Published on 12, July, 2020
Hi, i live in the only region in Scotland that doesn't do diagnosis for adult autism.
My mental health nurse has managed to get an assessment for me, but i think it will
be by a mental health team still within the region, but they will have more say in me
getting a referal to an assessment outwith the region.......i know it doesn't make much sense!
I'm just worried what kind of things they will ask. The nurse has had numerous meetings
to try and get assessments for me and has simply been told that autism is neurological
and not mental health, so that is one of many reasons why it has been a blank wall.
Thankfully she seems to have got to a different team of people this time. I scored highly
with an assessment from her and from a couple of GPs, but i can't say that i have
autism until there has been an official diagnosis. Just anxious about what it will involve,
how long it will take, etc. To add to everything, I have epilepsy....another neuro condition!......
and the stress of being in limbo is not helping......oh and going through the perimenopause also.
Nightmare! Anyone who could tell me what an assessment is like, type of questions, how long it
takes, etc, I would be really glad. I realise that the mental health team might simply say no to me
having an assessment outwith the region and i also realise that even having an assessment
might also result, but i just want to know one way or the other. We certainly are living in weird times.
thank you for reading this,
Katie
Generally the assessment involves two (I think it was two) questionnaires to be filled in where you score how strongly you agree or disagree with each statement and they cover your current experience as well as what you were like as a child (this is intended to be done by a parent, so someone else can speak to what they do if that's not an option).
Then the actual assessment is two sessions. One is basically an interview where they ask you about what it's like to be you. The other is a practical thing where you're asked to do tasks like demonstrate an activity, describe what's happening in a picture book, tell a story using objects. I think my sessions were maybe an hour or so each but I've seen pretty varied lengths.
It does seem to vary from person to person......for obvious reasons as we are all individuals! But the way different places do things is interesting. If I ever get round to getting an assessment in Scotland I'll let people know what it was like. I have now had a letter from the local mental health team who are going to give me an assessment, not for autism obviously, but it gives me a chance to present my case! I'm taking the form that i downloaded from an NHS website that someone else here posted up for me.....its just 50 questions, tick box. But it still required me to think carefully. Will also be taking notes with me as my brain is like a sieve! Thank you for the replies!