Autism diagnosis - what now?

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Waiting for an appointment for the full diagnosis for aspergers as I did a general test a few weeks ago. Getting it for support when I go to uni.

Reply 21

patheticboy

Original post by disandsexstudy

Well I'm female and I'm 'intelligent'. Autism is underdiagnosed in females, particularly those with average or above average IQs. It's kind of difficult for me to compare my severity to other people I've known with autism as there's so much diversity? And because I'm not sure how I'm perceived by others. I'm definitely seen as odd, but I think people accept it to a degree because they think I'm smart, so they think of the eccentric nerd stereotype rather than of someone with a neurodevelopmental disorder?

Im not gonna lie or pretend to be some expert in this field. I know f*ck all about it. There were a few "special needs" kids at the back of class. Some of them were absolutely mental, like throwing-chairs-at-the-teacher mental, and the others were seemingly fine. Like apart from a couple of unhealthy obsessions with Greenday, and Parker pens (and one guy had a foot fetish) they were all ok. One of them was pretty sound, he could play guitar like a boss. Basically what im saying is, you sound like one of the non-mental ones and you're gonna be just fine!

You operate at a higher level to others, in terms of emotion and intelligence, and realistically you'll be around a ton of intelligent people at uni. If you're going to Warwick then you'll be amongst some of the cleverest people in the UK, I'm sure they wont know the difference and everybody has a few quirks. I wouldnt really reveal it unless you have to (but i am quite a private person!) it doesnt define you. Most people will have a preconceived idea of autism, and may judge you negatively for it. You've grown up without the label, and i think it will be detrimental if you suddenly became ostracised for it, because you've never experienced it. Tell your new uni mates later on down the line. Dont dwell on it. It's not really that important, you havent changed, its just that society can plonk you in a new box!

Reply 22

drandy76

Original post by disandsexstudy

Past few months been on the the fence about whether or not I have autism after learning about some of the symptoms, after reading that one as well which is a trait I display(have?) I decided I should probably look into getting a diagnosis as to whether or not I have it

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Reply 23

disandsexstudy

Original post by drandy76

Ah yeah, if you think it's a possibility write down everything that makes you suspect you're on the spectrum and take it to your GP (unless you see a psychologist or some other professional who may be a better person to go to, but I think it's generally GPs who refer people for ASD assessments). GPs don't know a lot about autism so don't expect them to be able to decide whether you have it.

If your GP thinks it's worth investigating you'll get a referral for an assessment. You may need to wait a year or more to get to the top of the waiting list, however, so if it's important to you you might want to just go private if that's an option financially.

Reply 24

alexs2602

Original post by disandsexstudy

I got diagnosed age 20 (21 in June) with autism spectrum disorder/Aspergers earlier this week. I kind of expected it to feel like a bigger deal than it does? I'd suspected that I'm autistic for years and felt disabled, but I only got referred to see a specialist in autism and other neurodevelopmental disorders at a clinic last year, and I finally got my first appointment about a year later. Anybody else who got a diagnosis late - do you feel like it's changed your life much? Or do you just think of it as another label, not of great significance?

I got a diagnosis a couple of months before I turned 26. Having the diagnosis itself can be useful. It's allowed me to use the diagnosis to do things I wouldn't have been able to do without it. I've had some group therapy(which has been mildly useful) but beyond that I'm yet to see its effect on my social life.

Reply 25

alexs2602

Original post by brainhuman

So what is the big deal? You have lived 20 years of your life. All of a sudden you get told that you are "autistic". So what? Had you known earlier would you have done things differently?

Be who you are. Not what a psychological profile tells you you are.

Trust me, it makes a BIG difference. Some of its symptoms have had a huge affect on my life. Seriously screwed it up and I'm only getting it back on track now. It's embarrassing. Without it being diagnosed it's hard to know what help you need.

Reply 26

drandy76

Original post by disandsexstudy

Will do, will look into booking an appointment with them after my exams

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Reply 27

brainhuman

Original post by alexs2602

So it will be better now?

Reply 28

alexs2602

Original post by brainhuman

So it will be better now?

Having the diagnosis can be very useful. Hard to explain without being specific. i don't really like to share this with people. If you've had difficulties in the past I think it can help with universities and student finance to be able to give them evidence of why. Ofc, it's good to talk to some kind of disability service too so they can keep a detailed record of your issues. With finance it could help with compelling personal reasons if you screw up but it also means you qualify for disabled students allowance which pays for support you need. I'll be getting a note taker hopefully next year. Prior to being diagnosed I saw a psychologist who ran me through a bunch of aptitude tests and I get more exam time.

There's probably more but it depends on what you're talking about. Socially? Maybe not. I have a group therapy currently but it'll finish in a few weeks and I'm not sure everyone gets it.

Reply 29

brainhuman

Original post by alexs2602

No, what I meant more is, usually when you get a "diagnosis" it tends to be bad right? I just mean if anything this is good. OP had this before, and all that has changed is that they now know, which surely is at least not going to make them worse off?

Reply 30

username1560589

It doesn't really change much. You are still the person you were. It doesn't even tell you much about the underlying cause(structural abnormality in the brain) so is really just a label.

Original post by brainhuman

You could say this about any diagnosis. If you didn't get the diagnosis you'd still have the condition. All that's changed is you know.

Reply 31

doodle_333

Original post by disandsexstudy

But like, is it worth telling people who I've newly met who I may or may not become friends with? I feel like if I do that it might get rid of people who I don't want in my life. Like, I've mentioned having mental illness to people before after speaking to them for awhile and then they've gone strange. I think if someone I meet doesn't want to be around someone with a mental health diagnosis or an autism diagnosis, I'd probably rather them know I have those things pretty soon after meeting them. My situation at college at the moment is I'm not 'out' to any of my classmates about having MH issues or autism (my course started in September) as I feel that they are ignorant and stigmatise those things a lot. The situation is really not ideal. I don't feel like I can be myself around them.

I wouldn't introduce yourself as autistic but, especially at uni, there's no reasont o be super secretive if you don't want to be, there was an guy with autism on my course and he was fairly open about it if anything relevant came up in conversation and it was never an issue for anyone, when he mentioned it around me I sort of thought 'oh yeah, that makes sense' and that was that, we knew each other already and he was the same guy he was before I knew so it wasn't massively important. I would tell people on the staff side of things (both at college and uni) and you will be able to get various accommodations which may make things much easier on you.

I'm not autistic but I doubt it's unusual for it to not feel like a big deal, at the end of the day you're the same person you were last week, nothing has really changed except now if you struggle with something specific you can get some help with it. You don't have to tell anyone you don't want to or change anything you don't want to.

Reply 32

BlueSam3

Original post by disandsexstudy

I generally don't tell people, unless there's a particular reason to do so. Up to you, though.

Just to add, I was offered all of these at Warwick, and the disability services people here are very good. They also have the option of stickers to put on exams/coursework if you have problems that cause trouble with your writing, and extra time.

(edited 7 years ago)

Reply 33

disandsexstudy

I thought DSA had changed so they won't fund the difference between ensuite and non ensuite? :frown:

Reply 34

disandsexstudy

Original post by BlueSam3

Ah, it's so good to hear that their disability services are good. I've been worrying about that. :frown:

What do you mean by stickers?

Reply 35

Tiger Rag

Some of us (like me) have issues with taking notes in lectures; so the OP may get given a note taker. You have to remember it's a spectrum; so the OP may get different equipment.

As for telling people - it's up to you. For years, I know (because he'd told me more than once) that one of my friends suspected I had it. I emailed him for advice. I had to tell him that I'd now been diagnosed. He replies and says "I can't say I'm surprised. I've known you for 9 years. It's always been obvious".

I also found myself in the situation last year where I had no choice but to tell one of my friends. There was a misunderstanding over something (one of my problems is how I understand language) and it was getting to the stage where I really had no choice but to say something. I had a serious problem - he's much older than me. He'd previously mentioned that before retiring, he was a teacher. But he'd retired in 2000 and because he'd taught 6th form, it probably wasn't something he'd come across before. I emailed him. I apologised andexplained my situation. He replies back and tells he that he kind of knew. Or rather, he told me he knew I have problems communicating and he didn't explain himself that well either.

You will find, as I have, that a lot of people would have worked something out. I mentioned in another some time ago that I'd overheard a conversation between 2 people last year (2 people I know fairly well) debating whether I do indeed have Autism because I'm the only one in that group with the ability to remember things. I went a bit red and was hoping my friend (the one I told who had retired as a teacher) wouldn't say anything. And he didn't.

One thing I've found to be quite strange is that people who really should know better, (ie, people who work with people with Autism and people whose children have it) have sometimes either questioned my diagnosis or told me that because they / their child can do things, I should be able. It's called a spectrum for a reason. I've also been told that I can't possibly have Autism and it's "just" anxiety. As a female, I present differently and like many, I tend to hide issues I have.

Reply 36

BlueSam3

Original post by disandsexstudy

Ah, it's so good to hear that their disability services are good. I've been worrying about that. :frown:

What do you mean by stickers?

It's a sticker thing that says something like "this exam was written by someone with ______________________________________________ conditions, please mark accordingly". No idea what the actual effects are, since I've never stuck one on anything.

Reply 37

disandsexstudy

Original post by BlueSam3

Hmmmmm that's interesting... I got measured as having above average verbal IQ when I was younger but I have trouble writing things because of anxiety and executive dysfunction, so I don't know if that kind of accommodation is relevant to me? I've been told I 'write beautifully', but what I'd written had taken a LOT of time.

Reply 38

BlueSam3

Original post by disandsexstudy

No idea: talk to them and find out.

Reply 39

Tiger Rag

Original post by disandsexstudy

When you apply for student finance, you'd also apply for disabled students allowance. (DSA) At the assessment, you discuss with your assessor what educational needs you have. As mentioned previously, this depends on you. Your needs aren't the same as everyone elses.