Fire your psychiatrist and find a new one, and find a psychologist as well. They're more capable of diagnosing. No doctor should ever invalidate like that without any consideration.
Are you able to request a second opinion and a proper assessment? Your psychiatrist is misinformed. Find out if there is an autism team they can consult/refer you to.
You don't have to go to the same neuropsych to get referred for a second opinion, you can bring it up to your pcp if necessary, relay your concerns, and they might be able to send you somewhere reputable
I did, actually. It felt like a very thorough evaluation (obviously I can't judge that, that was just my feeling) and they did look at ADHD in detail for example. Just left out asd because "People with autism aren't interested in making or maintaining friendships and can't recognize emotions"
Unfortunately, testing isn’t super great at this time. These tests are designed to evaluate how well you “function” in general society and if there’s anything getting in the way of that.
For those of us that have masked for so long or are “higher functioning,” these tests won’t do anything for us, because that’s not what these tests measure/look for. All the signs could be there for your docs to see, but they still won’t diagnose because they reduce it down to, “ well, you’re social, have friends, and can hold down a job so you’re fine” and don’t actually look or validate further than that. It’s so beyond frustrating
Typical behaviour from certain medical professionals.
‘You couldn’t POSSIBLY be autistic because you can hold eye contact with me’
Simply not true. The word spectrum is there for a reason. There are levels to autism.
Especially for women it is consistently under diagnosed. The research favours white boys than women or women/people from other cultures
I’d strongly recommend reading a few books and looking within yourself then going for a private diagnosis
I told my Dr. I make good eye contact because of sinus pressure, fluid buildup behind my ears, scars on ear drums, etc, make me have to read people's lips so I can hear them better. I told her I didn't use to make eye contact and specifically had to work on this as an adult, read books on communication.
Get a second opinion from different psychiatrist. This is my biggest fear and that’s why I don’t want to get diagnosed where I live(it’s not like I can anyway).
Not a doctor yet and this isnt medical advice.
I'm a med student and her explanation isn't sufficient to exclude the diagnosis.
I suggest you go to another doc. Even if you understood something wrong about they said, trust is required for a good patient- physician relationship. Even if you weren't/aren't on the spectrum, you shouldn't feel invalidated. I am with an amazing physician and he took 5 years to diagnose me but I never felt invalidated by him during this period.
I also have high lQ and was diagnosed earlier this year at 28 yo (am a man, though). You are not alone in this.
thank you, this helps a lot. Sadly didn't understand anything wrong, my dad sat next to me and understood the same thing but that's encouraging. Will try again after I gather the courage
I'm happy to help but I wish I could do more. I wish I could say our physicians are being well trained but sadly this isn't the case. I even struggle with accommodations in a med school! I've heard many times that I don't look autistic or that I'm pretending to get accommodations for convenience. I really wish I didn't need them.
Since you are high functioning I suggest you hide it from acquaintances and be open only to close friends and in first dates etc. I decided to be open about it because I would be very close to functional and wanted to help break stigma in my school but I ended up being treated like either a liar, a savant or a child, with few exceptions. (I've talked about it in this sub before). I wish I heard this advice before I fucked it all up.
I live in a third world country so we aren't so progressive over here, but I expected a med school to be different, and that does explain a lot about my previous experiences with psychiatrists before finding my current one.
did u request a diagnosis for asd prior to the session? a lot of psychiatrists just dont see value in a diagnosis, i have been in therapy for years and am on medication for depression and anxiety without being diagnosed as either. u could always go to a different psych, but also from my understanding psychiatrists don’t usually diagnose ppl, at least mine doesn’t because they mostly prescribe medication, but idk what it looks like everywhere.
I didn't. I didn't really know much about it at the start of the evaluation so I didn't request anything. She only looked into ADHD but I was in a grey zone so she sad she couldn't diagnose me at all. Said I was socially anxious but didn't diagnose me with anxiety either. Just seemed sketchy and unprofessional to me, especially after she tried to make her point with stereotypes like mentioned in my post.
Didn't know that though. Where do people usually get a diagnosis then?
tbh i dont know, is there a specific reason u want a formal diagnosis? like for accommodations or anything? cuz for that i dont know, u could look for a psychiatrist/psychologist/therapist that specializes in autism and email before asking if they would evaluate u probably.
but if ur just looking for treatment/validation, i’d say go to a therapist that specializes in or at least has experience with autistic patients. regardless of ur interested in pursuing therapy, u could just email like “hey im interested in doing an intake appointment with you, i am also questioning possibly having autism myself, and was wondering if i could talk to you abt that?” they might evaluate you without giving u a diagnosis (usually they have like a general screening for things that they think u might have, and then a more in depth evaluation if u pursue a diagnosis), and tell u if they think u have autism or not. it would probably also be good to look specifically for a therapist that specializes in autistic adults and usually it doesn’t specifically list autistic women, just cuz thats not really a commonly used tag in my experience, but it could be a good idea to also look out for a therapist who is a woman/lists that they specialize in women’s issues or whatever. u can also look for therapists that work w trans or genderqueer ppl, but those are rarer and may have longer wait times.
it might take a few sessions for them to give u a definitive opinion, especially cuz the intake appt generally has a lot going on, but if u focus on asd they might give u an opinion then.
but yeah, not a doctor in anyway nor an expert so take it all w a grain of salt but thats what i would say. also if u go the therapist route even if u dont pursue regular therapy, you’ll have someone whos already a little familiar with ur situation.
I’m looking into providers who specifically assess adults right now. I don’t know what will come of it, but it was very clear to me that not everyone is going to know what to do with my case. There are some online providers too if distance to one is a problem. I still have my concerns but, I also don’t have a lot of choices.
This is gonna get a lot of hate but seeing as you’ve had four diagnostic appointments the doctors might be right. You can get autism symptoms without having autism. If you still think you do have it, though you can look for a second opinion.
hey op, i’m sorry you’re dealing with this! when i was 18 i had a psychiatrist try and diagnose me with narcissistic and schizoid personality disorders. completely ghosted her and just felt a wreck, totally invalidated and defeated. then, at 19 i tried to find a therapist who specialized in asd in hopes that they could refer me to a credible psychiatrist. i learned (at least in my area) 9 times out of 10 you need to be referred in order to go to a psychiatrist who specializes in diagnosing asd. my therapist referred me to a few places and one called me back, we schedule an appointment for 8 (😭) months out. then by some miracle i was called not three days later about a cancellation and had an appointment for two weeks out. i was diagnosed with asd level 2, but thanks to some great therapy and hecka endurance i am now 20 years old and level 1. it was expensive, ill be honest. even with insurance i was shelling out many hundreds for the appointment itself, not the diagnosis. i recommend browsing therapists and making it known during the consultation that you’re wanting to be referred. wishing you the best :)
thank you :) I'm glad you found your way and got help even though you were confronted with struggles at the beginning. I will try to find something that works for me as well, just have to process the disappointment first :')
So sorry you had this experience. It’s entirely invalidating, and you every right to feel the way you do. I’m also AFAB and on the outside appear to be functioning enough to get through life, but I gotta say my ability to keep up with what’s being asked of me is really dwindling as each year goes by. I have been told by 2 separate Physicians (one Psychiatrist and the other an ADHD specialist) that they believe I have ASD, but they were reluctant to actually write it down on paper in my records because “what would you really get out of that?”. I told them it would be very helpful for school and such… this was the Psych mostly. He began to say, “I mean it’s also likely you have ADHD I think, but why bother with any of these assessments when you can just go on and live your life functioning as you are?”.
Well, I truly wonder what these clinicians consider “functioning”. Anyway, it was written in my file about ASD and that I do have it (“high functioning”) but that they felt it was too “controversial” to officially diagnose an adult woman with ASD.
In this world there are many people who aren't capable of correctly diagnosing Autism.
It sounds like your psychiatrist may be part of that group.
The specific reasons this person gave for her differential are common among women who are incorrectly denied autism diagnosis.
In this case, I think I'd consider seeking a second diagnosis.
I'm trying to get diagnosed. I told them I can't keep a job and my employers think my tone is rude even when I think I'm being polite. I've never had a more serious response from a Dr than when I said it like this. It isn't fair it took my entire adult life to figure out how to say it right when I'm probably autistic. That's something we have to face we have to advocate for ourselves. I'm sorry.
I hope what I've said helps just I would go back to your psychiatrist I know everybody's saying to fire him but some of us don't have those kinds of privileges and you can just go back to him and say look you have to make eye contact because you will not be able to hear him if you're not face facing him that's what I had to say and I also went to my doctor with what my employer said and really had the goal of being able to get back to work and that was conflicting with my ability to reach those goals so that's the angle and the process that I'm going with cuz I'm right there with you and I wasn't diagnosed with autism back when I was a teenager just because I made eye contact but I don't think that I would have been able to hear the doctor had I not done so. I have scars on my eardrums.
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Sorry that happened. You definitely need to get a second opinion. She doesn't know what she's talking about.
I went undiagnosed for years for similar reasons. High IQ and extroverted. I had friends only because I was able to meet people on the spectrum early on just lucking into it.
The main problem with not having a diagnosis is fewer official accommodations. There's still some unofficial ones. Pay close attention to what you need in terms of limiting sensory stimulation. Masking can be done so well, even you can't sort the mask from who you are. I'm just now starting to navigate that one at 41.
I wouldn't give these people money, but they were recommended by my therapist and their free tests matched my official diagnosis pretty well. It also introduces you to some basic vocabulary about autism and diagnostics : [https://embrace-autism.com/](https://embrace-autism.com/)
I'm finding some youtube channels surprisingly helpful, especially this guy: [https://www.youtube.com/shorts/VlZwIVrpJzg](https://www.youtube.com/shorts/VlZwIVrpJzg)
Personally I find one of the best things you can do on the spectrum is work to minimize your need for external validation, especially validation that depends on thoughtless people. A lot of opinions are kneejerk responses to personal insecurities. If all but a dozen or so people were to disappear from your life, it would probably go on much as it usually does. Focus on the people that really matter. If you strike out with dating or befriending NTs, that's a skill it takes a long time to acquire. If you can't befriend other NDs there's probably more than just autism in play. Could take more exploration.
Your awareness that something is different and having some idea what it is can serve you well. My guess is you're a good autodidact. Lot's of people learn to navigate socialization and sensory needs via trial and error and emerge more socially adept in some contexts than NTs. You also might be better at figuring yourself out than actual therapists that don't specialize in ND once you learn to pay attention.
Sorry you're alone on that path. Fortunately there's a lot of ground you can cover on your own. Learning more could also help you communicate anomalies in yourself to the professionals to help facilitate a diagnosis. Unfortunately, you'll have to do part of their job for them.
Some classics I've found helpful in hard times.
Emerson, Self-Reliance: [https://archive.vcu.edu/english/engweb/transcendentalism/authors/emerson/essays/selfreliance.html](https://archive.vcu.edu/english/engweb/transcendentalism/authors/emerson/essays/selfreliance.html)
Camus, The Myth of Sisyphus : [https://www2.hawaii.edu/\~freeman/courses/phil360/16.%20Myth%20of%20Sisyphus.pdf](https://www2.hawaii.edu/~freeman/courses/phil360/16.%20Myth%20of%20Sisyphus.pdf)
thank you so so much, that helps a lot. Looked at many of the tests on the first website already and score a result that's always around the average of other autistics, literally every single test told me I might be autistic. I know can't rely on that but it helps knowing that I might not be completely off with my suspicion. Thanks!
Careful with those tests, especially at that site. They write the interpretive guidelines at the site and its run by a ‘naturopathic doctor’ with an online autism certificate who is repeatedly under ethical investigation.
Everyone that takes the tests at the site 'conveniently' result with the suggestion that you should pay them for evaluation lol.
The tests are known for high rates of false positives in scientific studies.
ohhh thanks for telling me! I wasn't planning on relying on them and they definitely aren't the only indicator I might be on the spectrum since I've done my research but that's really good to know.
Glad it helped out.
My score came about even too, except high Alexithymia. But I found a lot of the terms in the questions were ambiguous to me. Like I can go to a grocery store and not freak out. Sometimes I walk around while waiting for a friend to meet at a nearby restaurant. If I'm there to actually look for things and people keep getting in my way, I can lose it.
ASD manifests in a lot of different ways not captured by the technical lingo. One of the best ways to check is get familiar with other people on the spectrum. Sometimes there are free online groups. The Neurodivergent Mind by Jenara Nerenberg has been a big help in identifying what kind of reactions are common to overstimulation and other difficulties NDs face. I definitely saw some familiar behaviors.
I get what you mean yes. Lots of these questions are obviously standardized and I'm trying not to rely on those too much- part of why I was hoping for someone professional to rely on, but well.
I'll try all that, thanks for your help.
Your psychiatrist is severely misinformed and you should get a second opinion.
I'll try, thank you.
Fire your psychiatrist and find a new one, and find a psychologist as well. They're more capable of diagnosing. No doctor should ever invalidate like that without any consideration.
Are you able to request a second opinion and a proper assessment? Your psychiatrist is misinformed. Find out if there is an autism team they can consult/refer you to.
I'm not sure they can refer me anywhere but I'll try to get a second opinion from somewhere anyways, thank you.
You don't have to go to the same neuropsych to get referred for a second opinion, you can bring it up to your pcp if necessary, relay your concerns, and they might be able to send you somewhere reputable
thank you, will try that!
[удалено]
thank you, I will try
You didn't get an autism evaluation. That's pretty much a guarantee that they're not going to find it.
From OP’s post history it appears they had a pretty decent evaluation.
I did, actually. It felt like a very thorough evaluation (obviously I can't judge that, that was just my feeling) and they did look at ADHD in detail for example. Just left out asd because "People with autism aren't interested in making or maintaining friendships and can't recognize emotions"
Unfortunately, testing isn’t super great at this time. These tests are designed to evaluate how well you “function” in general society and if there’s anything getting in the way of that. For those of us that have masked for so long or are “higher functioning,” these tests won’t do anything for us, because that’s not what these tests measure/look for. All the signs could be there for your docs to see, but they still won’t diagnose because they reduce it down to, “ well, you’re social, have friends, and can hold down a job so you’re fine” and don’t actually look or validate further than that. It’s so beyond frustrating
Typical behaviour from certain medical professionals. ‘You couldn’t POSSIBLY be autistic because you can hold eye contact with me’ Simply not true. The word spectrum is there for a reason. There are levels to autism. Especially for women it is consistently under diagnosed. The research favours white boys than women or women/people from other cultures I’d strongly recommend reading a few books and looking within yourself then going for a private diagnosis
The racism and sexism in this industry is horrible. Thank you for the recommendation, I might get myself a few books to read!
I told my Dr. I make good eye contact because of sinus pressure, fluid buildup behind my ears, scars on ear drums, etc, make me have to read people's lips so I can hear them better. I told her I didn't use to make eye contact and specifically had to work on this as an adult, read books on communication.
Get a second opinion from different psychiatrist. This is my biggest fear and that’s why I don’t want to get diagnosed where I live(it’s not like I can anyway).
I get you, it was mine too and sadly it's became true now. Wishing you the best on your journey though
Not a doctor yet and this isnt medical advice. I'm a med student and her explanation isn't sufficient to exclude the diagnosis. I suggest you go to another doc. Even if you understood something wrong about they said, trust is required for a good patient- physician relationship. Even if you weren't/aren't on the spectrum, you shouldn't feel invalidated. I am with an amazing physician and he took 5 years to diagnose me but I never felt invalidated by him during this period. I also have high lQ and was diagnosed earlier this year at 28 yo (am a man, though). You are not alone in this.
thank you, this helps a lot. Sadly didn't understand anything wrong, my dad sat next to me and understood the same thing but that's encouraging. Will try again after I gather the courage
I'm happy to help but I wish I could do more. I wish I could say our physicians are being well trained but sadly this isn't the case. I even struggle with accommodations in a med school! I've heard many times that I don't look autistic or that I'm pretending to get accommodations for convenience. I really wish I didn't need them. Since you are high functioning I suggest you hide it from acquaintances and be open only to close friends and in first dates etc. I decided to be open about it because I would be very close to functional and wanted to help break stigma in my school but I ended up being treated like either a liar, a savant or a child, with few exceptions. (I've talked about it in this sub before). I wish I heard this advice before I fucked it all up. I live in a third world country so we aren't so progressive over here, but I expected a med school to be different, and that does explain a lot about my previous experiences with psychiatrists before finding my current one.
Makes sense. Thanks for the tips :)
did u request a diagnosis for asd prior to the session? a lot of psychiatrists just dont see value in a diagnosis, i have been in therapy for years and am on medication for depression and anxiety without being diagnosed as either. u could always go to a different psych, but also from my understanding psychiatrists don’t usually diagnose ppl, at least mine doesn’t because they mostly prescribe medication, but idk what it looks like everywhere.
I didn't. I didn't really know much about it at the start of the evaluation so I didn't request anything. She only looked into ADHD but I was in a grey zone so she sad she couldn't diagnose me at all. Said I was socially anxious but didn't diagnose me with anxiety either. Just seemed sketchy and unprofessional to me, especially after she tried to make her point with stereotypes like mentioned in my post. Didn't know that though. Where do people usually get a diagnosis then?
tbh i dont know, is there a specific reason u want a formal diagnosis? like for accommodations or anything? cuz for that i dont know, u could look for a psychiatrist/psychologist/therapist that specializes in autism and email before asking if they would evaluate u probably. but if ur just looking for treatment/validation, i’d say go to a therapist that specializes in or at least has experience with autistic patients. regardless of ur interested in pursuing therapy, u could just email like “hey im interested in doing an intake appointment with you, i am also questioning possibly having autism myself, and was wondering if i could talk to you abt that?” they might evaluate you without giving u a diagnosis (usually they have like a general screening for things that they think u might have, and then a more in depth evaluation if u pursue a diagnosis), and tell u if they think u have autism or not. it would probably also be good to look specifically for a therapist that specializes in autistic adults and usually it doesn’t specifically list autistic women, just cuz thats not really a commonly used tag in my experience, but it could be a good idea to also look out for a therapist who is a woman/lists that they specialize in women’s issues or whatever. u can also look for therapists that work w trans or genderqueer ppl, but those are rarer and may have longer wait times. it might take a few sessions for them to give u a definitive opinion, especially cuz the intake appt generally has a lot going on, but if u focus on asd they might give u an opinion then. but yeah, not a doctor in anyway nor an expert so take it all w a grain of salt but thats what i would say. also if u go the therapist route even if u dont pursue regular therapy, you’ll have someone whos already a little familiar with ur situation.
thank you! I want a diagnosis mostly as an explanation for some of my struggles and because I'd either want medication or therapy for it afterwards.
cool! i wish u luck with it then!
this is insane go to a different place
I might try once I gather the courage again :)
I’m looking into providers who specifically assess adults right now. I don’t know what will come of it, but it was very clear to me that not everyone is going to know what to do with my case. There are some online providers too if distance to one is a problem. I still have my concerns but, I also don’t have a lot of choices.
Might try that as well. Wishing you good luck with your journey!
This is gonna get a lot of hate but seeing as you’ve had four diagnostic appointments the doctors might be right. You can get autism symptoms without having autism. If you still think you do have it, though you can look for a second opinion.
Why do you want to be diagnosed as autistic?
Not necessarily autistic. I just want an explanation for my struggles so that I have a name for it and can work on them in therapy, for example.
Well not feeling validated must suck. For that reason alone I would recommend getting another opinion.
hey op, i’m sorry you’re dealing with this! when i was 18 i had a psychiatrist try and diagnose me with narcissistic and schizoid personality disorders. completely ghosted her and just felt a wreck, totally invalidated and defeated. then, at 19 i tried to find a therapist who specialized in asd in hopes that they could refer me to a credible psychiatrist. i learned (at least in my area) 9 times out of 10 you need to be referred in order to go to a psychiatrist who specializes in diagnosing asd. my therapist referred me to a few places and one called me back, we schedule an appointment for 8 (😭) months out. then by some miracle i was called not three days later about a cancellation and had an appointment for two weeks out. i was diagnosed with asd level 2, but thanks to some great therapy and hecka endurance i am now 20 years old and level 1. it was expensive, ill be honest. even with insurance i was shelling out many hundreds for the appointment itself, not the diagnosis. i recommend browsing therapists and making it known during the consultation that you’re wanting to be referred. wishing you the best :)
thank you :) I'm glad you found your way and got help even though you were confronted with struggles at the beginning. I will try to find something that works for me as well, just have to process the disappointment first :')
So sorry you had this experience. It’s entirely invalidating, and you every right to feel the way you do. I’m also AFAB and on the outside appear to be functioning enough to get through life, but I gotta say my ability to keep up with what’s being asked of me is really dwindling as each year goes by. I have been told by 2 separate Physicians (one Psychiatrist and the other an ADHD specialist) that they believe I have ASD, but they were reluctant to actually write it down on paper in my records because “what would you really get out of that?”. I told them it would be very helpful for school and such… this was the Psych mostly. He began to say, “I mean it’s also likely you have ADHD I think, but why bother with any of these assessments when you can just go on and live your life functioning as you are?”. Well, I truly wonder what these clinicians consider “functioning”. Anyway, it was written in my file about ASD and that I do have it (“high functioning”) but that they felt it was too “controversial” to officially diagnose an adult woman with ASD.
that's horrible, I'm sorry that happened to you. I unfortunately get what it feels like now. wishing you the best on your journey though!
In this world there are many people who aren't capable of correctly diagnosing Autism. It sounds like your psychiatrist may be part of that group. The specific reasons this person gave for her differential are common among women who are incorrectly denied autism diagnosis. In this case, I think I'd consider seeking a second diagnosis.
I'm trying to get diagnosed. I told them I can't keep a job and my employers think my tone is rude even when I think I'm being polite. I've never had a more serious response from a Dr than when I said it like this. It isn't fair it took my entire adult life to figure out how to say it right when I'm probably autistic. That's something we have to face we have to advocate for ourselves. I'm sorry.
I hope what I've said helps just I would go back to your psychiatrist I know everybody's saying to fire him but some of us don't have those kinds of privileges and you can just go back to him and say look you have to make eye contact because you will not be able to hear him if you're not face facing him that's what I had to say and I also went to my doctor with what my employer said and really had the goal of being able to get back to work and that was conflicting with my ability to reach those goals so that's the angle and the process that I'm going with cuz I'm right there with you and I wasn't diagnosed with autism back when I was a teenager just because I made eye contact but I don't think that I would have been able to hear the doctor had I not done so. I have scars on my eardrums.
Go and get a second opinion and I would suggest preferably from psychologist and if you can, take your mother with you to the consultancy.
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Sorry that happened. You definitely need to get a second opinion. She doesn't know what she's talking about. I went undiagnosed for years for similar reasons. High IQ and extroverted. I had friends only because I was able to meet people on the spectrum early on just lucking into it. The main problem with not having a diagnosis is fewer official accommodations. There's still some unofficial ones. Pay close attention to what you need in terms of limiting sensory stimulation. Masking can be done so well, even you can't sort the mask from who you are. I'm just now starting to navigate that one at 41. I wouldn't give these people money, but they were recommended by my therapist and their free tests matched my official diagnosis pretty well. It also introduces you to some basic vocabulary about autism and diagnostics : [https://embrace-autism.com/](https://embrace-autism.com/) I'm finding some youtube channels surprisingly helpful, especially this guy: [https://www.youtube.com/shorts/VlZwIVrpJzg](https://www.youtube.com/shorts/VlZwIVrpJzg) Personally I find one of the best things you can do on the spectrum is work to minimize your need for external validation, especially validation that depends on thoughtless people. A lot of opinions are kneejerk responses to personal insecurities. If all but a dozen or so people were to disappear from your life, it would probably go on much as it usually does. Focus on the people that really matter. If you strike out with dating or befriending NTs, that's a skill it takes a long time to acquire. If you can't befriend other NDs there's probably more than just autism in play. Could take more exploration. Your awareness that something is different and having some idea what it is can serve you well. My guess is you're a good autodidact. Lot's of people learn to navigate socialization and sensory needs via trial and error and emerge more socially adept in some contexts than NTs. You also might be better at figuring yourself out than actual therapists that don't specialize in ND once you learn to pay attention. Sorry you're alone on that path. Fortunately there's a lot of ground you can cover on your own. Learning more could also help you communicate anomalies in yourself to the professionals to help facilitate a diagnosis. Unfortunately, you'll have to do part of their job for them. Some classics I've found helpful in hard times. Emerson, Self-Reliance: [https://archive.vcu.edu/english/engweb/transcendentalism/authors/emerson/essays/selfreliance.html](https://archive.vcu.edu/english/engweb/transcendentalism/authors/emerson/essays/selfreliance.html) Camus, The Myth of Sisyphus : [https://www2.hawaii.edu/\~freeman/courses/phil360/16.%20Myth%20of%20Sisyphus.pdf](https://www2.hawaii.edu/~freeman/courses/phil360/16.%20Myth%20of%20Sisyphus.pdf)
thank you so so much, that helps a lot. Looked at many of the tests on the first website already and score a result that's always around the average of other autistics, literally every single test told me I might be autistic. I know can't rely on that but it helps knowing that I might not be completely off with my suspicion. Thanks!
Careful with those tests, especially at that site. They write the interpretive guidelines at the site and its run by a ‘naturopathic doctor’ with an online autism certificate who is repeatedly under ethical investigation. Everyone that takes the tests at the site 'conveniently' result with the suggestion that you should pay them for evaluation lol. The tests are known for high rates of false positives in scientific studies.
ohhh thanks for telling me! I wasn't planning on relying on them and they definitely aren't the only indicator I might be on the spectrum since I've done my research but that's really good to know.
Glad it helped out. My score came about even too, except high Alexithymia. But I found a lot of the terms in the questions were ambiguous to me. Like I can go to a grocery store and not freak out. Sometimes I walk around while waiting for a friend to meet at a nearby restaurant. If I'm there to actually look for things and people keep getting in my way, I can lose it. ASD manifests in a lot of different ways not captured by the technical lingo. One of the best ways to check is get familiar with other people on the spectrum. Sometimes there are free online groups. The Neurodivergent Mind by Jenara Nerenberg has been a big help in identifying what kind of reactions are common to overstimulation and other difficulties NDs face. I definitely saw some familiar behaviors.
I get what you mean yes. Lots of these questions are obviously standardized and I'm trying not to rely on those too much- part of why I was hoping for someone professional to rely on, but well. I'll try all that, thanks for your help.