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Help and advice for sub threshold diagnosis

Elliott

Hi, 

I'd appreciate any help/advice. I'm 34 and I've just had my feedback and I was told that although I have a lot of autistic traits (I won't list them) that it isn't enough to hit the threshold to give a medical diagnosis. 

This has left me with all sorts of questions and not really any answers as to why I am like how I am. I'm still struggling with the same things but now I can't get any support. 

What I am also finding difficult is understanding my identity now, as I can't say I am neurodiverse, or autistic can I? Because the doctors say I don't meet the threshold, despite having a lot of traits relating to social aspects, restrictive behaviours, special interests .. etc 

I've researched mild autistic traits, and I believe that I do struggle with a lot of these, but I have adapted coping  strategies to compensate for a lot, but most of these involve not being around people anymore!

I guess my question is.. how can I say I am neurodiverse, if there isn't a diagnosis? Do I have the right to call myself neurodiverse? 

Parents

  • Personally, I think identity is always self defined - and that means our race, religion, gender, sexuality and anything else about us.  I gave up describing myself as White British on Equality and Diversity forms years ago when I discovered so much of my heritage came from else where in the world, even though when I look in the mirror I'm white and my passport says I'm British, lol.

    Same with this, I think.  If I get an assessment back emphatically stating I am autistic, I'm going to define that any way I want that's good for me.  I can celebrate being neurodiverse, and reject the term 'disabled' as I please.  The same will be true if I'm in your camp (i.e. lots of traits but not meeting the text book strictly enough for a medical diagnosis), I'll decide how I want to describe and identify with the outcome, not the doctors.  Knowing the outcome and which traits ARE there will still be incredibly useful in managing my life and my care, any way.

    A medical diagnosis has to have a start point somewhere, but it doesn't mean you're not neurologically different because one or two traits were missing or not affecting you badly enough.  (Actually, the effecting you badly enough bit for me is a tad controversial.  We're born with our traits but they might at one point in your life be causing you big problems and at another none much to speak of.  I've certainly got very different problems I believe are rooted in autism now, to the ones I also believe were rooted there as a child, and other points in my life where I see only that I benefited in the main.  I can't possibly have been autistic only sometimes, lol.)  

    I guess what I'm saying is you are not your diagnosis.  You are what you think and feel yourself to be.  If those traits are important part of your identity no one can tell you aren't neurodiverse.

    The problem of course is in getting any help you need.  Once you've got the report, you'll be able to tease out of it the bits where your life is most affected to argue that although medically sub-spectrum, there are issues here and here.  If you think they've missed anything, (and that happens in all fields of medicine, especially psychiatry), a second opinion is always an option.

  • in reply to Dawn

    Thank you that is really helpful advice. they said if I have any questions about the report I can talk to them again. I'm thinking of asking for a neuro psychology referral as I had meningitis when I was a baby and there was some suggestion that it could be acquired brain injury territory. 

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  • in reply to Dawn

    Thank you that is really helpful advice. they said if I have any questions about the report I can talk to them again. I'm thinking of asking for a neuro psychology referral as I had meningitis when I was a baby and there was some suggestion that it could be acquired brain injury territory. 

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