first assessment

thanks for you reply

I’m currently waiting for my feedback appointment, I had both assessment appointments within ten days. I understand your anxiety.

The NHS don't like using the term "Disorder" due to possible prejudice and now refer to Autism as ASC. I just use the term described in my diagnosis, although I asked them to add a paragraph to say that I would have been diagnosed with Asperger's - in order to link it to my Psychiatrist diagnosis.

I don't have a personal preference but Joanna Hoskin in the Channel 5 "Are you Autistic" was diagnosed with Asperger's by Prof Simon Baron Cohen and when I saw that program, I thought "I'm exactly like her" - so I have since associated myself with Asperger's. 

yes it was for autism, the waiting lists are huge

Hi I am 50: i do worry what is going to happen if i do not get a diagnosis.

Some people on the spectrum may prefer condition to disorder. As the term disorder implies that there is something wrong with them, as opposed to having a condition which means that they process information in a different way to the general population but are not disordered. I prefer just the term autism.... At times the anxiety resulting from my autism has been disabling but my autism itself is not. In fact it brings many advantages to my life and work. I don't identify with being disordered (in fact I am very ordered and the majority of the time very logical). I see the term autism as a generic classification for individuals that present with clusters of similar characteristics of processing. Just in the same way that individuals may be classified as heterosexual, female etc. 

Everyone has differing opinions on this largely due I think to how autism has affected their lives. I wouldn't be against any individual way of conceptualising autism...I think it should really be each individuals choice.

Hope this helps answer your query. 

Why do you call it ASC rather than ASD? is it a semantic issue?>

Lots of people get hung up over the Asperger name due to Nazi links..just wondered if you dont like the word "disorder"

yep :) 

we've all been there :) I had a Psychiatrist appointment in May 2019, because my anxiety was getting worse. I forwarded him a whole lot of notes and to my surprise, suggested I had Asperger's !! I then had to wait until July for an consultation to determine whether I should have an initial assessment - so this was stressful, not knowing if the Psychiatrist was right or not. Then I had a couple of more sessions in July/August but had to wait until mid-Sept for the diagnosis ie Asperger's a second time :)

So the whole period from May to Sept 2019 a stressful time, thinking do I actually have Asperger's? Am I a fraud? Have I been mis-diagnosed etc etc.

But in the end it all makes sense BUT (for me at least) it's too late to change anything :( Coping mechanisms and Masking far too ingrained II am 55 btw)

Yes. People have often told me that getting my feelings out will make me feel better but often or not it makes me feel more confused but this wasn't for ASD, but for Mental health and how I was feeling. Was this Assesment for an Autism Diagnosis? Mine didn't take that long. I had one which was about 3 hours long and then another a week later which was the same. I was on the waiting list for 9 months