Published on 12, July, 2020
I think I am autistic, I have struggled my entire life with many aspects of life, and as I am sure many others on here have done, developed my coping techniques. A diagnosis will not change who I am or how I live my life. Or would it?
For most of my life I have suffered from alcoholism (late teens to early 40's) and it is only now that I am sober for a length of time that I have been able to question my behaviours and come to the conclusion that I may be autistic.
I have taken a few online test and I think the results speak for themselves. AQ50 score of 41, EQ score of 16, Aspie Neurodiverse score 120/200, Neurotypical 84/200 you are very likely Neurodiverse, RAADS-R 142.0.
I am just wondering if a formal diagnosis is worth pursuing? I think it would help me come to terms with how I often feel and provide me with a reason to give to others to explain how I am but the thought of going to my GP, asking for a referral, discussing personal feelings/behaviours and then having to go through it all again at an assessment horrifies me! And I do mean horrifies!!!!
I am currently on strong anti-depressants (citalopram 20mg & Mirtazapine 45mg) but question how much benefit I am getting from them. Whenever I tell my GP that I still feel depressed she just ups the dosage. So not sure how responsive she will be to me asking for a referral for autism.
I don't think self-diagnosis is good enough, I want to know for sure but the process seems off putting.
Have others that have been diagnosed as adults felt a formal diagnosis beneficial?
Thanks in advance for any replies
So I have now been informed that in my region there is no assessments for adults on the NHS. Has been suggested I go private but reckon that would be too expensive. I've read many other reports, posts, blogs, etc and know that I share a lot of the same traits. Whether I am or are not Aspie I have been able to come to terms a lot more about how I feel, think, interact or don't. I think that is way more important than a label. Thank you
In that case, your region is breaching the statutory guidance. Some CCGs will 'buy in' a diagnostic service from a nearby mental health service but 'there is a duty for each area to have an easily accessible autism diagnostic service and for people such as GPs to be aware of the pathway' (Think Autism, section 7.8). What may have happened is that that pathway has changed, so by the time you get to the end of the waiting list, that diagnostic service has evaporated in a reorganisation and been replaced by something else.
I know people who have paid £500 or £2000 for a private diagnosis (some services quote even higher). Autistic-run groups almost always accept self-identification (which costs nothing) as valid.
I had always wanted to believe that people were basically born with the same psychology, and all differences were down to experience and culture. Now I accept that there is a healthy mix of personalities and aptitudes in human diversity, and I'm one of the 'outliers'. I'm not particularly keen on seeing that as a 'disorder'. I think my diagnosis has helped - other people say I'm less depressed, but it's sad that has involved accepting that I can't do things I want or should, and that currently there's little support to help adults.