when i was a lot younger and going through one of my worst depressive episodes, i was tested for autism and they concluded i didn't have it. this was about 10 years ago.

early this year, i said to my therapist that i have a feeling i might be on the spectrum and i would like to go through tests again so i could get some answers. i noticed things about myself that could be possible signs of autism, such as having special interests, a heavy aversion to eye contact, difficulty in social situations with new people, a hatred of small talk, etc. i even noticed stuff about my childhood that could have easily been explained by it. i made a long list of these things and sent them to the psychologist performing the tests.

i went through 3 months of tests, after which my psychologist concluded that there are several signs pointing to me being autistic, so she contacted a doctor to perform an interview with me for a possible diagnosis. during this interview, autism was not mentioned once, and the doctor pointed me towards a government program that would help me find a good university to study at. (???)

even my psychologist was confused, so i contacted my therapist and asked him to help sort this situation out with me and my psychologist. it turns out the doctor didn't mention autism because she just didn't think i have it, and that's that. no questions answered, and i'm now more confused than i was when i started. i feel like i wasted my time.

do i just accept that i'm not autistic? i don't know why i feel so.. disappointed. i guess it just feels like it would have explained so much about me.

    • theytakemeawayfrom [he/him]
      ·
      2 years ago

      This kinda seems like an adhd post to me.

      i dunno what that means, i don't have adhd.

      What's the goal in being labeled?

      peace of mind. getting an explanation for my unusual thought patterns and behaviours would help me out mentally

        • crime [she/her, any]
          ·
          2 years ago

          The adhd part is about the huge up tick I’ve seen in people thinking they are adhd and need help to control it. It’s big pharma for young people that actually don’t have any issues but are feeding them propganda to get them wanting to consume there drugs that will fix their issues. It’s self diagnosis for a culture that only wants good little worker bees that go out and spend nicely when not at work.

          :yikes:

          1. you're not the arbiter of whether or not other people have issues or whether or not they need help for them

          2. people should be allowed to take any drug they want, provided they can do so responsibly, regardless of whether or not they "need" it (which, again, you do not get to decide)

          3. "Self-diagnosis culture" is a byproduct of a shitty non-functioning capitalist medical system that does not actually care about providing patients with answers or support, only wringing them for money. It intersects with shitty sexist and racist research, which perpetuates shitty sexist and racist disparities of outcome. For example, the disparity in diagnoses of ADHD and ASD between girls and boys, partially due to the fact that boys with ADHD tend to present with primarily hyperactive symptoms that are disruptive to others, and girls tend to present with more inattentive symptoms that are often overlooked because they aren't disruptive to others.

          If you are anything other than a non-fat cishet white male, navigating the healthcare system in most western countries virtually necessitates self-diagnosis and relentless self-advocacy to get any kind of help, treatment, or answers for any medical issue.

          1. ADHD medication is not for being "a good little worker bee" it's for being able to have a fucking life. Under FALGSC I would still take my ADHD medication. When I'm off my medication I can't even consistently remember to take care of myself properly. I can't keep track of what my hobbies are or the things that I meant to write down or say or do or what movies I like to watch. I barely have any sense of self because my working memory is such garbage and my executive functioning is so bad. When I've lost access to my meds and needed to start rationing you know what days I skipped? Fucking workdays. Cause I can get by at my job better without than I can live my fucking life and enjoy my goddamned free time.

          2. All of this unfounded hot garbage that you've just shared perpetuates stigma against people with ADHD and other neurodivergences. Getting a diagnosis and treatment for ADHD, Autism, and other disorders is already incredibly difficult, especially as an adult. There are about a dozen different hoops you need to jump through, which is extra hard when you have can't-jump-through-hoops disorder. When I realized I had ADHD, it took me over a year to even start on the track towards diagnosis and treatment. When I started, it took about 6 months from scheduling my first appointment to finally getting treatment.

          In summary: :downbear:

        • maya [she/her, they/them]
          ·
          2 years ago

          Are you basing this off any actual evidence or are you just talking out of your ass? OP literally went through three months of tests that led his psychologist to suspect ASD, but I'm sure a random stranger on the internet knows much better. And why are you talking about ADHD and big pharma on a post about autism anyway?