Any point in a diagnosis for mild ASD?

Hi angryhobbit,

 I self referred to a psychologist, and have recently been diagnosed on the spectrum as high-functioning/ Aspergers  I did it as i spent the previous three years questioning if my problems were due to having ASD or not. In all honesty before that time i went along with what everybody thought about me and that was that i was 'quiet'. I had learned to accept that i was not good at conversation or making friends. In fact i did not know what ASD was back then.

It was only until my teenage son was experiencing the same problems i had as a teenager that made me question that something was different about us both. My son has to wait to be referred by my GP, but for me it was a fairly quick process, and a few sessions with a clinical psychologist.

I can say that getting a diagnosis was a 'huge' relief as now i have a reason for my quietness, and it puts me in a position at work to be understood. I have my own family, but sadly my life is lacking friendships, and before my diagnosis i did not think friendships were an important part of life.

I can only say that getting a diagnosis could inspire me to try something new, try to make friends, and make me think that there is more to life than work. I will find it difficult to 'try' of course, but life is too short for ' what is the point'. I will make it a point.

Hi angryhobbit,

I am not sure I can be much help but I was in a similar scenario to you. I am 28 and I also posted on this forum wondering if there was any point in a diagnosis as an adult who "gets by". however I was having problems at work with regard to my "attitude towards others" and being too "anti-social", this came completely out of the blue for me as i though i was being friendly D: . (there were other reasons but this was the catalyst to persue answers)

Anyway, because of my persistent thirst for knowledge and answers to the questions I have in my brain, I wanted to know a reason why I was being labelled that way. I never thought of myself as an "odd duck" but someone who had transcended illogical thinking and "Bull$hit" chit-chat and just someone who is efficient in thinking. After I had my diagnosis (this past Feb) which confirmed that I was on the spectrum (I am not sure what the current politically correct term is now, but it is high-functioning); in hindsight, I think that my previous anti-social behaviour and non-friendly attitude towards others is just a coping mechanism to save energy as it would drain me down to empty if i was "acting" friendly with others. A few things the diagnosis did for me is:

1. I had a proffesional assesment which either confirmed or denied my suspicions.

2. I had a concrete foundation to work from and my assumption were not just based on pure speculation.

3. Opened up my thought process and outlook on life and how I approach things.

4. I also don't feel as uneasy/guilty about not joining in on events.

Unfortunately I would not have given my self an option of going for an assessment or not. But I do think that it has some negative repercussion (take this as you will). I no longer "try" to accommadate others anymore and they now have to take me as I am. For example, in the past I would have tried to make conversation or gone to an event, now if I don't feel like talking or going, I just won't.

I suspect that this would be different from person to person and I don't know you, so only you can predict how you would react on the diagnosis.

Anyway, I wish you the best of luck on your decision.

Hi everone, thanks for the supportive comments.

I've still not made up my mind what to do about this. I read a lot about the social problems ASD people have, but there's not much talk of how they feel. 

I've always felt that I don't connect with people, even those closest to me and long term friends. The thing is, I wouldn't say I necessarily ENJOY people's company, it's more that I use other people as a means to break up the boredom I feel with my own company (that sounds pretty narcissistic). I have a very low boredom threshold, but very limited capacity for making my own fun. I'm not sure if my depression comes from the feeling of isolation from not connecting with people, or is causing it (or completely unrelated). 

Does any of this sound like ASD?

Hello Pat, and thank you for your message. I agree with you that I have probably left it a little bit late, too, and, after obsessing over it until I decided that I was most likely(to me, definitely) on the spectrum, I came to realise that there is very little I can do to change who I am, other than learning coping mechanisms, and, with the life I lead(solitary but pretty much happy about it), there is little need for me to seek a definite diagnosis. If my ASD behaviours ever cause a problem for me, then, of course, I will start the process, but, given that you can be considered as not having it, even when you do, I just don't see the point of going through the stress of the tests at the present time. Thanks again for your message.

I’m pretty sure that I have asperger’s; however, there’s no reason for me to seek a diagnosis. I’m a 60-year-old woman who has learned how to adapt and function more or less “normally”—at least up to a point. I’m fairly analytical and am well aware of my problems, but I’ve learned how to either work with them or around them for the most part. Even when I look at the AQ test, I’m aware of how I feel but hesitate to choose certain answers because I have been adapting for so long. When I watch YouTube videos where “aspies” declare what they can’t and won’t do, I attribute part of their reasoning on their (sometimes relative) youth—although I do realize that some people really can’t adapt. But maybe one day, if I gain access to affordable medical services (I live in the USA), I might look into this further.

I recently mentioned my belief that I am on the spectrum to a doctor in a hospital that I have gone to for years for other problems, and he told me that, unless my being on the spectrum is causing me problems(it could be argued that it is, but I am currently learning to cope with them), then there is little point in seeking a diagnosis. The one thing that did really help a great deal was the fact that he didn't dismiss my belief, so, even if you talk to your GP and he or she doesn't think you need to go for an official diagnosis, then, providing they doesn't dismiss how you feel, then it may well be beneficial to talk to them about it. It has certainly helped me a great deal to be open about it with the medical profession, and that's coming from someone whose family didn't initially believe that I may be on the spectrum. I hope, if you do talk to your GP, that you get the answers you seek.

Hi Angryhobbit,

I thought it was possible I could be slightly Autistic, so my going to get a diagnosis was out of my own curiosity.  I was diagnosed in my late 30s. I live with depression also.

My life has been difficult because of some of my own choices, or communication style.

After learning about Autism because my Son is also Autistic I learned a lot about myself.

If you do get the diagnosis it helps you to understand why you think or do certain things.

Only tell those you love & trust.  

My IQ is average I was able to work before I had my Son.  So as long as you can cope with life you won't get extra support.

I thought very hard about if I want more children or a relationship.

Plus how I connect with others or not.  

If you have some difficulties with social situations a diagnosis won't hurt.

it can help you to analyse your behaviour accept you & try to change things so you cope better.

The most difficult thing to deal with is when others feel that all Autistic people have a low IQ or they feel your vulnerable & try to take advantage.

Hi Angryhobbit,

I thought it was possible I could be slightly Autistic, so my going to get a diagnosis was out of my own curiosity.  I was diagnosed in my late 30s. I live with depression also.

My life has been difficult because of some of my own choices, or communication style.

After learning about Autism because my Son is also Autistic I learned a lot about myself.

If you do get the diagnosis it helps you to understand why you think or do certain things.

Only tell those you love & trust.  

My IQ is average I was able to work before I had my Son.  So as long as you can cope with life you won't get extra support.

I thought very hard about if I want more children or a relationship.

Plus how I connect with others or not.  

If you have some difficulties with social situations a diagnosis won't hurt.

it can help you to analyse your behaviour accept you & try to change things so you cope better.

The most difficult thing to deal with is when others feel that all Autistic people have a low IQ or they feel your vulnerable & try to take advantage.

I don't know if my experience differs from majority who have gone through diagnosis. A few months ago I was absolutely certain that my diagnosis was a postive thing, and in some ways that is true. Now a little further down the road, for me the diagnosis has re-surfaced a lot of stuff in my youth and early adulthood I had to push to one side because of a total breakdown I had in my mid-late 20s (I am 49). 

I thought I was making some progress getting some support to deal with this, all backed by referals from my gp (and other gps in the medical centre), and the autism diganostic team, only to have everything fall down at the last minute, and since Tuesday this week I have no support, except for a one-off short period of counsuelling sessions my employer has agreed to fund.

Have heard that first year after the diagnosis is difficult, maybe thats what I am going through now.

The long and the short of it they diagnosed me rather and no suggestion of it from myself because whilst in the past I had very brief inclins it could be....  I wasn't that hopeful it would be.

I am mild as they say too but to go through the process was extremly good. There are times now which I might not understand what it happening and feel rubbish and struggle but am able to share it with those I feel I can trust. They may not be that helpful in terms of lots of suggestions.  But they are very helpful in terms of I know I can share with them.

Going through hard time now as too much all happening at once but know there is one person I can just be me. Two but the one of them leaving and that not helping.

but yes, diagnosis is well worth it because it helps you to say to people and they can adapt what they are saying or doing rather than making it harder.

Hi angryhobbit

The GP I saw, who's a mental health expert, offered to refer me to a specialist but advised that people who are coping and can hold down a job don't get any support, so I have put it off for now. However I was reassured that I can be referred at any time in the future if I do need help.  Also he got me to print out the AQ test and mark my answers so that he could assess it and agreed with my own assessment that I have aspergers, and he has scanned this onto my medical records. Have you done an AQ test online?  It could be useful to give your score on this to your GP and discuss it with them. It's a well respected screening test developed by an expert on autism, so doctors should take it seriously.  Good luck. 

I was in my mid 50s before I had the slightest idea I might be somewhere on the spectrum. Up until then I always thought I was "normal", but with a few problems that would eventually be resolved. With hindsight I can now see that things have been gradually deteriorating for a very long time. 10 years ago (when I was 50) I saw various counsellors and thought I was well on the way to being "cured", so I went off and did new things that have got me into a mess that I can't get out of. If I knew then what I think I know now (I'll be getting the results of my diagnosis in a few weeks), I could have either not done what I did, or done it differently.

I wouldn't have got a diagnosis several decades ago, and there was no awareness of HFA, so it was a different time. But if I'd had some idea that in some ways I was different to most people, maybe I could have worked something out for myself, and done better in life.

Perhaps an awareness that you may well be on the spectrum is all you need. Read up on stuff that helps you to work out where you're different to most people, and see if the solutions to it work for you. If you do something that most people think is odd, but it works for you, that may be enough.

I think it's worth considering what might happen in the future. Might you stuggle more as you get older? Might you run into trouble with the system at some time, where a diagnosis may help you get support, claim benefits, or avoid some kind of other difficult situation? Getting a diagnosis now might help to protect you in the future against things you can't imagine now. I'm sure there are downsides to having a diagnosis too, but maybe it's one of those things you need to do some long term planning for.