Hi there

Was the man from the mental health team an autism specialist? If not, then he cannot diagnose you, and if you still think you might be autistic, you can ask for a referral to a specialist. As far as I am aware, only specialists can diagnose autism.

But it is still possible you do not have enough traits to actually be autistic. If this is the case, you should still be supported with the things you do find difficult. If you went to a special school then there must have been reasons for this - you must have had, or still have, quite significant difficulties.

Hi Paulies,

Autism is a spectrum condition that affects people to different degrees. It also affects people differently depending on the social environment of family life, school life, work life etc. The mental health chap may be saying that you are not seriously enough affected to benefit from any clinical intervention such as psychiatric help or drugs to control your behaviour. It may be that your environment has changed and that you are coping better, in some ways, with life now than when someone decided that you should be put in a special school.

So, you may still have autistic traits but not enough to warrant being seen further within the medical system. You can still benefit from learning some things about how you can improve your life. I have read a book called "Living Well on the Spectrum" by Valerie Gaus. If you read this you might find that some of it applies to you and you might be helped by some of the techniques she suggests.

Another book that I have read which talks about standing up for yourself as an introvert is "Quiet" by Susan Cain. If you have some autistic traits then you are likely to be introverted to some extent. Susan puts forward some interesting views about how the world has become dominated by loud brash extrovert people who generally don't appreciate the quieter, more reserved types of people.

You said that you always felt different to other people. This might mean that you can see yourself as an individual. You don't see yourself as similar to the more dominant loud brash and extroverted types of people that tend to stand out and get noticed. These extroverted types can distort everyones view of what is normal to the point where people think there is something wrong with them.

Can you try to take the specialists view as an affirmation that you are more normal than you thought you were? Try and understand yourself, find your strengths and work out how you want to live in the world.

I would suggest that you can still come and take part in the community chat - I don't think anyone will question the fact that you don't have a diagnosis - you are probably a fellow traveller on the spectrum but perhaps are at the milder end of the scale.

:-)

Hi all , I had my appointment with a man from the mental health team , after talking to me fir abiut an hour about me and my childhood , he said no you dont have autism or any learning difficulties. He said I am intellegent and he suggests I get a hobby and eventually find a job. He cannot explain why I was put into a special school. I feel totally lost now .

Hi all , I've just got a call from the mental health team who had a referral from GP . Iam hoping this is gonna be the first step to getting diagnosed ,does anyone know if they can diagnose me or refer me on . 

Hi Paulies - you can try getting an advocate. This page of our site explains more, including organisations you can contact - www.autism.org.uk/.../advocacy-and-autism.aspx

Hi ty for replying , I dont have anyone that would come with me  thsts supportive,  I used to  have a friend who used to go to appointments with  me but I have moved and my friend is busy so its harder now for me . 

Hi paulies happy to hear you managed to take the first step, you done a helluva lot better than myself, that communication barrier is a stinker, I've pretty much always felt like going to the doctor meant proving my ailments are real--I think it's the way everything is set up, do you have/know any family/friends or mental health/social/key or advocacy workers who could act as intermediaries for you and your GP?

I finally plucked up courage to go see gp. I handed him the gp guide which NAS sent me and also a list of things which i find difficult (problems i have had all my life). it seemed like he was itterigating me ,asking if i had gone to a ' special school ' why wasnt i told why i had attended . I also explained that previous doctor had put suspected learning difficvulties in my notes but that was some years ago. Doctor questioned why after all this time do i want a diagnosis also what am i hoping to achieve by getting one . I said all my life i have felt different and didnt fit in ( like being given a book but pages missing ) so never quite getting what people mean and their thinking. I have struggled all my life . I want to know if i have it so that i can get the support i need to maybe get to know people who have similar difficulties , maybe attend a support group . 

He took my list and said he would talk to a colleque to see what they think before he decides to refer. if he does refer it will be to the mental health team as i have panic attacks, depression.

I just wish there was someone to come with me and explain as i feel i have to justify my time being there and feel that iam being talked AT. not sure if that makes sense .

ty all for listening 

Hi Paulies, have you seen your GP yet? Did you manage to choose who you wanted to see, if not to come back to your last question, googling your GPs names and trying sites such as the NHS: www.nhs.uk/.../HospitalList.aspx (just find and click on your GP practice in the list) and doctorila: http://www.doctoralia.co.uk/ both places where people post reviews - should help.

Hi . where do i find out which doctors is best suited for me to see , as i have looked on my gps practise website and its just letters thats it .

It might also be worth finding out a bit more about your GPs when choosing which one to see, you can use the internet to do that, and then use your intuition and reason through who you might be most comfortable seeing (and who might be most receptive to your concerns) based on reviews and their specialities and/or anything they've written.

Welcome to the community!

It is a good idea to write down a list of the traits that you think you have and some examples of situations where they have caused problems. You might want to also write down what the consequences have been, for example have you felt stressed, confused or do you get into arguments with people? The GP might not take it very seriously unless you can show that it is causing real problems for you.

It can be difficult, when talking to the gp, to remember all of the things to say. When I went to the GP about this for the first time, the prepared list helped greatly and she accepted the list and put it into her notes.

Perhaps you have a friend or relative that can help with writing the list?