Published on 12, July, 2020
Not sure how to ask this without sounding like a complete *** ... so I'll just ask it...I am waiting for my autism assessment (I already know I am) and am wondering if there is such a thing as someone who specializes in assessing hi IQ people. (I have done a few IQ tests but the one I generally quote is the ed-psych administered wechsler test i did when i was being assessed for dyslexia in school - 132 ... and yes, i am).
My concern is that, on a good day, i am great at masking (as far as I can tell i suppose). I can be articulate, polite, friendly and funny.
I have to think that the way I will present is vastly different to someone without the good fortune to have an IQ like mine.
I score VERY high on the autism tests and show many of the autism traits ... but I have masked so long, I don't know how to turn it off.
from my research, it is a concerned shared by many; "how will they see past the mask?".So there are two questions;
1. are there people who specialize in assessing people like me?
2. What is the advice on helping people see past the mask?
Any advice would be gratefully received. ... and please feel free to call me a ***! :-)
I had the same thoughts and feelings before my assessment, which I had aged 48.
My IQ is in the 160s and I have been masking all of my life. Not always successfully masking though, which is why I eventually ended up going for assessment, as I have suffered from repeated "burn-out" which I now know is due to being autistic.
The psychologist, and then psychiatrist, both commented that my masking over the years was related to my high levels of articulation, plus the ability to analyse situations, and was what had most likely prevented diagnosis at an earlier stage. As a consequence I ended up being diagnosed as clinically depressed/anxious and have been treated as such since my late teens.
The depression/anxiety are most likely co-morbidities related to masking autism since childhood.
A good MH professional will take a detailed history and be able to make a diagnosis from that.
Thanks dude.
Owing to all the social f-ups i have mafe, i always considered i needed the anxiety to make me cautious. Not a healthy situation i guess.