Countdown to diagnosis

Some folk are a lot easier to diagnose than others., it is just that their autistic traits are easier for the psychologist to recognise in some people.

I had my diagnosis nearly two years ago, I went private because my GP was not really interested  (he said that since I had lived my life 'without problem' (although I had sought medical attention for associated problems such as severe anxiety and deptression over the past forty yearsI frequently misunderstood others, I had great problems in getting a job, and I had frequent minor accidents due to clumsiness and loss of balance, but of course they were not 'problems'! ) and he refused to refer me for an NHS assessment, saying that even if he did there would be a waiting list in excess of two years.

My psychologist told me about an hour into my assessment that he had rarely found someone so easy to diagnose as autistic, from my mannerisms to what I had said.  This didn't stop the session and it carried on for another two hours so he could get a full picture to write his report.

My feelings at the time were very mixed at the time.  At last I felt I knew why I was the way I was, and could get some help, rather than be criticised for my 'behaviour'.  But at the same time, I felt that the 'missed opportunities' of my life would have been addressed if I had known forty years previously.  To some extent this feeling recurs at frequent intervals.  But that far off land called the past no longer exists and the transport there only exists in the realms of fiction, so such feelings are not really helpful.

I got a short report outlining adjustments which work should make for me within three weeks of the diagnosis (and that included the Christmas period, and knowing at the assessment was really useful, it stopped three weeks of anxious hell waiting.  The full detailed report explaining why the conclusions had been reached took a little longer.

Apart from the fee the actual diagnosis was not very stressful.  I had to wait only six weeks and this was mainly due to me not being able to make a much earlier date.  My mother wasn't involved except from my recollection and the answers to some questions I had asked her, not saying that I wanted to know because I thought it might help me with an autism diagnosis.  My mother still does not know I have been diagnosed, when  I mentioned to her that I thought I was autistic she got confused with tourettes and said t;hat I wasn't!  But her recollections of my childhood certainly helped even though they were only offered through me.

Some folk are a lot easier to diagnose than others., it is just that their autistic traits are easier for the psychologist to recognise in some people.

I had my diagnosis nearly two years ago, I went private because my GP was not really interested  (he said that since I had lived my life 'without problem' (although I had sought medical attention for associated problems such as severe anxiety and deptression over the past forty yearsI frequently misunderstood others, I had great problems in getting a job, and I had frequent minor accidents due to clumsiness and loss of balance, but of course they were not 'problems'! ) and he refused to refer me for an NHS assessment, saying that even if he did there would be a waiting list in excess of two years.

My psychologist told me about an hour into my assessment that he had rarely found someone so easy to diagnose as autistic, from my mannerisms to what I had said.  This didn't stop the session and it carried on for another two hours so he could get a full picture to write his report.

My feelings at the time were very mixed at the time.  At last I felt I knew why I was the way I was, and could get some help, rather than be criticised for my 'behaviour'.  But at the same time, I felt that the 'missed opportunities' of my life would have been addressed if I had known forty years previously.  To some extent this feeling recurs at frequent intervals.  But that far off land called the past no longer exists and the transport there only exists in the realms of fiction, so such feelings are not really helpful.

I got a short report outlining adjustments which work should make for me within three weeks of the diagnosis (and that included the Christmas period, and knowing at the assessment was really useful, it stopped three weeks of anxious hell waiting.  The full detailed report explaining why the conclusions had been reached took a little longer.

Apart from the fee the actual diagnosis was not very stressful.  I had to wait only six weeks and this was mainly due to me not being able to make a much earlier date.  My mother wasn't involved except from my recollection and the answers to some questions I had asked her, not saying that I wanted to know because I thought it might help me with an autism diagnosis.  My mother still does not know I have been diagnosed, when  I mentioned to her that I thought I was autistic she got confused with tourettes and said t;hat I wasn't!  But her recollections of my childhood certainly helped even though they were only offered through me.

Could you tell me the cost of a private diagnosis here?

Your account is really interesting. Life problems that are really disruptive and significant quite often get played down by GPs operating primarily according to the medical model. My various crises have been quite existential in nature! 

If I get a diagnosis I will be interested to find out when in the process this became clear to the psychologist. Our first meeting was an exploratory session to determine if ASD assessment was appropriate. It was decided that it was, so I assume there were indications then that I met the criteria.

My research background means I always try and disprove a hypothesis. I keep considering alternative explanations for my autistic traits - there are some possible differential diagnoses. Whatever the outcome I'll probably blurt out "are you sure?"

Today I finally found the courage to talk to my two adult children about my assessment. Like my sister they are in no doubt that I am actually autistic. They're glad that I'm taking active steps to make sense of what has always made me seem different and strange.