To ask about ASD diagnosis in adults

[harrietthehare]

Anybody get diagnosed as an adult? Is there any point- does it make any difference to you having a diagnosis? How would you go about it - GP first point of contact presumably?

I’d be very interested in your experiences

I know someone who was diagnosed with Asperger's as an adult.

I think if you're looking at it for funding or educational purposes it's a good idea. Yes, people don't want to be "labelled" but without the label it can be harder to get support.

I was diagnosed recently. I only went for diagnosis so I could access support at uni as I'm currently studying. GP referred me for assessment but as soon as formal diagnosis was given I was discharged by the psych team so there's no real support from them.

To did a referral for my adult DC, it took a year from referral to appointment, lots of forms to fill in before the appointment which was a half day assessment, DC is now waiting for the report from the CP. Waiting list is generally long so I would find out how long you will be waiting for an appointment or go private.

I went private last year. I just did it for my own benefit so I could know. It's helped me understand myself a lot. To go through the NHS was a long waiting list and that was if your GP refers you and you get funding at panel.

My friend went for an assessment a few months ago i went with her for support she wss referred by het Gp and she wauted a few months for am appointment i guess different areas have different waiting times , she wasent given a diagnosis however she is from a different continent and she has no family or friends in this country that are able to give an account of her childhood

Thanks everyone- not really sure whether to get DH a diagnosis- I guess it comes down to whether you need / want support which I don’t think he does - but maybe from a personal point of view it’s good for him just to know? Thanks everyone

I got an ASD diagnosis this year. I mostly did it to get answers for myself and to help me to try to get the best support for my mental health issues. There is no current ASD specific support for adults on the NHS where I live, other than a diagnosis, and, if you are lucky, up to four follow-up sessions to make a report to help your future therapist/help you understand the diagnosis a bit better.

I first spoke to the National Autistic Society, who linked me to an online questionnaire. I scored 45 out of 50 (highly likely to have an ASD). I took this result to my GP to help explain why I wanted a diagnosis (plus the reasons above, and others and it running in the family). GP accepted my reasons and made the referral, which luckily for me only took a few months. It involved a good few questionnaires but actually not tons about my childhood (there was a form for a person who knows you best to fill in - my parents would have been clueless).

If there's anything else I can help with, feel free to ask here, or PM me OP. It seems that everyone's experiences of diagnosis are a little different, but I'll try to help as much as I can. I'm so glad I know now. It's taken a bit to sink in and I'm still getting used to it, but just having one word to explain to people why I need help with things sometimes has made life so much easier.

He would have to want it for himself and organise it himself.

I was assuming it was for you so was going to answer in that vein.

It has helped me a bit at work.

But I would not have coped well with pressure from someone else to do it, however well meaning.

It isn't easy.

I was diagnosed a few years ago. It came as a massive relief, and I finally understood why I felt different to everyone else and couldn’t cope in the real world. I’d suffered awful depression in my teens and 20s. Finally understanding myself removed all of that. It was life changing. I still get anxiety (eg crowded places, new people, etc) but knowing why I feel the way I do, I can manage myself and my reactions so much better.
I learned the hard way not to tell people at work though. My boss’s first reaction was to try to change my job (I was a manager and always got the top appraisal rating). Work didn’t understand and put me through hell before forcing me out. Fortunately, I had my union involved since my diagnosis. Got a huge payout as we’d documented their treatment over a sustained period. Corporate gaslighting at its worst. It taught me that as someone with ASD, self-care is paramount. Very few NT people truly get, it and will not act kindly or fairly.
Please don’t force your DH though. It’s immensely valuable to some people to have a diagnosis, but not everyone, and he needs to want to do it himself. It’s a long and often painful process.