Published on 12, July, 2020
I was diagnosed last week after my son being diagnosed earlier this year. I didn't think there was much wrong with him as he is very similar to the way I was when I was younger.
I also have been previously diagnosed with ocd in the past and had therapy for anxiety and depression. this is where I feel like a fraud because in the past I pushed for the ocd diagnosis and was also asking if I was bipolar and pushing for that too. When talking about getting autism diagnosis with my husband he said he thinks I am very suggestible - like I got the idea in my head that I was and pursued the diagnosis but I'm not really. Now I'm wondering if I exaggerated in my assessment to get diagnosed. I thought I was being honest at the time though.
Sorry if this is in the wrong place I hate these forum things.
Hi Joldene. You're not in the wrong place for this, you're in exactly the right place! Let's see if we can help. I am diagnosed, so I'm speaking from personal experience, and so will others.
Clearly you have been struggling for a long time, feeling your feelings and wondering what the hell is going on for you. Yes, you've tried various diagnoses that seemed to 'fit' at the time, and yes, there can be an element of self-fulfilling prophesy - I have serious issues with people who diagnose themselves from internet information for that very reason.
I would find it almost impossible to believe that you could go through an ASD assessement 'faking it' as you're thinking. What did you 'fake' or 'exagerate' and why do you dismiss the professionalism if your assessor?
I accept that the assessement is down to the skill of the assessor, but none of your previous diagnoses are outside of the ASD experience. In my case, I very much identify with the effects of undiagnosed ASD on you, because I've had them too, as have many others - I want to strongly emphasise my assurance to you that you're not alone or unique with that. And, I had an allegedly very knowledgeable and highly respected psychiatrist call me a fake, although he didn't say a fake what, and actually did me harm with his ignorant opinion. He was NOT my assessor...
'Pushing' for a diagnosis wasn't what you did, it was a sign that you were desperately seeking answers and 'pushing' for an explanation. I spent 40 years doing that (yes, really - again, not unique experience)) although to be honest, ASD never once entered my head. I thank my God for the GP who had enough faith and trust in me to go against existing 'psychiatric' opinion and raise her serious concerns about the misdagnosis and subsequent mistreatment by the NHS, or as you and I would say, she wasn't having it.
By its' very nature, ASD makes us highly suggestible. Actually, it isn't that, it's that we tend to believe what we are told. It is a vulnerability that we all share. Your husband is actualy missunderstanding a key element of ASD. Get him on here separately, we'll help you educate him - he's got a very special lady in his life and he'll be keen to get a new understanding of both you, and his good fortune.
Like me, and others, you are probably finding that this new diagnosis brings with it much confusion for you. All I can say is, stay on here, talk about yourself, let us go through it with you, and things will become much clearer for you. I've never read anyone on here who says that it turned out that their diagnosis of ASD turned out to be wrong.
We're here for you, you are not alone