psych disorders, as another poster pointed out.
"Perceived as... " is the operative term here... they perceive anything anyway they want. I know it's not a psych d/o.
Percieving it to be doesn't make it so, You're making excuses to not see a physican, you don't know whether you have aspergers or not...obviously you're afraid it could be a psych disorder.
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