Published on 12, July, 2020
Hi all,
Been to 6 sessions with a counsellor/psychologist because I was struggling with health anxiety among other things affecting my general life. At the last session she advised she thought I was on the Autism Spectrum. I was not expecting this at all. I am really messed up now and unsure what to do.
I've done a number of online tests and they all show that I am close but not in the range of having ASD. I don't see the point of putting myself through trying to get a diagnosis if the chances are I will not pass the basic preliminary questionnaires. Is this all they judge you on?
Since seeing the counsellor and her telling me what she did I keep noticing my behaviour and things that upset me and make me feel awkward a lot more and part of me wonders if she is right. It's really messed with my feelings as she made out like if I do have ASD then that's the reason I might be struggling with everything but she didn't really give me any help or guidance. I have been advised that if I do have it, continuing with normal counselling that isn't specific to the condition may do more harm than good.
From the research I've done so far I can't see me getting diagnosed very easily as I am good at a lot of the general symptoms and behaviours that show up the condition, whether I've learnt to be or I actually am good I don't know.
Any advice or ideas what to do next? Am wondering whether to try and pay (already spent loads on the first counsellor) for another counsellor to get a second opinion and maybe not mentioning what the first one said to see if they find the same conclusion?
I phoned the GP to discuss options but twice now I've been told they can't speak to me unless its an emergency.
Hi, I am in almost exactly the same position and it is nice to hear I am not the only one. As you say it has really messed with me too. I intend to go to another councellor in the future . . . I think. I have been talking with a friend with councellling experience who has been very helpful, she tried to talk me into lodging a complaint about who I went to. I emailed her with my concerns, told the councellor how much worse I felt and how uncertain, that she should have just dropped it on me even if she thought I was. She sort of apologised said she should have been more tactful, should have broached it better. But it was so carefully worded to avoid admitting any fault that it wasn't exactly helpful for me.
I would really love a diagnosis, just to know. But it seems to me this would be very difficult to get.
Hi, after weeks of obsessing about how I was supposed to deal with it I did go to another counsellor who does specialise in Autism and she seemed quite convinced after 2 sessions that I had Aspergers… I still don't know how to deal with it. Everyone around me that I've mentioned it to just thinks I should just get on with life but I can't help being a little bit obsessed with the fact that I may be different to everyone else. It's really weird to deal with. I have gone to GP about getting a diagnosis and they referred me but nothing as yet. I'm not really convinced it will help. What traits of yours did she pick up on? How many sessions did it take for her to tell you what she thought?