To ask what the difference is between simply having lots of traits of Aspergers

[myparrotcantalk]

and actually having it?

I'm so confused right now. I do have a lot of traits of Asperger's but I'm still not sure if I have it. There are just some things that just don't "fit". But if I am on the spectrum it would certainly explain a lot.

Is it possible to have a lot of the traits but not actually have Aspergers? I also kind of doubt I have it sometimes because I'm not sure if it's possible to have gone so long without being noticed.

If I wanted to get a diagnosis how would I go about it? GP I assume?

I've been told I have lots if traits as well and my brother was adult diagnosed aspergers.

In his case he got diagnosis for some extra employment security and some extra stuff to be provided. Personally I cba to pay privately for a diagnosis as it won't change anything :)

As I understand it, they look at a 'best fit' as everyone is on that spectrum somewhere- my trait would be avoiding eye contact! A starting point would be a GP but it's a quite involved process- a GP alone can't diagnose it. Once diagnosed it can't be undiagnosed, it is a life long condition, so should be diagnosed by several experts.

Sorry that was rambling and didn't answer anything! Um to get a diagnosis my brother. First went to his gp, then got a private referral. Can't go through nhs as an adult normally unless you are extremely impacted. Or that's what I was told by my gp.

I've been to my GP and literally pleaded with them for a referral, and he has referred me to a psychiatrist (waiting for it to come through). My GP had previously said it sounds like I have AS but there's no point in pursuing a diagnosis as an adult. It took me having a breakdown of sorts, so he increased my dose of ADs, and added a tranquilliser, before I could persuade him that it really is in my best interests to have a referral at least.

I've heard about the NHS thing. But then I've heard that a private diagnosis doesn't actually count for some things, e.g if you needed protection for employment.

It depends where you live and where the referral is to. You can get referred on the NHS where I am, but it takes ages. BUt the private referral is to a psychiatrist who is the head of the NHS adult autism unit - so it's solid.

People who have Asperger's won't have every trait - have you looked at the DSM V diagnostic criteria?

Is it possible to have a lot of the traits but not actually have Aspergers?

Yes. It's essentially a tick-list thing, like most psychiatric/developmental categories, so you have to be deemed to have a certain number of the core features in specific areas of functioning to get diagnosed. You can be diagnosed without all the features associated with AS diagnoses. And, on the other hand, you can have lots of these features and not meet diagnostic criteria.

It is a category which describes the real world rather imperfectly, and whether it is actually a unitary "actual thing" (rather than a collection of characteristics which sometimes co-occur) is debatable to many.

If I wanted to get a diagnosis how would I go about it? GP I assume?

Yes, GP, unless you have the money and inclination to go private. The services available vary a lot by area, though. And in any case I think you'd have to push for it and make a very good case for the necessity of the diagnosis.

Incidentally, in DSM-V it's now categorised as being at the high functioning end of the autism spectrum. Aspergers is no longer included as a diagnosis.

All the best to you

If you were looking for an explanation and diagnostic criteria for this and other disabilities for children, where would you look? Is there an organisation/website.

Sorry to derail OP
As you were.

Would I need to bring my parents with me? They would never agree to something like this

In fact they would probably think I was crazy for suggesting it and would brush me off.

How old are you, if you don't mind my asking, OP?

23

No, I didn't take anybody with me. My parents don't know about my diagnosis - I was diagnosed at 27.

Ah, OK.

So if you get to the stage of being assessed, it's very useful to have someone there who can answer questions about what you were like as a child.
But if there's no one who can/will do that, then (in my understanding) it doesn't mean you could never be diagnosed.

I wasn't asked to take anyone at all. I was however asked questions about what I was like as a child

I've heard that having a parents with you is a requirement in some places. Yes it's to answer questions about your childhood that you might not be able to remember.

I'm pretty sure I can remember my childhood better than my parents can actually. My parents have a habit of remembering things how they wanted them to be rather than how they actually were IYSWIM.

Have you seen this thread OP?

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/special_needs_recommendations/1987301-Support-thread-for-women-who-suspect-or-know-they-have-ASD-traits-or-are-on-the-spectrum

I've found it very interesting/helpful. I keep swinging back and forth between thinking "This is so weird, everybody is describing my life!" and "No, I really, really don't identify with that part at all."

I'm not planning on going for a diagnosis any time soon because I don't know that it would benefit me (other than giving me personally a "reason" for why I've struggled so much since leaving home) but I'm reading and learning more and thinking - you know, if I do have some traits, then some of the things which help manage those traits would probably be helpful to me too.

Aspergers presents differently in women and if you have developed good coping skills and/or ways of "managing" or hiding it to fit in and you are/were bright at school then it's quite likely it wouldn't have been picked up. I'm a couple of years older than you so would have been through school at a similar time, and it was never questioned because I coasted along getting good marks (though managing abysmally socially, but the school wasn't particularly interested in that) until I started GCSEs, coursework totally threw me because (looking back) it was the first time ever I'd had to organise my own time and schedule for working. 12 years later I still haven't got the hang of that, so of course every educational direction I went in after that didn't go so well and I have dropped out of everything I've tried apart from short, intensive courses.

I lean more towards ADHD traits than ASD traits but I'm starting to think that a lot of these things are all interconnected anyway. I'm reading Too Loud, Too Tight, Too Fast, Too Bright at the moment which is very enlightening.

About the parent thing, I think this depends on what kinds of diagnostic assessments they're planning to do. There are lots of different possible assessments (some more respected than others).

Try calling the helpline of the National Autistic Society, OP. They can be really helpful I think,and might be able to help you to decide whether to pursue possible diagnosis or not.

Hope it goes well.

I think that's right Euphemia. I was actually given a diagnosis of High Functioning Autism but it was also discussed as Asperger's IYSWIM? The psych used both terms. That was this summer so I think I was being assessed during the transition period. I tend to use Asperger's if I'm describing myself quickly as it's a bit more linked to how I present than wider Autism which many people don't realise has as broad a spectrum as it does.

The 'traits' of Asperger's fall into 3 groups, called the triad of impairments. You have to be significantly impaired in all three areas for a diagnosis. Having difficulty in all 3 areas isn't enough, all three have to seriously impact normal life. Likewise you could have really serious problems in 2 areas but be ok with the third and you will not meet the criteria.

I think they are linked BertieBotts - I have a lot of ADHD (or more ADD) traits too.

Remember, there's lots of things that can mimic Aspergers. I have adhd, and when my anxiety disorder acts up it makes me impulsively awkward. :)

The important question is: How is it affecting your day to day life?

For it to be a disorder, it needs to affect 2 out of 3 areas to the point of making it difficult to function day to day: Home, Work, Social.

Lots of people have lots of traits. It is still debated among researchers if autism/aspergers is a different category of people (either you have it or you don't) or if it is just the extreme of normal variability (like classifying everyone over 6'6 as a giant, but not the 6'5 people).

if you want a definitive diagnosis, you need to see your GP and get referred, or go for a private assessment. If you just do some online tests, you might decide you feel that you fit the description and the AS community is where you belong.

In the end the question is - do you want to have a label (like giant) or would you be happy thinking I am nearly aspergers (like I'm 6'5) and using that to help you move on?