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spongebob92

Should I visit a Doctor?

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Right, I'm not sure where to start.

 

Basically I think I may be on the Autism spectrum somewhere. Mum has always said she thought I may be somewhere on the spectrum, but I just sort of shrugged it off.

 

However, after a recent search for my food pickiness it has gotten me thinking.

 

-I struggle massively when I am taken out of my comfort zone. For instance, I recently got a new job. 8 shifts in, and I'm still nervous as hell for going to work each day. Not just a normal nervous either. A stress inducing horrible nervousness. My previous job, it took me a full year to finally rid me of this stress.

 

-If something is planned for tonight (for example) and those plans change, and can get massively dissapointed. I can get angry and upset.

 

-My food. Maybe my biggest symptom. I have an incredibly restrictive diet. I will only eat food that I'm used to and will not ever venture outside of my comfort zone. The thought of trying new food genuinely scares the hell out me. Colours and food texture are a massive problem for me.

 

-I can get obsessed with things. Right now, its the gym. However it has changed over time. For instance, music. I only listen to Rap music. I do not 'understand' any other genres of music, only Rap music.

 

-I really struggle meeting new people. I am never the first to start conversation, and I lack confidence, often lending to me saying stupid things or stumbling words when I say things.

 

So yeah, does this sound like something I should go see a doctor with? I'm not really sure where to go. I'm 20 years old, and I've managed this far.

Edited by spongebob92

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It's always worth a chat. The doctor can get you referred to a specialist, and then they can give you a better idea of what your dealing with. From your post, a lot of your traits sound like me, and i have aspergers.

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I agree A-S Warrior...Spongebob92, you sound like me too. You may have managed so far, but it can't be easy...and if a diagnosis would help you and other people to understand yourself better, and maybe find some help to deal with life better, it's definately worth going through that process. These things you describe aren't faults...It's just the way you're made....and everybody needs different amounts of support in life. Good luck. You might find it's the best thing you ever did. It was for me. :)

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I probably will go and see a doctor. I have no idea how to bring it up to my parents. I realise im 20, but I have no way of getting to the Docs by myself without my parents knowing. I really don't want to appear like a hypochondriac.

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If you went to the the doctor because you stubbed your toe, then you would be a hypercondriac. As you say, your mum thinks you may be on the spectrum somewhere. Just say, mum, I think you have a point, I'm thinking of consulting a doctor, what do you think?

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@ spongebob I'm also hooked on "my friend -the gym" anything fitness related and I'm there right away! Love way makes me feel inside magical warm inviting! Without feel miserable mess /wreck we both have some "common ground" in hobby/interest!

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I probably will go and see a doctor. I have no idea how to bring it up to my parents. I realise im 20, but I have no way of getting to the Docs by myself without my parents knowing. I really don't want to appear like a hypochondriac.

 

Then why not try one of the online aids to discovery ;

 

The AQ Test

 

AQ2

 

AQ-10 NHS NICE Guidance

 

Worth trying a few for cross reference purposes, but the top test most go for and base results on

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Oh my, i scored 14. can that be right? I have aspergers. Surely it must be higher? This is intriguing, maybe i really am NT now. Those questions would for sure of been awnsered differently say 5-10 years ago. (Much differently)

Edited by A-S warrior

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Oh my, i scored 14. can that be right? I have aspergers. Surely it must be higher? This is intriguing, maybe i really am NT now. Those questions would for sure of been awnsered differently say 5-10 years ago. (Much differently)

 

There is some evidence to suggest much of what aspie is can be trained out of us by developing coping strategies that in time with practice become part of us.

 

It is why I have said before, I have actually degraded since the diagnosis, because given a reason for it all, I stopped trying and reverted to type.

 

The bottom line is we have to learn and practice what we learn.

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This is intriguing..... However sa skimrande, i was one of the blessed few that was diagnosed early. So ive had a lifetime to fight it, (as i knew what i was dealing with) Thats's how (i quess) i can use my aspergers as an advantage. long hard road though.

 

Still, i was expecting a much higher score.

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This is intriguing..... However sa skimrande, i was one of the blessed few that was diagnosed early. So ive had a lifetime to fight it, (as i knew what i was dealing with) Thats's how (i quess) i can use my aspergers as an advantage. long hard road though.

 

Still, i was expecting a much higher score.

 

Try it with what you knew you were not good at before and compare your scores.

 

My coping strategies through my years were not the best, because I didn't know I had AS, so I kept poking at stuff until something worked, but the things that didn't caused a lot of problems and perhaps you may understand why I dwell so much in negativity as that also was learned and is a consequence of the negativity I have received prior to and since AS diagnosis.

 

In short nothing has changed except I have given up since diagnosis as no one is interested and no one wishes to help, the sad fact as what faces many adult aspies and why I may harp on about the total lack of interest in adult aspies, because I believe it is wrong. Getting this far in life to near middle aged is not a good enough excuse to not offer support as not everyone has worked their issues out and not everyone is thriving.

 

Are adult aspies passed it so as not to support them, because it sure looks that way from my perspective.

Edited by Sa Skimrande

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It is why I have said before, I have actually degraded since the diagnosis, because given a reason for it all, I stopped trying and reverted to type.

 

 

This is exactly what has happened to me... to get back to the original post, I think that whether you choose to seek a diagnosis or not depends on how severely you think it is affecting your life. If you feel that it's affecting you severely and you need outside support, or that it will help you overcome your problems, I think that it would be a good idea to see your GP and ask for a referral. The GP's decision to refer you, and ultimately your diagnosis may also depend on to what degree your life is being affected.

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This is exactly what has happened to me... to get back to the original post, I think that whether you choose to seek a diagnosis or not depends on how severely you think it is affecting your life. If you feel that it's affecting you severely and you need outside support, or that it will help you overcome your problems, I think that it would be a good idea to see your GP and ask for a referral. The GP's decision to refer you, and ultimately your diagnosis may also depend on to what degree your life is being affected.

 

There is also the problem of being over eighteen, where yes a diagnosis might explain a few things but from experience there is no help a GP can offer beyond anti depressants and once the diagnosis is there, what you find out about the condition, well, it does degrade ones understanding of oneself as you have to admit, there is a lot of negative stuff out there about AS, negative stuff that causes people to be employed.

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^Yes, there is some negative stuff out there which can affect employment, that's why I would only recommend you get a diagnosis if it is severely affecting your life. But don't forget that there are also positive aspects such as punctuality and attention to detail. It's possible that you may want to consider a career change if your job doesn't suit you, and an AS/ASD diagnosis will help you discover your strengths and weaknesses. If you go for an assessment and receive your diagnosis, the clinician can suggest various treatment options such as CBT or Interpersonal Therapy which the GP can refer you for as well as antidepressants.

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^Yes, there is some negative stuff out there which can affect employment, that's why I would only recommend you get a diagnosis if it is severely affecting your life. But don't forget that there are also positive aspects such as punctuality and attention to detail. It's possible that you may want to consider a career change if your job doesn't suit you, and an AS/ASD diagnosis will help you discover your strengths and weaknesses. If you go for an assessment and receive your diagnosis, the clinician can suggest various treatment options such as CBT or Interpersonal Therapy which the GP can refer you for as well as antidepressants.

 

CBT, not in my experience and I have asked and been told there is not the funding.

 

Employment as currently unemployed my disabilities health advisor at the job centre says my diagnosis is a hindrance as in this present work climate employers are not keen on employing people with problems when thee are so many others without to choose from. Now I could omit to inform but when it is found out as it will surely be that's the boot out of the door and it nearly got me once before but four years working for that company they decided against it as I was an asset they could not deny that. The job centre are now pushing me to start my own business they having seen some of the stuff I can make and so I will be joining outset this month where I am told they focus on confidence and motivation, something I most definitely need that is for sure.

 

Attention to detail I can claim, but punctuality, no chance, I have never been punctual not even in the military.

Edited by Sa Skimrande

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^I'm having this dilemma at the moment as I really need to find some work and I don't now whether I should disclose my diagnosis or not. I think that if they disclose it no one will want to hire me, and I really need the income. I can fake being NT to some extent, but they'll notice my various difficulties at some point, I get stressed and frustrated easily, can't control my emotions well and then it shows through. I think that if you could start up your own business it would be a better option, you are in control and you're not at the mercy of a boss. Good luck with that!!

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^I'm having this dilemma at the moment as I really need to find some work and I don't now whether I should disclose my diagnosis or not. I think that if they disclose it no one will want to hire me, and I really need the income. I can fake being NT to some extent, but they'll notice my various difficulties at some point, I get stressed and frustrated easily, can't control my emotions well and then it shows through. I think that if you could start up your own business it would be a better option, you are in control and you're not at the mercy of a boss. Good luck with that!!

 

The trouble is I need a boss because I have identified because I am easily distracted, but not a boss that looks over my shoulder as one that does that, anyone that does that will not get me at my nicest, other bosses in the past learned the hard way until they came around to my line of thinking as the interest of a boss is to get work done not exercise personal notions of superiority.

 

But the boss I need is a boss that exercises equality, they have their strengths and I have mine there is much that I can't do through lack of interest mostly in that if something bores me that is the screaming end, but I need an equal authority that can keep me on the straight and narrow and with a small business opportunity, the ultimate boss is the customer, but for harmony in the work place I need someone that can manage the people stuff, pricing, advertising and sales, all areas that bore me rigid for I need to get lost in what I do to do what I do at my absolute best when it comes about the compliments come on the very high standard I work to, because when I make or repair I am exercising an art form it has spiritual connections for me where I feel whole and satisfied.

 

And so I have asked about artist's guilds where makers just make and the more skilled do the people stuff and take a cut, I have really challenged my DEA, but she has seen some of my work and given the AS understands my needs but my DEA wishes me to reconnect with the MIND charity as they have fingers in pies the job centre can only dream of as they also recognise I need to be in a like minded environment to perform as is common with artists and craftsman, they bounce of each other, all of them usually with a screws loose.

 

But there is another possibility; my cousin, a highly respected cabinet maker that works only in British hard wood and buys whole fallen trees to have sectioned and seasoned to suit his art and approach which is a cross between traditional wooden boat building and furniture, he being a shipwright by trade. But he has done it before in Glasgow where he last had a successful business, he gave space to other craftworkers to enhance his own craft and do their own thing, it worked and the business grossed over a 100k a year to be divided amongst the craftworkers in accordance with their contribution to the final product and the business attracted arts council grants and other funding from minority associations dealing with challenged people as he has given space to AS people before as he recognises the high standard to which they work to. He wishes to try that experiment again down here in Devon and so far has a wood turner and possibly a blacksmith who wants me on board, as I can do his craft but I have my own as well. It's early days but first I have to get myself sorted out as I really do need to work on my self confidence and focus issues, for unemployment and the AS attack have taken their toll, I need to start believing again and so it will be outset for me for now.

 

And if the craft co operative does not happen for whatever reason through outset I should be able to start up on my own, pin money or even part time, it is a possibility I am aware of that, else it will be the normal jobs market where I know I am severely disadvantaged as I do have to declare AS to prospective employers as I cannot be anything other than honest, but I am not a typical AS person, there are some differences with me and that if an employer employs it might cause confusion when they think they know how to deal with me given the standard AS specification that the NAS distributes to employers.

 

But the cousin saw it, he knows about AS through his past involvement and he said I am not typical of the type, there is something else he cannot quite put his finger on and it is not NT, but given my interests some of which really squik him out I think he should be starting to get a clue, but if he asks I will tell him, but for now it's fun to watch him guess.

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^I think that people in authority will always try to assert domination over others, and most bosses will do this - this would be a problem for me because I don't like being dominated and bossed around, I much prefer to be independent and left to my own devices. Also in an office environment there is always a lot of complex unwritten rules, as well as wrangling and politics which I don't get and I can't do. These are the main things that worry me, as well as possible unwanted noise and distractions such as radios in the workplace, and lack of control over the environment. If you are self employed you can regulate your own environment.

 

I agree with what you say about being honest - if I'm asked if I have any medical conditions they need to know about I'll have to tell them, I can't say no because that would be a lie. On the other hand, if they don't ask me I really don't know whether I am obliged to disclose by volunteering the information, particularly if it's a job where I can work independently on my own and my AS won't be so obvious or affect my performance... that's the real dilemma for me.

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Honest is all I can be and lets face it people my age suffer all kinds of conditions they should divulge when asked, so where is say diabetes or heart problems any different from learning difficulties ?

 

Also regards getting me to do stuff one manager worked it out long ago and it was a young manager at that in his late teens, he worked out if he asked me to do something I would do, no problems to the best of my ability, but if he told me to do something, my mind kicks in and starts questioning and if I don't get the right answers I will resist doing and if forced to do, it won't be a good job and I hold grudges a long time.

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