"No point in a diagnosis."

[TheTheatreCat 63]

Hey,

As some of you may know, I suspect I have Aspergers. I've told a few friends, and a few agree with me. However, I was speaking to one of my friends and he says that he doesn't understand why I want to get a diagnosis. He says "you'll be the same person you were before".

Is he right, or would it be better to try and get a diagnosis anyway? At the moment I haven't spoken to my parents, but do you think I should ignore my friend's advice and try anyway?

 

Thanks

[....... 292]

Thats the exact advice my friends give to me....... Im still 50/50 as to whether it will help. 

 

I reckon If Id had a diagnoses in the early days I may well have become a 'Victim' of my own sorrow.

[Auletes 571]

You actually only need a diagnosis if you are in need of official help: Special accommodations in education or at your workplace, "financial support" if you can't work at all and that kind of thing. That depends a lot on where you live.

If you need a diagnosis only for your peace of mind you could try to rely on your self-diagnosis. You know yourself best and even a formal diagnosis can't be 100% sure. Tough I would talk to your parents and friends to get an impression from the outside as well.

Bear in mind that a formal diagnosis has it's downside as well like you could have trouble to get some insurances (again, I can't provide further details but it's a point worth considering).

 

 

[Dr-David-Banner 1,075]

Self diagnosis is fairly reliable if you take your time. Best to start with Hans Asperger by reading on his work in Austria. All he did was connect symptoms amongst kids who were defective but not mentally retarded. If you have similar defects and have struggled with it as a serious issue then it's likely to be AS. It usually accompanies other issues such as OCD. After the basic diagnosis the emphasis is on solving your issues or self-management.

[Whoknows 677]

To use it in court as means to protect yourself against the law and most effectively against people who might accuse you of insanity?

Outside of court, I think the best use it has is to allow you to get privileges that few are willing to give up, unless they care.

[BDEGRD 140]

not going to  change anything, but for me it gave kind of closure.  an answer to why I am how I am and why ive had my struggles.  getting a formal diagnosis can also get you out of situations ( jury duty for example) that may be to overwhelming.  Or help get you into programs that can give you better coping skills.  Along with monetary benefits if you cant work.   

[Dr-David-Banner 1,075]

http://www.spectator.co.uk/2015/09/did-hans-asperger-save-children-from-the-nazis-or-sell-them-out/
"Silberman describes one of the children, Gottfried K, a nine-year-old boy who cried at the smallest change in his routine, was terrified of other children, was socially unaware and socially awkward, took people’s words literally and was teased by his peers mercilessly. He was ‘obsessed’ with rules, laws and schedules. When given an IQ test, asking him to say what a ‘ladder’ and ‘staircase’ had in common, he ‘failed’ by pointing out the differences that to him were far more important. Asperger saw more than 200 children with Gottfried’s profile. Some rocked back and forth or repeated the same phrases over and over. Some lined up their toys in strict patterns and would throw a tantrum if these were disturbed."

[Miss Chief 1,252]

Well, your friend is right a diagnosis does not change you! If you have AS or any autism you have always had it and getting a diagnosis won't change you at all although it might allow you to learn more about yourself from places like this (you can do that without a diagnosis though). However, a diagnosis can change the way others treat you, for example it can mean you get more support at school/work, having said that, a diagnosis can also label you and hold you back, it can work like an excuse and teachers etc might not push you so much which might mean you don't reach your full potential and as for work well it isn't always properly understood and can cause you issues there, of course if you get a diagnosis you don't have to tell your school/work that you have it but if you don't tell them then you can't expect them to be more supportive. I would say get a diagnosis if you want one there is no harm in having the diagnosis itself but what you should think carefully about if whether you tell your school/work about it. I didn't get a diagnosis until I was grown up and I really feel if I had been diagnosed when I was still in school then I don't think I would have learnt to become as high functioning as I have, it was the very fact that my school expected and pushed me to do better that made me learn those skills  

[Dr-David-Banner 1,075]

Funnily enough that question would throw me too. I'd have to say a ladder can be angled and adjusted, has smaller rungs (cylindrical), no winds or platforms in between.... to just be asked to give one obvious answer wouldn't be at all obvious.

[TheTheatreCat 63]

On Wednesday, January 18, 2017 at 5:43 PM, Miss Chief said:

Think carefully about if whether you tell your school/work about it. I didn't get a diagnosis until I was grown up and I really feel if I had been diagnosed when I was still in school then I don't think I would have learnt to become as high functioning as I have, it was the very fact that my school expected and pushed me to do better that made me learn those skills  

I think that if I did get a diagnosis then I should really tell them - dozens of members of staff have all puzzled for years why I'm picked on, and this could really be the logical answer. I still think my school would push me, as they always do, but I know that there is a support room at school, which you can't go to unless you have a record on your file of something such as Aspergers. My friend with diagnosed Aspergers goes there, and I know that he says that it helps him a lot, and they give him support. So yes, if I were to be diagnosed, I do think I would want to tell my school.

[Myrtonos 162]

Apparently, self-diagnosis has more and/or bigger problems than an official diagnosis. People who self-diagnose may be overinterpreting their own behaviour.