adult aspergers diagnosis /test, support.

[ak_limbo]

hi all, i am new here and mainly here to seek advice as an adult who suspects i may have aspergers. i have always felt different but never really homed in on it until recently for numerous reasons and partly to do with finally facing this possibility. i have already approached my (nhs) gp/doctor which I found to be a massively uncompassionate situation on my gp's behalf not to mention I was told I would have to wait some time to speak to someone and I'm still waiting 2months later. i feel uncomfortable to press and pursue my doctor currently and just feel so discouraged and like im getting no where which frustrates me even more. also there has been some changes in my life in the past few years and i guess also with the covid situation lately, i feel like symptoms have been magnified and present themselves more obviously and more frustratingly in which coping mechanisms are no longer effective leading to me feeling more anxious, stressed and lack of control over myself coping in general, sometimes I feel like I'm losing and it's just all in my head, yet the rational side of me knows something is not as it should and I just need support or an answer.

my question is:

1.

who can I approach for support and diagnosis/test as an adult of 40?

2.

and what can i do myself to help my situation?

your probably thinking why don't I just search its easy, except I am finding this task very overwhelming specifically, to my surprise and feel more comfortable with this approach to reaching out for some direct advice or instructions from people already in the community.

kind regards.

[Sarah_Mencap]

Hello and welcome ak_limbo

I am sorry that your GP isn't giving you the support you need with this. Are there any other GPs you could see instead?

If they are arranging for someone to talk to you about this, there may be a long waiting list. It could be worth checking where you are on the waiting list for this, and who you are waiting to see.

I have also found some links you might find helpful:

> here is more about aspergers on the National Autistic Society (NAS) website - autism.org.uk/advice-and-gu...

Also on NAS

> more about pre-diagnosis support here - autism.org.uk/advice-and-gu...

> information about diagnosis - autism.org.uk/advice-and-gu...

NAS have an online community too here - autism.org.uk/what-we-do/co... where you may find other people in a similar situation.

I hope these help a little.

Best wishes

Sarah

[Artist-lady in reply to Sarah_Mencap]

It's differercult to get q diagnosed when your a young adlut my son was told he had autism when we fled the new pip forms in and need to see doctors note the doctor put autism on his notes with a ? On which ment he should of seen someone and they for got to do it he s snuggling a lot now

[Sarah_Mencap in reply to Artist-lady]

Hello

I am sorry to hear this. Is his GP supporting him now?

Please do contact our helpline if you would like to talk to one of our advisors about this. You can call 0808 808 1111 or email [e-mail].

Find out more here - mencap.org.uk/advice-and-su...

Best wishes

Sarah

[ak_limbo in reply to Sarah_Mencap]

thanks Sarah and to everyone, for your kind words and information. I shall take it all onboard definitely food for more thought on this occasion.

[Hidden]

Hi there very sorry you aren’t getting the answers at your GP.

I can tell you this. They are no longer diagnosing people as Asperger’s.

It would be Autism.

They have removed Asperger’s from the diagnosis system.

And that’s possibly why they did not bothered helping you.

Sarah’s links below will be able to help

Wishing you well.

[marstersmichael in reply to Hidden]

Hi just wanted to back up Leosammas reply. I’m 55 and was diagnosed Autistic 3 years ago. There are no separate terms any more and in particular Aspergers has been removed due to who it relates to, Hans Asperger was part of Hitlers regime and that’s partly why it’s been removed. You don’t need a separate label anyway? You are Autistic or you aren’t it’s that simple, there are no levels of it.

I agree it can be difficult getting a diagnosis as an sdult but it can also bring issues with it. You are very limited in your work outlook once you have an Autism label and I deny anyone to say otherwise. It brought up bad childhood memories for me I had buried for decades.

Think hard do you really need this before you take the plunge then if you still do badger your go until they refer you. You have a right. Lockdowns slowed things though and mine took four hrs.

Best of luck.

[Hidden in reply to marstersmichael]

Same here I was diagnosed 3 years ago age 52. I always knew there was something different about me. Then I have two sons who are autistic one high functioning the other very severe.

A label does not change a person. It’s how you feel you are.

If someone talks to me about how well functioning I am I can’t be autistic I just say well it’s your perception of how you see me one might say you don’t know much about autism, and that’s unfortunate because in your mind your only autistic if you can’t speak and do the autistic traits.

Goes back to early 90s really,back then autism was still very much a mystery and it was seen unless your in a wheelchair or you needed to be compared to Dawn’s.

So we moved on and it’s actually cool to be autistic.

And a specialist giving you the go ahead won’t change who you are.

So ak_limbo you accept who you are then you will be ok.

If you want to tell people well I am actually autistic then do it.

But your diagnosis won’t change a thing for others.

You know I’m your heart that you are autistic and that’s that. People can take you as you are or not.

You owe them zilch.

Good luck.

[Morgan04]

aspergerstestsite.com/aq-test/

[Morgan04]

This is a very useful site to self assess your self aspergerstestsite.com/aq-test/

My husband used it and found out he was on the spectrum and he is 57 years old. Our son was diagnosed 4 years ago.

[Morgan04]

Hi there is another site and it has a lot of useful information to read and consider aspergers-test.co.uk/asperg...

[Amelia-Jayne]

Like you I know that I have autism but have been told its at least three year waiting list on the NHS to get an appointment. The more I have read about it especially for women. I have thought about for years but struggle with talking to people in authority

[Spud-u-Like1982]

Hi ak_limbo,

I find myself in the same situation presently. I lost my job due to the conflicting issues of OCD, ADD and now apparently Autism. Like yourself, I always felt different at school and struggled to make friends. I was easily manipulated because I was quite gullible as a child.

When I spoke to my GP, I was told I would have to wait at least 1 to 2 years for an Autism assessment and similar for an ADHD assessment. I can't wait that long, as my mental health and wellbeing is deteriorating by the day being unemployed, so I had to use up my savings and go for a private assessment. After my initial meeting with the specialist and then my assessment and now diagnosis of ADD, that's taken only 2 months.

I went via Bupa and I can recommend it. Like yourself I'm in my early 40s and it's frustrating that issues at school were just dismissed as my being lazy or easily distracted, when it's all down to how our brains are wired. I never saw myself as Autistic, but since the specialist noticed 'quirks', I've taken a long look at myself and I now notice some Autistic traits I thought were OCD. I was loathed to go private for an assessment, as it goes against all my principals and ideals of the NHS, but if it helps you gain clarity sooner, then it's definitely worth it.

You will feel better once you know for sure and then you can begin your journey.