I e-mailed the new psychologist at the uni an hour or so ago, asking if I can get an assessment done there. He replied rather fast offering to have a conversation with me about autism spectrum disorders to see if he feels there is any need for me to contact my GP for a referral. He also said it would be good to have the assessment done at the local hospital. This is where I hesitate a bit - will he potentially say it's not necessary for me to get a referral because I function or because I don't seem to be autistic? Both my femaleness and adultness (so to speak) works against me here. I've drafted an e-mail to send back where I basically say it'd be nice to have his opinion and that I've researched AS over the last couple of months and feel that it describes my life very well. In the mail I've also mentioned how I'm wary of getting an assessment done because I don't want my mom to take any part in it + the adult/woman issue.
Hmm.. no way to edit posts? I forgot to add this:
Today I also contacted the Norwegian Autism Association once more to ask about assessment in adults. Do I have to go through my GP? What if I can't or won't bring my parent to the assessment (it's normal to interview both the "patient" and their parents), and how does assessment for adults work? Hope to hear from the local group soon.
Yes, I am
Hello, fellow-Norwegian
I just checked your profile - I live in Stavanger as well.
The psychologist replied while I was driving to uni, about 30 minutes ago. I'm welcome to come see him next Monday (11th) at 10.30am.
Hello,
Thanks for getting back to me.
I completely understand your view on assessment. It's correct that such a diagnosis is mostly given during childhood and adolescence. It's still not late to get a diagnosis as it will make it easier for you to understand your situation. As an adult you may have learned to adapt to the situation, but it can be hard at times when it's hard to understand things. It may be good to voice these things and get a general understanding.
You're welcome to a conversation with me Monday Feb. 11 at 10.30am. I hope this the date is good for you. Please let me know if you can't make it.
Have a nice day!
[name, etc]
Any word of encouragement, support or advice is greatly appreciated at this point.
It's often seen as unecessary to get an official diagnosis if you don't have any need of support-services, but it might be something to make you feel more sure about it. Anyway, I don't know why you seek a diagnosis.
I don't know much about whether or not you have to bring parents. Childhood history is however often important for the diagnostician to know, but my experience from psychiatry in Norway is that they are very willing to adjust if you express preferences.
That's good. There is simply no way my mom will be asked, by me, to take any part in this. I mean - what if both parents are dead? I have a small family - my mom and sister are the only living members except for me.
I agree on what you say about the need for an official diagnosis. As I told the psychologist in my follow-up mail to him, I don't see that I have any need for help offered by neither my uni nor the county/city/etc. I'm an adult and although I perhaps should have received help as a child, my problems were never picked up on and thus no help was given. There's nothing to do about it now, though.
But, I see no reason not to see him and maybe benefit from free health-care.
That's good. There is simply no way my mom will be asked, by me, to take any part in this. I mean - what if both parents are dead? I have a small family - my mom and sister are the only living members except for me.
I agree on what you say about the need for an official diagnosis. As I told the psychologist in my follow-up mail to him, I don't see that I have any need for help offered by neither my uni nor the county/city/etc. I'm an adult and although I perhaps should have received help as a child, my problems were never picked up on and thus no help was given. There's nothing to do about it now, though.
But, I see no reason not to see him and maybe benefit from free health-care.
I don't know what the system is like in Norway but in the UK you can specifically request that your family aren't contacted. I have no contact with my family - thats the only way I found this out. My partner is coming with me to be asked questions on my behaviour etc instead.
Thank you. I have a partner who is more than willing to help me by being interviewed, etc. We've lived together for 5 years, so I think he knows me pretty well. He can also see many of the outward symptoms in me.
Take your partner with you then... they can use his experiences of living with you to help validate things. Also they can probably check your childhood records to validate any info. Thats what they're doing with me.
Good luck
I have my appt tomorrow.
I will bring him with me if I do decide to see if I can get a referral to the psych. clinic at the hospital. However, he's currently living abroad so it's gotta fit into everyone's schedule
Good luck tomorrow!
Urgh, that sucks! I'm sure they'll be able to rearrange it for when he's back in Norway.
Thank you... from what I've heard of the National Autistic Society (NAS) here I'm really nervous
Apparently they're not very good at supporting people independently; they seem to see us as 'poor autistics' etc. We'll see how I get on tomorrow...