leeds_demon

What constitutes a meltdown? How is a meltdown different from aggressive behaviour? For example, when my computer lost sound, I started to cry and panic. Could this behaviour be considered a meltdown. Likewise, when my former housemate lost my debit card, which I lent her, I verbally ripped into her, to the extent that she had a panic attack. Could my behaviour in this instance be considered a meltdown? I will admit that whenI couldn't get my travel costs from the Sheffield Asperger's Service, on my first visit, due to the relevant member of staff being on holiday, I started to cry and get upset. Likewise, when I was told that I would have to pay back overpaid tax credits, I panicked and cried. The thing is, my meltdowns are very infrequent and I get the impression that Aspies have meltdowns all the time. Ergo, I can't be an Aspie.

So anyway I contacted Sheffield Asperger's Syndrome Service. I spoke to one of the admin staff, who spoke to the clinical psychologist who assessed me. I made it very clear to Carly, that I may have over-exaggerated my ability to say things which might offend people. The next day, I spoke to Carly, who told me that Dr. Telford didn't just give the dx of Asperger's because of that little bit of information. But the thing which I don't understand is this: there are lots of people who have strong aversions to certain foods/smells/tastes, but they're not given a label. There are people who can be quite aggressive, but they're no labelled as being 'autistic'. There are people who have really good long-term memories, but they're not told that they have Asperger's. There are plenty of people who don't like socialising, but they're not advised to see a clinical psychologist. Likewise, there are plenty of adults who have temper tantrums, but they're not told that they are autistic.

@darkshine. I'm applying for DLA and I don't want to apply for a benefot that I might not be entitled to, assuming that I did win the appeal and/or the policy person from the DWP decides that people with Asperger's is a disability that should merit DLA.

I was assessed in 2010.

The thing is, I have only said some, (what could be be seen to be), offensive, such as that I told my Mother I don't want to be like her, (this was whilst I was living at home). The second example was when I asked my lecturer why she didn't wear make up. These are the only two examples where I have said something that could be deemed 'offensive'. I sometimes say things that get me wondering as to whether the person I have spoken to will take things the wrong way. Maybe that's what I meant. I don't know. As follows, this is what my parents reported: I was delayed in using and calculating numbers; I was delayed in playing with other children; I seemed to be unusually passive, (I'm now fairly aggressive when people annoy me. In fact, when I was sharing with my former housemate, she would have panic attacks because of my aggressive behaviour. If you want to get rid of a girlfriend/boyfriend/friend, just display behaviour that will make them have a panic attack); I was unusually attached to a particular object, (although obviously this is now stopped); I was frequently upset by particular sounds; I had, (and still have), food fads; I had, (and still have), difficulty in getting things in order when doing a task requiring organisation, and; when I had a task that required a lot of thought, I tended to avoid or delay getting started. So all you amateur clinical psychologists, have I Asperger's, or not, given that I don't say things to offend people, even though I cited one example and the assessor said that I frequently say things that might cause offence?

If I don't hardly make comments that offend people, then I must have lied. However, the second psychologist, who I saw for follow up interviews, said it's impossible to lie, with regards to getting a diagnosis.

@Special_talent123. Well don't read the thread. I was just pointing out that something in the report was incorrect; that I might have over empahasised. In the past I might have said things to some people, which might have offended them - but not on a frequent basis and I don't now make remarks that may offend people.

Accordign to the report, the Asperger questionnaire, which my parents filled in, lends some support to a diagnosis of AS. The second psychologist who saw me for a couple of follow-up sessions said that's impossible to lie regarding Asperger's and that due to my lack of abstract thinking and central coherence, I do have the condition. But the initial report said I frequently say things that might cause offence, but I just gave one example. I do know that I can be aggressive towards people who annoy me. I don't know whether I find eye contact disconcerting - but I do know that sometimes I can look at people and at other times, not look at people.

@ trekster. I have no interests whatsoever. I don't have any collections, (say of toby jugs, football cards, etc). Ergo, I can't be an Aspie. Re: social life. I don't have any friends and I can't leave my dog by himself. Also, because I have a very low wage, I don't have any spare money.

p.s. I did the AQ Test, (yet again) and my scores were 35, 29 and 40. Go figure.

I was re-reading my assessment report compiled by the psychologist who assessed me at Sheffield Asperger's Unit. At the time of my assessment, I said that I don't do social chit-chat and yet, when I go to the shops, I do talk to the shop assistants. I also said that I'm not a good conversationalist, but I can be. OK, so I don't have any friends, but there are lots of NTs who don't. It says in the report that I frequently find myself saying things that cause offence to other people, but I only mentioned one occasion, when I asked one of my university tutors why she didn't wear make up. I can socialise, if I so wished to, it's just that I don't have any money and I don't want to leave my dog for too long. So when I asked the second psychologist, who saw me for a couple of follow-up interviews, if it was possible to lie in an assessment, (so as to get a diagnosis), I was correct. And I can look people in the eye, when I talk to them, even though I told the psychologist, who assessed me, that I find it disconcerting. Based on the above, I know I'm not an Aspie. I guess I lied!!

I just had a two hour assessment at the Sheffield Asperger's Unit and during that time my parents were interviewed. The consultant psycholigist, even though there wasn't much to go in the questionnaire that my parents completed, (they mostly answered N/A and No), still said I was autistic. Given that the unit at Sheffield is supposed to be one of some repute, I am surprised that the assessment was only brief - hey ho.

If you want to receive DLA then the only thing you can do is lie. I have no mobility issues and do not need care and yet, I can only work for 10 hours a week, due to my lack of slef-motivation. If the agency, for which I do telemarketing, decides to dispense with my services, (I am a self-employed telemarketer), then I have no income, unless I apply for JSA. Today, I learnt that I will receive £97.20 a week in Housing Benefit, instead of the £103 -odd I was getting, due to the fact that I earn £320 a month. My landlord has asked me to contribute an extra £10 a month, maybe a bit more. If I did claim DLA, then I would lose more HB, so I'm in a quandry. But what I do know is that Aspies are one group of disabled people who are being denied DLA, even though they are disabled. Asperger's Syndrome is deemed to be a disability and yet most of us are denied DLA in the first instance. And the NAs does faff all.

I found out today that I have been turned down for DLA. The NAS is useless, inasmuch as they don't give you any information as to what to write for each question. I was led to believe that if a person can't cook a meal from scratch, then they might get help. I get easily stressed when cooking a meal & I usually end up eating say around 8pm, because I end up surfing the net and forget to put the oven on. I don't socialise as I don't have any friends - in fact I don't like socialising. I don't like strange people, such as plumbers, etc, coming into my house and I don't like people using my bathroom. Can someone explain how I, someone with Asperger's is able to get some help? I am also wondering if the new Personal Independence Payment will actually take into account the various traits experienced by those of us with Asperger's.

I'm applying for DLA and I'm not being looked after by anyone. People with AS can apply for DLA as we are disabled. There is also the 'meal test', whereby if yoy can't prepare a meal from scratch, then you might get help. I mainly eat ready meals as I get stressed out cooking a meal from scratch. Also, it takes me ages to get round to put a meal in the oven to be cooked. I think to myself that I should eat before 6pm/7pm, but I end up eating around the 8pm mark.