Hi Everyone, Undiagnosed Mid 30s Male.

If you want to get a diagnosis from the NHS then I think that you need to get two distinct messages across

a) why you think that it is a problem. Are you depressed, anxious, have social anxiety etc etc.

b) what makes you think that you have autism - what signs and behaviours you have that indicate autism.

I'm guessing that you have focused on the second message rather than the first? But, I'm also presuming that you are facing very real difficulties in life and that a diagnosis would help you adress those difficulties.

The purpose of a diagnosis, from the NHS point of view, is to identify what care and support you need. If you don't need care or support then why would they diagnose you? I think you need to make it clear that it is not curiosity that is driving your request.

I suspect that your doctor is not a quack and I think it is reasonable for him to go and do some reading if he hasn't had such a request before. Many other people on the forum have had much worse experience with their doctors who can simply send them packing and to stop worrying their little heads about it. Your doctor has not done that, he has given you the time of day and listened to you so try and engage him and try not to start a fight unless you have to.

My point about getting a referral is that if you end up going to the wrong place then your doctor (or the rest of the nhs or the dwp or an employer) may not recognise and accept the diagnosis. If you get the doctor to refer you privately then the doctor can't turn round and doubt the diagnosis. I think you should at least discuss your choice of diagnostic service with your GP to see what he thinks.

It is common for GPs to have patients come to them after reading something on the internet or in the papers and to demand treatment for condition X. They don't often react well to a demanding patient who insists that they know what is wrong, they need to be comfortable that the referral is reasonable in the circumstances and not a passing whim. Try to help your doctor see you as someone with a real need and a possible explanation - this approach worked for me. The GP I saw said that she knew nothing about it but went away and did some research. I did then go privately as I couldn't wait for the 12 month queue but the diagnosis was accepted by everyone and nobody has doubted it.

The system is very broken and very short of resources and it is rubbish that there is a 12 month queue but it doesn't mean that you can't get the result that you need. Try and work with the system, even though it is not ideal - it is the only system we have and it is undoubtedly better than any other service in the world that is free for its users.

If you want to get a diagnosis from the NHS then I think that you need to get two distinct messages across

a) why you think that it is a problem. Are you depressed, anxious, have social anxiety etc etc.

b) what makes you think that you have autism - what signs and behaviours you have that indicate autism.

I'm guessing that you have focused on the second message rather than the first? But, I'm also presuming that you are facing very real difficulties in life and that a diagnosis would help you adress those difficulties.

The purpose of a diagnosis, from the NHS point of view, is to identify what care and support you need. If you don't need care or support then why would they diagnose you? I think you need to make it clear that it is not curiosity that is driving your request.

I suspect that your doctor is not a quack and I think it is reasonable for him to go and do some reading if he hasn't had such a request before. Many other people on the forum have had much worse experience with their doctors who can simply send them packing and to stop worrying their little heads about it. Your doctor has not done that, he has given you the time of day and listened to you so try and engage him and try not to start a fight unless you have to.

My point about getting a referral is that if you end up going to the wrong place then your doctor (or the rest of the nhs or the dwp or an employer) may not recognise and accept the diagnosis. If you get the doctor to refer you privately then the doctor can't turn round and doubt the diagnosis. I think you should at least discuss your choice of diagnostic service with your GP to see what he thinks.

It is common for GPs to have patients come to them after reading something on the internet or in the papers and to demand treatment for condition X. They don't often react well to a demanding patient who insists that they know what is wrong, they need to be comfortable that the referral is reasonable in the circumstances and not a passing whim. Try to help your doctor see you as someone with a real need and a possible explanation - this approach worked for me. The GP I saw said that she knew nothing about it but went away and did some research. I did then go privately as I couldn't wait for the 12 month queue but the diagnosis was accepted by everyone and nobody has doubted it.

The system is very broken and very short of resources and it is rubbish that there is a 12 month queue but it doesn't mean that you can't get the result that you need. Try and work with the system, even though it is not ideal - it is the only system we have and it is undoubtedly better than any other service in the world that is free for its users.