04-07-2007, 06:31 PM
In my last thread about my diagnosis (about half a year ago) I posted about my first conversation I had with my psych. After that talk I sprouted my concerns here that she didn't know anything about stimming (and I even kept it simple by calling it 'repetitive moments done at random') or it's relationship to AS - and she even had the DSM-IV lying in the closet behind her!
That made me doubt about wether I should pursue the diagnosis at all with this person. I did though, telling myself that she may have seen other features as vital indications for AS.....or at least moreso than stimming, which made her unable to recall that feature instantly. At least that was what I hoped.
Turns out I was wrong. Based on the several tests I did she concluded that I couldn't have AS, because in comparison to people with AS I have too much social intelligence. According to her, people with AS aren't like that - they are oblivious to what the world thinks of them unless someone tells them about it or shows it to them. 'Like the man with AS who was here (in the office) early in the morning. Unable to dress properly, and continuously looking the other way when I spoke with him'.
So the image of AS what she had was based on an 'extreme' or 'stereotype' version of it, rather than taking the effect of adaptation into account.
She did point out that I match with the criteria for AS (in this case, the criteria she knew), but based on my high level of social intelligence of AS I just couldn't have it. Instead, I was moderately-to-highly introverted.
I didn't went into discussion about it afterwards, figuring that it wouldn't make sense anyway. I mean, I already told her beforehand that all of the social skills I adopted were learned through practice and memory - nothing goes on 'intuition'. That I've acquired alot to seem normal to most people isn't that exceptional; at 22 years old, I've have enough experience to survive as an independent being in this world. But she insisted.....
It made me doubt myself for a whole afternoon, for no logical reason as I've been through the criteria and several tests a great amount of times for 2 years now....and indeed, at the end of day I concluded that if she was right I'd make one hell of an aspie-impersonator.
Some doubts remained though, naturally regarding the level of the psychiatrist should I be tempted to reassess my diagnosis with someone else. They may have their qualifications to call themselves professionals, but I don't know what to expect anymore. Of course not all of the psychs will be like the one I had, but as I can't get a glimpse of their knowledge about adult AS individuals I don't know if they're good either. To me it's a vital thing to know, as their personal interpretation of it can influence their defined diagnosis....and thus may lead to a wrong conclusion.
At the moment I don't have the urge to prove her wrong; I don't think it matters anyway. As the ones close to me (family/friends/co-workers) accept me for I am, it's ok.
In the upcoming weeks I'll try to find a good way to explain AS to them. There's a chance they might call me crazy, but my behaviour won't change. I'm not going to push it in their faces all the time after I told them, I'll just hope that as time goes by the information sinks in and they'll finally have that enlightening moment.
If that moment doesn't come? So be it. They can be as much of a critic of my behaviour as they want, as long they don't expect to sit through all of it for the rest of my life. I have better things to do.
Moral of the story:
Don't settle for just any psych specialized/with knowledge of autism, but in any case ALWAYS review their conclusions thoroughly for yourself.
That made me doubt about wether I should pursue the diagnosis at all with this person. I did though, telling myself that she may have seen other features as vital indications for AS.....or at least moreso than stimming, which made her unable to recall that feature instantly. At least that was what I hoped.
Turns out I was wrong. Based on the several tests I did she concluded that I couldn't have AS, because in comparison to people with AS I have too much social intelligence. According to her, people with AS aren't like that - they are oblivious to what the world thinks of them unless someone tells them about it or shows it to them. 'Like the man with AS who was here (in the office) early in the morning. Unable to dress properly, and continuously looking the other way when I spoke with him'.
So the image of AS what she had was based on an 'extreme' or 'stereotype' version of it, rather than taking the effect of adaptation into account.
She did point out that I match with the criteria for AS (in this case, the criteria she knew), but based on my high level of social intelligence of AS I just couldn't have it. Instead, I was moderately-to-highly introverted.
I didn't went into discussion about it afterwards, figuring that it wouldn't make sense anyway. I mean, I already told her beforehand that all of the social skills I adopted were learned through practice and memory - nothing goes on 'intuition'. That I've acquired alot to seem normal to most people isn't that exceptional; at 22 years old, I've have enough experience to survive as an independent being in this world. But she insisted.....
It made me doubt myself for a whole afternoon, for no logical reason as I've been through the criteria and several tests a great amount of times for 2 years now....and indeed, at the end of day I concluded that if she was right I'd make one hell of an aspie-impersonator.
Some doubts remained though, naturally regarding the level of the psychiatrist should I be tempted to reassess my diagnosis with someone else. They may have their qualifications to call themselves professionals, but I don't know what to expect anymore. Of course not all of the psychs will be like the one I had, but as I can't get a glimpse of their knowledge about adult AS individuals I don't know if they're good either. To me it's a vital thing to know, as their personal interpretation of it can influence their defined diagnosis....and thus may lead to a wrong conclusion.
At the moment I don't have the urge to prove her wrong; I don't think it matters anyway. As the ones close to me (family/friends/co-workers) accept me for I am, it's ok.
In the upcoming weeks I'll try to find a good way to explain AS to them. There's a chance they might call me crazy, but my behaviour won't change. I'm not going to push it in their faces all the time after I told them, I'll just hope that as time goes by the information sinks in and they'll finally have that enlightening moment.
If that moment doesn't come? So be it. They can be as much of a critic of my behaviour as they want, as long they don't expect to sit through all of it for the rest of my life. I have better things to do.
Moral of the story:
Don't settle for just any psych specialized/with knowledge of autism, but in any case ALWAYS review their conclusions thoroughly for yourself.