Diagnosis

Gosser

How do you get a diagnosis?

My brother had Asperger's and I am now convinced that I have but it is undiagnosed.
I am 48 years old and had a physical meltdown at the end of last year brought on by too much stress and no support where I work.

Looking at myself objectively I have Asperger's but
do I need to be diagnosed?
how do I get diagnosed?
is there anything for or against diagnosis?

Thanks, in advance, for your help

EauRouge1

Hello,

I've been assessed but not diagnosed. So more like an informal diagnosis (no legal protection, but I get support from a charity).

I suppose the pros are:

Protection at work (depending on your country).

Legal protection if you are ever arrested.

The possibility of benefits if you are unable to work (again, depending on your country).

Peace of mind and the feeling of finally understanding what the heck is going on (some people find that self-diagnosis is enough for them).

The negatives:

Very hard to get diagnosed as an adult female. Many women have had numerous mis-diagnoses such as depression/anxiety and personality disorders. Some people have had negative reactions from GPs, mental health workers etc when they have asked for diagnosis. Some people are just flat-out refused an assessment.

Some people have had negative reactions from friends and family following diagnosis (this includes people not believing the diagnosis).

There is basically no official support available, although some charities can offer support.

Whether or not you need to be diagnosed is up to you. Some people are happy with self-diagnosis and the autistic community is very accepting of it (because a diagnosis can be so hard to get), so you won't be considered a faker or attention-seeker if you don't have a certificate or anything. Some people feel like they need to be told by someone else that they are autistic. Some people need the extra support at work or college.

If you want to be diagnosed in the UK then your GP would be the place to start, or try contacting a charity like NAS. If you go to your GP then you might find it helpful to take some printouts with you and a list of traits that you have.

Hope that helps a bit. There is a very good Facebook group for women in the UK with Aspergers if you are on Facebook.

Gosser

Thanks for the reply. I'm still debating whether to pursue an official diagnosis and realise that being high-functioning will likely be met with a certain level of resistance to spending NHS funds on a diagnosis.

For the minute I think I'll just wait to see how I feel in a couple of months. As my husband says 'a diagnosis won't change who I am' which is very true.