I have my ASD assessment tomorrow, any advice?

Hello, as I said above i have my long awaited assessment tomorrow, they rang a little while ago with a cancellation. 

I'm i think a little scared.

I'm 50, I don't know what to wear tomorrow, that sounds so stupid.

Help

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  • Hi Song,

    Wear whatever you feel most comfortable in... and just be yourself.  They're not trying to catch you out.  I had my assessment and diagnosis almost 3 years ago, aged 56.  It took about an hour and was mainly focusing on my childhood, any problems I'd had in adult life (relationships, work, etc), and things that I generally found to be a struggle.  My eye contact issue was obvious.  I also mentioned the bullying at school, and the problems I had with social communication generally: body language, gestures, and so forth.

    You're bound to feel anxious now - and that, too, will be picked up on.  I went into mine knowing that I had ASC, so I tried to focus on the benefit I knew a formal diagnosis would give me.  Since getting it, my life has changed.  Now, I no longer feel like a freak.  I no longer wonder why I can't make friends, or struggle with things that others take in their stride.  It has improved my mental health, too, because now I know what the underlying reasons are for everything. 

    Good luck.  I always tend to think the worst about something I have to do, and I over-analyse stuff.  But really, my diagnostic assessment was nothing to worry about.  Hopefully, yours will be the same.

    Let us know how it goes.

    Tom

    PS Check out some similar threads under the 'Related' column on the right of this post.  You should find useful information there, too.

  • Good luck, I hope it isn’t to stressful once it begins.

    Try to be yourself,

    And if you are feeling ok let us know how you got on.

    ()

  • Oh wow, that was quick, I feel you are sounding quite ok with it?

    I hope to go for an assessment myself one day, 

    congratulations. X()x

  • Congratulations! And well done on getting through the assessment, it is pretty gruelling. Cathartic, but gruelling.  

  • Congratulations works for me so thank you, I have known i was different for most of the last 40/50 years, now I have a proper name for it and a piece of paper. 

  • don't know what the right thing is to say, but the thing that comes to mind is "congratulations!" Nothing changes about you, and yet, the official recognition kind of does make a difference. It is the recognition for all what you have been through and all the things that are such a challenge for us. 

    Somehow I thought the official recognition somehow unleashed a whole lot of emotions for me (to doubt "didn't they get it wrong" and being unable to believe it, to almost feeling the right to go and lie down in a dark room and Make up for all the times you pushed yourself beyond your limits.

    anyhow congratulations!! (even though it isn't the right thing to say)

  • I have my report back from the assessment. 

    I'm autistic it's official. No surprise there really but it's proven now.

    Thank you all for your amazing support.

  • They are dreadful aren't they, the people at mensa. My IQ test was done at school because school said I was retarded, their words, and mum got very upset. They had me tested and made mum sign a paper that when the result came back saying I was sub normal she would pay the few for the testing. Obviously she never had to pay.

  • What, the assessment?  I'm not sure, but best not to just in case.

  • Are we allowed to say where we were tested on here?

  • Yes.  I was in Mensa for a few years.  I didn't like it, though.  Too many puffed-up people, reveling in their own giftedness.  My IQ was tested when I was 22, and was 148 then. 

  • I had my IQ tested as a 13 year old. And again a few times  since. My mum signed me up with Mensa. 

  • How would the SEN person at school know whether or not you're autistic? I had countless 'professional' people say that to me - including psychiatrists - but they were all wrong.

  • I find it quite difficult to be my true self so I think having such a long meeting might have been good.

    (I told the sen lady at school that I was going for the test, she has known me for over 16 years she said I am no way autistic, that she couldnt imagine them giving me much of a score at all)

    she asked a lot about hobbies, and told my husband that my knitting is a stim, I Knit socks.

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  • I find it quite difficult to be my true self so I think having such a long meeting might have been good.

    (I told the sen lady at school that I was going for the test, she has known me for over 16 years she said I am no way autistic, that she couldnt imagine them giving me much of a score at all)

    she asked a lot about hobbies, and told my husband that my knitting is a stim, I Knit socks.

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