Private Diagnosis - Worth The Money?

I'm not sure what the distinction is between diagnosis and official diagnosis. I was diagnosed by a psychiatrist who gave me a letter stating that I should have the protection of the Equality Act. Perhaps that letter makes it "official"?

You don't have to disclose this on job applications. I have recently moved jobs and did not say anything until after I had been offered the job. At that point they sent me a pre-employment health questionnaire and I disclosed it then. The employer sent me to see a doctor to assess whether I was fit to work and he had no reason to say that autism would be a problem. It depends on the role: if you were an airline pilot and communication difficulties could contrbute to safety issues then they could decide that you were not fit for that role. I work in IT so there are no such concerns.

The benefit of protection from the Equality act is that it can force employers to be more considerate. Bullying is an issue for people with autism and it can change the direction of a disciplinary or performance management process if you disclose your autism. It is best to avoid such situations so there are benefits in disclosing it before problems arise. People with autism are different and harder to manage in some respects so we attract criticism which we often react against. This quickly descends into bullying and arguments. I suspect that my path to diagnosis is similar to sgt romeo in many respects as I suspect that he has got a boss that doesn't have a clue about how to manage him and he hasn't worked out a way of being managed without the grief that accompanies a typical ASD person's life.

Can I ask a question?  If you are high functioning why do you feel the need for an official diagnosis?  I've been diagnosed by an nhs psychiatrist and this seems to have been accepted within the Medical profession.  3 psychiatrists have offered to refer me for the full diagnosis and I am refusing!  the reasons being:  (I may be wrong on this) you have to legally state it on job applications, there are no provisions in my area and there is a very high risk that talking therapies etc would be refused in future because of this.

other than personal insight, I can't really see the benefits,  especially if you are functioning well.  I am asking out of genuine curiosity :) 

There are a couple of different issues going on here. if you don't have a significant enough problem that needs intervention then you may not warrant a diagnosis. This is in line with lots of other conditions where, generally, doctors won't diagnose a condition unless something needs to be done. In this case, the high functioning label may have been used to indicate that he/she just didn't think you really had a big enough problem. If you go for a private diagnosis you won't necessarily get a diagnosis - they may say the same as the people you have already seen. You can always ask for a second opinion - there is a proper procedure for doing that, ask if you want some pointers.

I had a private diagnosis from a specialist following a referral from my GP. It cost £1000 (Priory clinic, specialist psychiatrist) and that has been fully respected by employers, occupational health, NHS etc.  If you go and find your own specialist independently then it may not be as respected. Having my GP make the referral did make this more straightforward and the results are properly in my NHS records as a result. The Lorna Wing centre may be able to charge a high fee because it is so respected and there are enough people with deep enough pockets (I don't know anything about the LW centre but Lorna Wing's name is renowned and can be googled etc to get more background).

I've no idea about whether we are more or less affected than each other - it seems harsh that there is such a sharp dividing line between having, or not having, a diagnosis when it is all a bit vague about how you define how badly affected one is.

Thanks guys.  Apparently the psych I saw will be putting his name to a letter that states I have obvious autistic traits but because he is not a specialist in autism he cannot officially diagnose me.  So I will have something, but whether work will recognise it I don't know.

I have realised (after years of refusing to face the problem) that the vast majority of my behaviour is learnt and that my coping strategies are better than most.  It has resulted in those at work who know about autism saying 'I always thought you were' & those who perhaps don't know as much saying 'really?  I'd never have said that'.

If somebody says 'hello' when I'm not expecting it, I can't get my brain to get the reply out quick enough, but if I see somebody coming towards me I know, I'll often be the first to say hello.

I have a meeting with my inspector on Monday & will suggest to him roles I think I'll do well at & if they can be encorporated in to me remaining on my current team then I am happy.  If he says he needs an official diagnosis then I will be stuck.  But lets see what he says.

My dad has said he will pay the £3,000 if necessary but I feel guilty for asking him for money.

That seems a little too shockingly familiar, I've heard this from others on here.

I've read that a private diagnosis isn't given the same regard as an NHS diagnosis. I have no idea why or by whom, perhaps someone can explain this?

I support what Treeswaving has said entirely, so I won't repeat it but would like to add this about 'too high functioning', perhaps your coping strategies are excellent?

All of us 'mask' by developing strategies that appear, to an NT, to be within their 'normal' range of expected behaviour. The point is that we all wear them, and it diesn't show any of the inner us that drains so much of our energy.

As is often pointed out, women do this 'masking' sort of thing very well, and this is acknowledged as presenting one of the greatest challenges in female diagnosis. It is my expressed hope that we can all help to inform the process and hope that clinicians will develop the better diagnostic tools they need. Fingers crossed.

i'm not sure it's acceptable to say you are too high functioning to refer on to an autism specialist.

i hope you are to get a written summary of that appoinrment as i would want such an opinion in writing to take further.

the question should surely be do you or do you not have autism?  to findout you need an assessment. if they are not able to do this, but think it likely that you do have asd then, surely they have a duty to refer you?

i would continue investigating private options if you have the means to pay for one, but would question and if necessary complain to get an nhs assessment.

ask the pals people at hospital what the assessment pathway for asd is and also ask them if what they said to you is valid. 

 i was fortunate to be referred and diagnosed on nhs and i am without a learning disability.  my report shows i am 'high funxtioning' but also makes clear how my autism impacts on my life and my need for adjustments by future employees etc.  

i don't think you have been treated fairly or well by this clinician.

i wish you luck in persuing an appropriate assessment.