To think I probably have ASD?

[PlinkPlonkFizz]

Diagnosed with OCD, GAD, and Sensory Processing Disorder a few years ago. My psych mentioned that she thought my DF sounded like he has autism, so I asked "do I"? She replied "I don't think it would be helpful for you to focus on that at the moment". Odd reply.

I have no issues understanding others' emotions - actually I see through BS immediately and people's ulterior motives, way before others. I can get on with others and am very charming but inside, I suffer a lot of stress in social settings. I remind myself to make eye contact, copy mannerisms and phrases, rehearse interactions ahead of time so I appear more normal. But I am obsessive about a few topics, highly intellectual, find smalltalk painful and takes me years to relax in a group. Even as a child some of my happiest times were alone, reading with torches in the cupboard or with my pets outside in the shed in the rain. I'm extraordinarily sensitive to animals. I see fiction in technicolor, find verbal instructions impossible to follow, am extremely visual, and detest artifice.

I have autism, don't I?

I think you possibly are. I think I am too for similar reasons and both my children are. I thought I was what is called an empath but I think I’m on the spectrum.

My DD was diagnosed as an adult and sounds very similar to you. Having a diagnosis has helped her a lot as she has been able to read up about it and learn coping mechanisms.

There's much more to ASD than you describe. OCD/anxiety/sensory issues could point to ADD or could all stem from something unresolved in yourself, masking being introvert or . Hope you find ways to help yourself, Autism is very misunderstood, especially in women. Do you mimic others often.

That's great your DD has benefitted from the diagnosis, good to hear.

ADD is definitely not the problem. I'm organised, efficient and focused. Hyper focused sometimes, I just want to be left be to do my hobby. You mentioned "masking being introvert or" - what was the or?

I found this checklist very helpful before I was diagnosed

the-art-of-autism.com/females-and-aspergers-a-checklist/

Forgive the terminology!

There's much more to ASD than you describe.

Could you explain this a bit more @VioletLemon? What the OP describes sounds quite like autism to me. (I'm definitely not an expert but I do have autism in my family so have some experience). Isn't it a spectrum so people can experience it differently and present differently?

Perhaps. I wonder if the psychiatrist is trying to be helpful, because sometimes a diagnosis of autism can be a barrier to recieving help for things like anxiety and depression. Just a thought.

I diagnose autism in the NHS.

I’d say so

Agree that this may be the case. Diagnosing and treating ocd is more complicated too because it gets confused with the repetitive behaviours common in autism.

If you have ASD then I probably do too. Have suspected it for years but it costs serious $$$ to get it diagnosed as an adult here in Australia.

Pretty sure my mum is on the spectrum as well.

I have very similar things and for what it's worth, I don't think I have ASD. I think I am just introverted and a bit socially awkward.

But I find it almost impossible to understand the distinction between traits that are part of disorder and traits which are just part of the wide variety of normal personality types

She was an absolutely fantastic psych who turned my life around, so I know that whatever her reason for the odd reply, it came from a good place.

Oh gosh I align with 70% roughly of these points. Thanks 👍

I'd imagine her reply has your best interests front and centre. Maybe a diagnosis would distract you from progressing in other areas?

My psychiatrist was very against labels in general as he didn't see them helping

I'd take her lead and keep it mind and leave it for now.

I am autistic @PlinkPlonkFizz . Diagnosed, not 'self-identified'. I could have written your post.

It's eating me up (she said it 8 years ago - discharged from the clinic 7 years ago with no follow up support) because I feel like everyone around me knows what I am, but I don't know for sure. I'd be more comfortable knowing I had ASD and then I could adjust and accept it. But this way I can see people are constantly taken aback at my weirdness when it pops through my facade. I feel like I'm the fool that everyone else rolls their eyes about. It's a dignity thing, an explanation for why might find just grocery shopping so fkn difficult. I mean if I genuinely don't have ASD then I need to know but I feel exposed, a bit humiliated by how challenging I find ordinary life stuff, exhausted by constantly trying to hide myself. I'm actually quite upset about the situation as the older I'm getting the more it feels like I'm returning to the intense struggles of childhood where I was the weird class brainbox with no friends. I think I drank my way through my 20s and 30s to deal with the anxiety and discomfort of just existing. I'm very tired...

Thanks Clarice did you find getting the diagnosis help you?

@PlinkPlonkFizz I totally get your position and would feel the same.
In fact I'm potentially in the same position as you.

Maybe further discussion is needed with the doc.

Good luck with it.

Absolutely. On a personal level and it has also benefitted me at work too.

I don't believe in self ID of anything, so for me it was either pursue the assessment process or nothing.