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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

If I go for Asperger's assessment....

70 replies

Reading300 · 05/06/2017 08:48

I've always had some problems in the workplace (Same job but different places )
Mainly with people junior to me making mistakes, needing prompted to do things etc and situations have sometimes lead to some conflict
I've been wondering over the last year if I have Asperger's as I do have some of the traits / symptoms
Nobody else in equivalent positions seems to struggle with it so much / have so many problems.
In social situations I do not have any problems but apart from that a lot of the Aspergers traits/ symptoms seem to ring true with me.
I was also wondering- if I pay privately and was diagnosed, can I keep this information to myself or am I obliged to disclose it ?
In reality, I probably would disclose it ,say to family at first , but could I keep it confidential if I wanted ? Thanks

OP posts:

AGnu · 05/06/2017 23:06

I'm on the waiting list for assessment. Other than peace of mind, my main reason for pursuing it is the question of what would happen to me & our DC if something happened to DH. I didn't know there was a suggestion that ASD can affect the way women experience menopause - that's really interesting! I had a manic reaction to a sedative as a child which no-one had an explanation for other than "that happens to some children sometimes". DMum insists there's nothing in my childhood that would suggest ASD... She thinks all my issues are "normal".

Does anyone know, is there any real support for adults post-diagnosis? I'm not planning on getting a job any time soon but I do wonder whether some CBT or something would help with day-to-day stuff. Although, I feel like I could do with CBT to help me figure out the logistics of having regular appointments that I couldn't take the DC to. I'm assuming that taking DC to CBT isn't "the done thing", although I think it might actually be helpful for DS1 who already has a diagnosis to see me identifying things I struggle with & figuring out how to deal with them.

I'm over-thinking & getting ahead of myself, given that I've not even got the appointment through yet!

Someone asked how it might make you feel if you were told you didn't have it... For me, I'd be baffled & a bit angry that they'd employed someone who clearly didn't know what they were talking about. They could be the most knowledgeable ASD expert in the world & they'd still be inept in my eyes if they refused me a diagnosis. I'm always right about everything...

AGnu · 05/06/2017 23:27

Is the AQ test designed to irritate people with ASD? I had this sudden brainwave that I could do the test & print off my responses which I could then annotate & use as notes for when I have my assessment. I'd forgotten how much the questions make me want to throw things. "Other people often tell me..." I only know one or 2 people who would be rude enough to tell me negative things about my behaviour & they're also pursuing a diagnosis & working really hard on not being rude...! "I find it hard to predict how people in books will behave", well, no - they're usually pretty predictable characters with defined motives who follow a pretty set narrative. This is why I love soaps - the people are easy to predict. Real people aren't like that. Just because I can predict where a storyline is going doesn't mean I'm good at reading people, it just means the author doesn't write very complex characters. I'm only half way through the test & it's making me really cross! I might see if I can find a blank form version of the test & instead of answering any of the questions, just scrawl all over it why each question is ridiculous.

ShelaghTurner · 06/06/2017 07:13

That test irritates me too! Would I rather go to the theatre or a museum? Both! I love both. Wtf is that supposed to tell me?

Polter · 06/06/2017 07:16

The AQ is pretty crap, but if you want a list to annotate the one on Tania Marshall's website is very comprehensive.

MyPatronusIsAUnicorn · 06/06/2017 11:53

Ha ha, I don't like the AQ test either. I wouldn't want to go to the theatre or museum and library or party? Depends on the context of the party. Who's party and where, how many people etc. Do I need a book from the library? There needs to be a 'sometimes' or 'depends' option.

And yes, the people tell me things. No they don't. But I'm sure as hell they think it. I know full well I repeate myself and talk about the same things all the time, no one has ever actually told me though. Same as all the other 'have they told you' questions.

I love the idea of annotating it.

I made a list of Tania Marshall's symptoms too. And painstakingly typed it all up. Then didn't take it because I thought I was having a pre assessment to see if I could go on the waiting list and when I told the psychiatrist I had made my list at home, he told me it was irrelevant! Oh well, he still diagnosed me.

I found this list helpful as well Samantha Craft

Nikephorus · 06/06/2017 16:16

I annotated my copy - there were so many questions that could only be answered with 'it depends' and an explanation.

GeekLove · 06/06/2017 16:27

Rather than do the AQ test (I got 41 on that one) I'll take Samantha's list with me on Friday with annotations.

Polter · 06/06/2017 16:29

The AQ is worth taking as it's often used by GPs and assessment teams as a screening tool.

MyPatronusIsAUnicorn · 06/06/2017 21:39

Geek the psychiatrist I saw got me to do the AQ test there. There is another one, the Ritvo one. That's quite good and gives scores over different areas as well as a total ND score and an NT score, complete with a graph.

ShelaghTurner · 06/06/2017 22:27

I did the Ritvo one and scored highly on that too. I struggle with how to get the ball rolling. What do I even say to my GP?

Original poster

Reading300 · 06/06/2017 23:55

I've just had a look at the Ritvo test as a couple of people mentioned it.
Probably being silly here but wondered if someone who knows about it can explain; Why is it that the average scores for Neurotypical people
( as per the table which is shown after the results) are higher than the scores shown in the table that are considered to be on the ASD spectrum?
Would be great if someone could explain it Thanks!

OP posts:

AGnu · 07/06/2017 01:28

Reading I'd guess that could be because not everyone who thinks they're neurotypical actually is. That, or they've put the wrong number in for the threshold.

I'd not heard of the Ritvo test before. I got 41 on the AQ test have spent this evening writing essays after at least a third of the AQ questions on my sheet that I downloaded & altered to give me enough space to comment... & 184 on the Ritvo. I have a rather strong urge to wave the results of both of these at my mother who insists that I'm getting checked for ASD to "rule it out" as a cause for my anxiety. I'd dearly love to make her take the tests... I bet she'd score highly if she answered it honestly, rather than how she thinks she should answer. She'd probably insist that everyone would get a high score...

Original poster

Reading300 · 07/06/2017 07:12

Thanks AGnu!

OP posts:

Lancelottie · 09/06/2017 14:56

Oh god, the 'party vs museum' questions... I would far rather go to a small quiet local party, where I know all the people and they know me, than battle through the crowds to a national museum, get overheated and be unable to predict the journey. I am very unlikely, these days, to be invited to any sort of party other than the small and quiet local sort.

Doubt that's what the test is thinking of, though.

Bloody overanalytical literal thinking getting in the way of answering ASD questionnaires. Pah.

TheClacksAreDown · 09/06/2017 15:41

If you decide you don't want to get assessed then another option may be to read up on advice give to those with asd around the issues you are having and see if you find any of the advice helpful

ShelaghTurner · 09/06/2017 18:10

I'm reasonably happy not to be diagnosed but then you can't claim it as an issue. It's being able to say to someone - I'm sorry, I really struggle with this because I have autism. Or telling yourself that you struggle because you're useless. And yet diagnosis is such a big thing to go through.

MakChoon · 10/06/2017 07:49

polter thanks so much for posting that info.

I've been wondering whether to go for an Aspergers diagnosis - I score v highly on the tests and my close family and friends are all certain I have it. I think you've made up my mind to do it.

Thank you!

Polter · 10/06/2017 07:59

Good luck Mak

Sloper · 10/06/2017 08:01

I'd love to be diagnosed. But the NHS won't do it and the cheapest I can find anywhere is £650. If anyone comes across something cheaper let me know!

StatisticallyChallenged · 10/06/2017 09:49

See if spire have an appropriate consultant in your area. The head of my local nhs adult autism unit also did private psychiatry consulting for them, diagnosed in one appointment. Think it cost 350

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