The assessment draws near(Wednesday) .

The assessment draws near(Wednesday) . Anxiety levels are rising. Going through major doubts as to whether I'll meet the criteria. I certainly don't think I'm neurotypical , but am more doubtful about being on the spectrum.

Am second guessing why the pdoc put me forward for an assessment. Would it be par for the course for any patient where the subject of ASD is raised, or would the pdoc have to have some level of belief you are on the spectrum to put you forward for an assessment?

Parents
  • This is normal. And yes, a referral for even the initial assessment will not be accepted, unless the referrer can provide enough evidence to suggest the person may very well be on the spectrum. 

    What helped me, was reading and listening to other people’s experience of feeling this way. It didn’t make the thoughts or feelings go away of course, but it somehow helped me to know that I wasn’t alone and this is typical for an autistic person to experience just before they go for the assessment. 

    Good luck. 

  • And yes, a referral for even the initial assessment will not be accepted, unless the referrer can provide enough evidence to suggest the person may very well be on the spectrum. 

    The mention of ASD was a secondary event in terms of what was discussed at my appt. I'm wondering how much evidence is based on non-verbal observation as opposed to what is said verbally.

  • Even what we say, gives clues, without us realising what clues we're giving out. My psych told me that what he was looking for, isn't covered in any of those online tests. They know how to interpret certain signs. 

  • No. It's more like, if I say I've just come back from Bali, for example, then whoever I'm talking to might say, oh I went to Bali last year, and they will then proceed to try to tell me about their experience in Bali. Things like that. I'm always like, WTF, why are you telling me that????? Right facing fist tone3 If I had wanted to know if they had been to Bali, I would of asked them!!!!

    With the psychiatrist, I think I mentioned a time when I lived in Cornwall and he started to tell me something about a time when he was in Cornwall. I just ignored him because I didn't know why he was saying it. I've noticed other people do it sometimes but I wasn't expecting it to happen during an assessment for autism! But it turns out, he said it precisely because we were in an autism assessment. He wanted to see if I would engage with that kind (reciprocal) of conversation. Which of course I didn't, because I hate that kind of conversation. 

  • I think I know what you mean.  Like when you talk about one of your traits and they say something like 'I do that, too', or 'Lots of people do that, too'... almost as if it's trying to diminish it as having any relevance.

    When I was talking over the bullying with the behaviour manager in my last job, she kept on about 'Lots of people get bullied in the workplace', etc.

    My brother is the absolute worst.  'I was bullied at school, too.'  Maybe.  But he was also in the school choir, the school rowing club... and, at age 67, he's still in touch with friends from those days.  He has absolutely no conception of true bullying.  I lived in fear at school.  He loved his school days.

    It may be 'reciprocal conversation' - but it always seems like they're trying to normalise everything, as if you're trying to make a big deal out of nothing at all.

Reply
  • I think I know what you mean.  Like when you talk about one of your traits and they say something like 'I do that, too', or 'Lots of people do that, too'... almost as if it's trying to diminish it as having any relevance.

    When I was talking over the bullying with the behaviour manager in my last job, she kept on about 'Lots of people get bullied in the workplace', etc.

    My brother is the absolute worst.  'I was bullied at school, too.'  Maybe.  But he was also in the school choir, the school rowing club... and, at age 67, he's still in touch with friends from those days.  He has absolutely no conception of true bullying.  I lived in fear at school.  He loved his school days.

    It may be 'reciprocal conversation' - but it always seems like they're trying to normalise everything, as if you're trying to make a big deal out of nothing at all.

Children
  • No. It's more like, if I say I've just come back from Bali, for example, then whoever I'm talking to might say, oh I went to Bali last year, and they will then proceed to try to tell me about their experience in Bali. Things like that. I'm always like, WTF, why are you telling me that????? Right facing fist tone3 If I had wanted to know if they had been to Bali, I would of asked them!!!!

    With the psychiatrist, I think I mentioned a time when I lived in Cornwall and he started to tell me something about a time when he was in Cornwall. I just ignored him because I didn't know why he was saying it. I've noticed other people do it sometimes but I wasn't expecting it to happen during an assessment for autism! But it turns out, he said it precisely because we were in an autism assessment. He wanted to see if I would engage with that kind (reciprocal) of conversation. Which of course I didn't, because I hate that kind of conversation.