I Had Asperger Syndrome. Briefly.

Jon,

Your negative diagnosis makes no difference to anything apart from how it’s made you feel. You’re the same person you were prior to your assessment, and your difficulties still stem from the same source as they did prior to your assessment.

This is unfortunately one of the problems I see as inherent in the whole labelling process; once you go for assessment, the outcome can have a negative impact whichever way it goes: When I was diagnosed with Asperger's, I became very depressed as I felt that that this was confirmation that nothing would ever change for me, whereas prior to dx, I had always imagined that my difficulties might still be transitory, or even that they could be blamed on other people (for instance, I just happened to always get jobs working with cliquey weirdos and one day I’d find a work team who would be different!) For me, receiving a diagnosis just made me realise that It was me who was the ‘weirdo’ and that they were normal (heavens forbid!!!)

I’m only recounting this, to try and explain that even a positive diagnosis may have led to you feeling  equally depressed now.

Having said that, if you feel that the diagnosis was wrong it may be worth seeking a second opinion. I don’t know who you went through obviously, but the psych with my local NHS adult learning disabilities team who diagnosed me, basically said that if I’d received a conventional ‘tick-box’ type assessment from the local private organisation usually subcontracted in our area to perform Asperger's assessments for the NHS, I probably would not have received a positive dx. He claimed that it was only his own special interest (sound familiar) in Asperger's, which had led him to take a further degree in Asperger’s Studies on top of his general psych doctorate etc, which had led him to gain an understanding of more subtle and atypical presentations, and that basically, this is a level of understanding that is lacking in most diagnosticians....which is shocking when you think about it!

Having said that, goodness only knows how you go about getting a second opinion, and even then, how you know if the so-called experts really have the level of knowledge and understanding required to make an accurate assessment not simply based on a tick-box approach. I was lucky in a way I guess, as I just happened to be referred to the local learning dis. team for other reasons and this psych just happened to pick up on my Asperger's symptoms.

Maybe someone at the NAS help-lines could advise you as to how you go about this. Whatever happens, I hope that you start to feel a bit better soon! And as far as tradesmen go, I have exactly the same problem (as I’m sure do lots of people....they’re in your HOME ffs....where you’re supposed to feel safe from intrusion!) I’m studying from home at the moment and when they’re here I swing between hiding all day long in my bedroom under the auspices of studying,  or babbling incessantly at them so they just think I’m some kind of looney! I hope yours have left now and that your home is your castle once again! Good luck with everything!

P.S. Hooray for supportive partners – they’re worth their weight in gold!!

Jon,

Your negative diagnosis makes no difference to anything apart from how it’s made you feel. You’re the same person you were prior to your assessment, and your difficulties still stem from the same source as they did prior to your assessment.

This is unfortunately one of the problems I see as inherent in the whole labelling process; once you go for assessment, the outcome can have a negative impact whichever way it goes: When I was diagnosed with Asperger's, I became very depressed as I felt that that this was confirmation that nothing would ever change for me, whereas prior to dx, I had always imagined that my difficulties might still be transitory, or even that they could be blamed on other people (for instance, I just happened to always get jobs working with cliquey weirdos and one day I’d find a work team who would be different!) For me, receiving a diagnosis just made me realise that It was me who was the ‘weirdo’ and that they were normal (heavens forbid!!!)

I’m only recounting this, to try and explain that even a positive diagnosis may have led to you feeling  equally depressed now.

Having said that, if you feel that the diagnosis was wrong it may be worth seeking a second opinion. I don’t know who you went through obviously, but the psych with my local NHS adult learning disabilities team who diagnosed me, basically said that if I’d received a conventional ‘tick-box’ type assessment from the local private organisation usually subcontracted in our area to perform Asperger's assessments for the NHS, I probably would not have received a positive dx. He claimed that it was only his own special interest (sound familiar) in Asperger's, which had led him to take a further degree in Asperger’s Studies on top of his general psych doctorate etc, which had led him to gain an understanding of more subtle and atypical presentations, and that basically, this is a level of understanding that is lacking in most diagnosticians....which is shocking when you think about it!

Having said that, goodness only knows how you go about getting a second opinion, and even then, how you know if the so-called experts really have the level of knowledge and understanding required to make an accurate assessment not simply based on a tick-box approach. I was lucky in a way I guess, as I just happened to be referred to the local learning dis. team for other reasons and this psych just happened to pick up on my Asperger's symptoms.

Maybe someone at the NAS help-lines could advise you as to how you go about this. Whatever happens, I hope that you start to feel a bit better soon! And as far as tradesmen go, I have exactly the same problem (as I’m sure do lots of people....they’re in your HOME ffs....where you’re supposed to feel safe from intrusion!) I’m studying from home at the moment and when they’re here I swing between hiding all day long in my bedroom under the auspices of studying,  or babbling incessantly at them so they just think I’m some kind of looney! I hope yours have left now and that your home is your castle once again! Good luck with everything!

P.S. Hooray for supportive partners – they’re worth their weight in gold!!