Am i Autistic?

[Anonymous]

#4637

Hello,my name is Kenny, i'm new to this and looking for some advice. How do i start, ok, I'm 42 years old and for as far back as i can remember, I've found interacting with people extremely stressful and difficult. I am withdrawn but quite happy with that, i'd like one or two friends but cant approach people. I've recently joined twitter as a way to speaking to people. Anyway, lately I've been reading about Autism and recognise several Autistic personality traits in myself. I have obsessional hobbies which are all-consuming, i find it very difficult and uncomfortable to make eye contact, people tell me that i have a flat voice, bit of a monotone! Also others say that i have quite an unusual walk, i feel very stiff and awkward when walking. ever since i was a child, I've been quite happy to spend long periods of time in my own company and others havnt been able to understand why i do this. I also have to contend with chronic anxiety on a daily basis. Over the years I've been in regular contact with my GP and he has always maintained that i have severe social anxiety. Up until recently i was content to accept that diagnosis but after reading about Autism, i am starting to question that diagnosis. Last week i did two online Autism tests, in one test my score was 38, in the other test i scored 36. For these tests a typical non ASD person would get a score of 11-21 and a score of 32+ would meet the criteria for ASD. I know that its just an online test but i have felt for a while now that what I've got is not simply Social Anxiety Disorder, for as long as i can remember I've felt different from most other people, i quite happily live in my own little world. Last year i went to my GP and told him that i would like to be referred for a proper Autism test, but my doctor was totally dismissive saying “if you had Autism, you'd think that it would have been picked up by now” I tried another doctor but he was equally dismissive. I left school in 1988, and there simply was not the understanding of Autism that there is now and i cant help but think that i may have slipped through the net as far as getting a correct diagnosis goes. Also, my mother was almost 41 when i was born, my father was 47 at the time. I've heard that having older parents raises the risk of being Autistic. I feel so frustrated, i'm no longer happy to go along with the GP's diagnosis of social anxiety. I really need advice, i hope someone will read this and offer me advice.Kenny

[Anonymous]

#5680

Here's my advice Kenny:Change GP, and state that you want to be referred to a clinical psychologist, or psychiatrist and tell your GP that you suspect that you are on the autism spectrum and that it was not picked up when you were a child.If you have any parents or siblings, even other family members that can testify to your social development as a child that will help you, if you have any of your school reports that may also help, what you need to do Kenny is show that this condition that you have was present as a young child.You need inform your GP that when you were a child the general public including teachers had little knowledge of autism, thus if your symptoms were relatively mild the chances are you would not have been selected as a possible autistic person, the spectrum as we know it as per the DSM (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders) did not recognise the spectrum back then, I'm surprised that your present GP would not know this.Anyway, after you left the education system without a diagnosis there is no reason for it to be indicated elsewhere unless you yourself or someone close to you reaches such an enlightenment and you then seek medical opinion.If you continue to have problems with your GP or find it difficult to source another, I suggest that you go to the Citizens Advice Bureau and seek guidance there...

[Anonymous]

#5682

What Dale said. It's pretty stressful to think what you think you are and then basing it against what you find on the internet, without having it recognized by a professional who knows what they're talking about. There's pretty much more understanding of autism these days and a professional (who knows this pretty much) would be able to diagnose you and put your anxieties to rest.Best of luck.

[JohnDamian]

#7886

I am also new here and I am also seeking some advice. I think this is the best forum.

[Anonymous]

#5683

Kenny! Do not worry, you are not autistic. I would risk a thesis that you have some kind of anxiety. You should visit a psychologist and talk with him. He will make a serie of tests to find out what it could be. I'm with you,

• This reply was modified 7 years ago by Autism Independent UK.
• This reply was modified 4 years, 2 months ago by Autism Independent UK.

[Anonymous]

#5684

Hi Kenny,As far as I can tell most GPs don't have a clue about autism. My GP asked me to describe how I felt and then told me that autistic people have no ability to express feelings. ::) However, he offered to refer me to the appropriate mental health service if I really wished. After a very long wait I was eventually diagnosed as high functioning asd. I was actually hoping that it would prove I wasn't but just needed to know, they also advised that if they think that the diagnosis would be detrimental to my overall well being they would not give a diagnosis. I would suggest keeping an open mind and seek the advice of a professional with the proper credentials. Good luck.

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