Should I get assessed ? Honest thoughts please

I think that talking to the MH team is probably the best thing to do next. They should be more able to understand the issues and work out what to do next.

Your comment about bad vibes from the GP prompts another thought from me. One of the reasons we end up being bullied is because we are not very good about judging other people's thoughts and moods. Sometimes we can become very irritating if we don't take account of the other person's thoughts. I have wound people up to explosive tempers. It was a regular thing for people to shout at me and, just prior to diagnosis, throw things around the office! Apparently most people don't experience this in their lives! I was often completely oblivious of my impact on other people until it was too late. This lack of understanding of others' moods is described as a lack of empathy - which is not the same as a lack of sympathy. Sympathy is about feeling for other people's suffering or joys. Empathy is about being able to recognise another person's feelings. Does that make sense to you? I'm learning to be more careful with what I say and do - just in case I have misjudged someones mood. I still can't tell what mood they are in but I am more aware that they might be in a bad mood.

Thank you, I have decided to wait until I see the community mental health team next as oppoosed to my GP, as I have a bad vibe with GP,. im moving to a new wheelchair accessable home , so will be looking at moving GP too

I think the diagnosis procedure varies between specialists and between individuals being examined. I didn't have to play (I was 56 though!) but I have read that others have had to do that. I was interviewed with my wife and it was useful for the doctor to see how I behaved with the three of us in the room. I suspect that they may want to see how you interact with another person. In my case it didn't take more than one session but other people have had to have several sessions. I had thought about various incidents from childhood onwards and I described these things to the doctor and it painted a picture of what I am like and the things that have happened to me. I suspect that it depends on if you have other issues that could confuse the situation. For example if you were fidgeting and unable to sit still then this might make it harder for the doctor to really see the autism. I didn't find it stressful, I just tried to co-operate and relax and it all went smoothly.

With your life history and AQ test score and the fact that your children are being assessed I would anticpate that it ought to be very straightforward for you. I think that the behaviour and preferences which match a high AQ test score, such as your score, may make it easier for the doctor to see the signs.

Thanks for that

My parents wouldnt be involved, they dont engage with me, I have phsyical disabiltes and since I was diagnosed ive not heard anyuthing from my mum and not seen my dad since I was 16

What type of observations? ive heard you have to play? can you tell me more ?

thanks

The medical assessment is done with a combination of questionnaires and discussions and observations of you and possibly your parents. Parental input is generally not essential and, I think in your circumstances, should be avoided. I was diagnosed without parental input and this is quite common.

The following is my understanding from being diagnosed, from trying to work out what happened in my life, (and my father's life and his family's life) from reading this forum and from reading some books on the subject. I am not a doctor so you will need to discuss this with perhaps your GP or a specialist psychologist - presumably you are getting specilist help for the PTSD?

Autistic people are often bullied and abused. I was bullied at school and also in work. We can be very bad at communicating and people don't understand this and they don't make allowances for it so things often escalate into shouting and abuse. We don't react well to criticsim and this also helps things to get out of hand. It isn't our fault, our genes give us a problem and a lot of stuff flows from that. Your children are probably hard for you to manage? You may well struggle to understand them and they may struggle to understand you - the situation needs extra special patience and understanding. The cycle of problems can be broken and your life can definitely be massively improved.

One or both of your parents may have been affected too? Sometimes autistic people make very bad parents as they totally fail to communicate with their children. This happened in my family (grandfather was bad!) but with some understanding of autism there is absolutely no need for this to continue.

I really hope that you can get some help to sort things out. You have had a harsh life so far. Be kind to yourself and let people help you to make it better.

Sox

x

Thank you

The PTSD was caused by domestic voilence both from my ex partner, parents and bullying at a young age

How are the medical tests done? do I fill out a form like that online one?

Quoting from the page on that site about interpreting the results

• 32-50 indicates a strong likelihood of Asperger syndrome or autism.

In fact, scores of 32 or above are one of strong indicators of having as ASD.

This isn't the same as a diagnosis but the test is actually highly respected by professionals and it may help persuade doctors to look at the possibility.

PTSD symptoms can occur in people with ASD because we tend to have traumatic lives with our failure to understand and be understood by the majority of people in society. Was there a specific event that lead to the PTSD or do you have all of the symptoms without any obvious cause?

I think you are in the right place, welcome to the forum and I hope we can help.

just tried it now, got 41, not sure what it means?

You describe a picture that is consistent with ASD. If your children are ASD then it is more likely that you may also be on the spectrum as it is often genetically inherited. Some of your traits are common for people with ASD but they don't help to make a diagnosis.

you have difficulty looking people in the eye and communicating with them - this is one of the diagnostic signs. Also your hobbies indicate the repetitive habits that is a characteristic.

Eating disorders are common but again, they aren't part of the diagnostic criteria. There is thought to be a link between intestinal issues and ASD but this hasn't been confirmed by hard evidence.

Have you tried the AQ test at http://aspergerstest.net/aq-test/ ?

take out the fact about my kids for a second(as thats a real struggle) and based on me alone?