Diagnosis

[jb68]

Hi everyone,
I have been looking into Asperger's as part of trying to get to the bottom of a number of issues I have been suffering with for many years. I have had depression and anxiety on and off since my twenties and have recently been diagnoses with Adult ADHD.

A lot of my problems stem from being very uncomfortable in many social situations. I have struggled through 20 or so years of corporate jobs, changing regularly every year or so, sometimes even after only a few months. I have never really worked anywhere that I felt comfortable and it is generally work that seems to trigger my mental health issues.

I currently work from home mainly, talk briefly with colleagues over Skype and rarely have to deal with people face to face, which really works for me. I still don't enjoy my job but at least the environment I work in is manageable. I don't think I could go back to an office environment now.

Anyway, I have done a number of tests on the Aspie Test website. Score as follows:
RAADS-R = 161
Friendship Quotient = 47
Autism Spectrum Quotient = 35
Empathy Quotient = 14
Systemising Quotient = 86
Sensory = 47

Looking at these I think in all categories I am on or above the averages scores for people with ASD.

I am wondering whether its worth pursuing a diagnosis. I have already spent a lot of money on counselling and pschiatrists trying to get to the bottom of my depression, anxiety and ADHD so is it really worth pursuing an ASD diagnosis as well, as the assessments seem very expensive in themselves?

Thanks for reading and any comments or advice.
J

 

[aspieoutlaw89]

i was 4,8 or 9 when i got mine.

 

[Mr Allen]

I was 23 years, 6 months and 2 and half weeks old when I got mine on the 23rd of October 1999.

 

[patrick183]

I know my reply is very late but I stumbled upon your post while searching for past threads involving diagnoses. You sound a lot like me, I was recently diagnosed with adult ADHD and am also not sure about autism and and questions surrounding getting a diagnosis. I have some anxiety but it is mainly social anxiety, which I believe to be intertwined with possible ASD. I've had office jobs and had some success, mainly because I knew the cofounder well, and in retrospect, I'm pretty sure he is an Aspie. But in recent years I've been doing contracting work from home and I can't envision working at a regular office job anymore. I just need the solitude and space to focus. Maybe you can relate to my experiences.

The other day I went out to lunch with a potential client... indeed a team of people going to lunch with me for the specific purpose of getting to know each other. I did okay for 30 minutes but then the conversation went to topics not relevant and not of interest. I pretty much shut down, and for the last 30 minutes I didn't say a word. I left with that terrible feeling of yet another failed social attempt... leaving with that feeling that I'm just not socially like others. I make it sound worse than it was, as the group was happily chatting away and I was just quiet. But from my perspective I went to a bad mental space, feeling trapped in a social situation, hearing a conversation that has no particular purpose, knowing that I should be speaking up and making a positive impression. Suddenly very uncomfortable and wishing for solitude. Wanting to escape just like like I have done so many times both growing up and as an adult. At least I could fake it for long enough -- the client is still interested in having me work on some projects with them.

I did pursue a diagnosis for high-functioning autism. I was tested yesterday and will get the results in two weeks.

RAADS-R 145.
Friendship quotient 42.
Autism Quotient 38.
Empathy Quotient 15.
Systemising Quotient 65. (this is the only test where I deviated from typical ASD)

I hope with the testing results, If I am diagnosed with ASD or otherwise, I will get some acceptance on why I am the way I am, and why I had so many struggles and felt immensely different than everyone else. My worst fear is that I'll be told I'm neurotypical, when deep down I'm sure I'm not.