Published on 12, July, 2020
Hello. I'm a bit confused about things, and I hope that I may be able to get support, here. First off, while I've had a plethora of diagnoses, I have never been officially evaluated for being on a part of the spectrum. So why am I here?
For a while now I have noticed that I am “different” from most people. Socially awkward, typically don’t let others get a word in edgewise without intending to, sensory issues. I’m also better at remembering numbers than most people I know. My IQ is not exceptionally high, but is at 123 according to the neuropsychologists at a hospital. I know that many on the spectrum have higher IQs than most, but mine is not so much. There are some other things, too, like being irritated by things most people wouldn’t notice. In a recent group discussion, I felt like I absolutely needed to point out a typographical error in the handouts.
I am questioning things more than before, though. I was talking to someone I later dated, and he rather quickly asked if I was a, “fellow aspie.” He definitely thought I was, but I pushed that to the back of my mind. I was however recently asked by some people at a psych ward if I was on the spectrum. This last part is rather unreliable, but I did take an online test. (I know, I know. Take with a grain of salt, right?) The range of 11-21 is average, 22-25 is slightly higher for tendencies, 26-31 indicates borderline tendencies for Asperger’s or mild autism, and 32 or higher indicates a strong likelihood of Asperger’s or autism. I scored 35. I’m sorry if this is a bit long. There are more reasons, but I’ll stop here.
I would appreciate some advice. Should I even try to talk to my psychiatrist about the possibility? It could be a long shot, but I would like to know. Any feedback would be appreciated. Thank you. I look forward to talking with you, if I can.
Hi there,
You are right to be cautious, of course, but what you have mentioned so far is consistent with autism, and you have mentioned nothing that I think would rule it out (I am a Aspie, but not a psychologist, I should point out!)
You seem to be taking a level-headed approach to finding out, and are being careful not to jump to conclusions. Coming to a place like this is the ideal next step. Doctors, psychiatrists and questionnaires can only tell you so much. As you read more of the stories here written by people living on the spectrum, you will very quickly gain a sense of whether you might be on the spectrum, and also whether you want to seek a formal diagnosis (not everybody does).
If you do decide to look into a diagnosis, the information you gain beforehand will be very useful. It is hard to think of examples of our 'quirky' behaviour very often when we're asked by professionals, so the kind of things that you talked about in your post are very useful to them.
Your score on the autism quotient test certainly suggest that your psychologist should support you if you decide to look further. The referral process for an evaluation uses a very similar tool to screen patients, so I would think there a reasonable chance you would be accepted. Be warned though, services aren't always great, so you can expect a long wait if you do decide to take that path - and it sometimes takes more than one attempt at referral due to the arcane NHS funding process.
Best wishes.