Published on 12, July, 2020
just wondering if anyone has self referred privately and after the initial face to face chat the psychologist says you make eye contact, you understand love and anger, you have friends and you completed school so it’s just anxiety and I wouldn’t recommend paying for the full assessment (in brief thats what I understood she meant!)
i get that autism and anxiety are closely linked but this just explained so much and now I feel totally lost again. We didn’t discuss any of my current struggles, she just asked questions on childhood through to teens and I had no answers for developmental stages as I didn't know.
i know the online aq tests are just a guide but is it possible just to have anxiety snd still score highly on these?
any help appreciated! Feeling lost.
Thanks for your reply. That was my initial thought but then I worried I’d just made the whole thing up in my mind. The reasons i felt I could be on the spectrum included I find it difficult to put into words my struggles but to sum up - never knowing what to say in conversations or how or when its my turn to talk, misinterpreting what people mean, hating eye contact (but learning its a must to show your interest!) extreme difficulty with decision making, making endless lists and not knowing where to start, diagnosed with generalised anxiety by the GP. Really bad memory, sensitivity to temperature, noise- can pick out a ticking clock and drive myself crazy until its removed, dont like contact- handshakes, hugs, never instigate them and find them incredibly awkward and uncomfortable, hate social situations- all of them! Work, shopping, events etc. A member of the family was diagnosed on the spectrum this year and I’ve done a lot of research and had many ‘lightbulb’ moments. I just don’t know what to do now
or looking out of the window as I did :)
JohnS said:Thr eye contact thing is a bit of a myth.
Yes - I can force myself to stare at the bridge of their nose and fake the eye-contact but it's incredibly difficult - it feels uncomfortable and i don't like doing it. I know in some ASD measurement places it is being judged so I relax and don't do it - the floor is so much more interesting.
I too went private but initially with a Psychiatrist who diagnosed me with Aspergers. I wrote about 8 pages of A4 abour my life, quirks and daily struggles. He clearly read this, because he was able to ask me pertinent questions. He recommended a full assessment and initially saw a Psychologist for a pre-assessment in order to decide whether i should have the full assessment. Luckly she did and after an observational assessment with another Psychologist and two 1.5hr interviews (one with my wife present) - I got the confirmation diagnosis. The Psychiatrist cost £300, pre-assessment £280 and the full assessment £1500.
I would write copious notes, include any odd stories that stick in your mind and they'll have more to work with. Thr eye contact thing is a bit of a myth. Although i find that when i explain stuff I always look away anyway.
Sounds like you've been royally fobbed off. I'd be a bit miffed - especially if you're paying for it.
May I ask what got you there in the first place? How did you decide you needed diagnosing? What set of circumstances and symptoms lead you down the ASD path?
I did the private route - paid for by the company healthcare insurance - I didn't have any childhood data - mainly because 1 parent dead and the other is (I suspect) an undiagnosed aspie living in total denial - so there's no useful data to be gleaned from talking to them.