Hello all.
As the title.
I'm fairly certain that I would be Aspergers - I have what I suppose would be the classical symptoms such as literalness, trouble reading people and general total inability to cope with social situations. I also score highly as Aspergers on the online tests that were posted up above should those be worth anything.
Point is I like the way I am - I have a good job, I have no need or desire really for other companionship and I like life on my own. Is there any real advantage in getting a diagnosis bearing in mind I have no wish or desire to change?
Thanks.
I've been asking myself the same question and I think it depends what country you live in. I'm from the UK and have concluded that in my circumstances (Similar to your own) its a big No. That is unless you do it privately at your own expense.
If you get diagnosed as being on the Autistic Spectrum you have to declare it to the DVLC (UK driving licence directorate) and to any insurers. The advice I have received from my local GPs is that if I get a diagnosis the word AUTISTIC will leap out at any future prospective employer when it comes to a medical and see me very quickly killfiled.
I wish it weren't so as a Diagnosis would help me in terms of accepting myself.
Hope that helps a little
Richard
If you get diagnosed as being on the Autistic Spectrum you have to declare it to the DVLC (UK driving licence directorate) and to any insurers. The advice I have received from my local GPs is that if I get a diagnosis the word AUTISTIC will leap out at any future prospective employer when it comes to a medical and see me very quickly killfiled.
Wow, must stink to live in a police state. The UK should require everyone with an IQ less than 95 to declare, too. Stupidity causes the vast majority of automobile accidents, after all.
Dogface - yes. you're right - the UK is increasingly having risk-averse behaviour "built in" to its structures, taking responsibility away from those in organisations who would follow their instincts. Now they have to play "by the rules" and the UK is the poorer for it, in most respects. I personally prefer people to "play by the rules" but I recognise also that most good things come from people bending and breaking "the rules" (as long as it's not in an anti-social way).
Richard is in the UK and wrote:
unless you do it privately at your own expense.
Richard, have you investigated what it would cost in the UK? Just curious. Personally I might be tempted to spend the money instead on a thorough private (physical) healthcare check-up and a nice holiday :lol:
Richard, have you investigated what it would cost in the UK? Just curious. Personally I might be tempted to spend the money instead on a thorough private (physical) healthcare check-up and a nice holiday :lol:
Hi,
I'm looking into this at the moment but from what I know about consultancy in industry I'm expecting it to be about a days work at Ģ1,000. I could afford it if I had to, but like you would rather spend that sort of money on stuff for my family/house/a holiday etc.
Some thing to think about there then people, many thanks.
For interests sake here are the scores I got from the Baron-Cohen test
EQ - 4 from 80 (OK i know I have the emotional range of a lead brick but this was quite a surprise)
SQ - 66 from 80
AS - 43 out of 50
Mind in the Eyes - 25 - I can usually tell face to face if I'm really upsetting someone but I find it impossible down a phone or via email.
Gandalf, if you have few problems and are happy with your life, are successful and don't feel the need to have a diagnosis, it probably isn't worth it.
Be careful of Woundology. A problem _many_ people have. This is when you keep focusing on an ailment/condition/problem, whatever it may be, even if it is in your interest to heal, or if you claim compensation from others or the world for your problem. This is one reason why I don't visit this forum that often. You fall into that trap quicker than you notice, and it is hard to get out of it.
Good luck, and don't allow yourself to get influenced too much. You sound like a nice person - keep it that way! :smile:
Thanks for that Karms.
TBH I don't really want to change anything and will be happy to carry on as I am. It's just nice to know *why* that's all.
Be careful of Woundology. A problem _many_ people have. This is when you keep focusing on an ailment/condition/problem, whatever it may be, even if it is in your interest to heal, or if you claim compensation from others or the world for your problem. This is one reason why I don't visit this forum that often. You fall into that trap quicker than you notice, and it is hard to get out of it.
I had this for a while after my diagnosis, as I became more aware of my differencies etc. At the same time it also helped me a lot to develop other coping-methods for myself.
Still, if I was able to keep and hold a job and take better care of practical matters and such, I would not have gotten any diagnosis for myself, as Iīm mostly quite happy about the way I am and my life. Now that I know what it is thatīs "wrong" with me, I actually have more hope of finally organizing my life so that it looks like me- and where I can take care of myself better than before etc.
Sometimes itīs really nice for me to hang out in this forum and read other peoples similar experiences, and it seems to me that people donīt fall into Woundology-trap so easily here which is good.
I myself have also always been more of fighter than giving up- I may feel wounded or hopeless for a while, but then my mind gets busy again with other stuff or f.e. solving the puzzle of getting over it- not really turning to something else from AS, but making new methods to ease my life. And thatīs far more fascinating. :smile: