So it looks like I have Asperger's...

[Andy of Comix Inc]

In about an hour, I'll be going to the last of three sessions in which a professional psychiatric board will likely diagnose me with Asperger's syndrome, having previously thought my problems stemmed from clinical depression. I am very, very worried (for various reasons), and I'm almost scared. I really don't want to be diagnosed. I hate being diagnosed. And it's bad enough being told I have depression - now they're going to tell me "oh, you're not depressed at all. You're just autistic."

I'm shitting myself. My main fear is that being diagnosed with Asperger's will affect how others treat me. It'll affect how doctors see me. It'll affect how my family views me. And some people will let me take refuge in it. "Oh, you didn't get it... that's okay, you have Asperger's syndrome, you process things differently." As much as I'd like my working conditions to meet those required by my diagnosis, I really feel like after today, I'll be treated of less like a human being.

Has anyone been through this kind of diagnosis before? How did your family, friends, and various professionals treat you after you were diagnosed? Because I really do feel like this will make my life worse off. I'm shit scared, and on the verge of crying, I think... I mean, wow. I am not looking forward to this.

 

[TheIronRuler]

You don't need to share your medical history with anyone.
If you have these fears of not belonging in a group due to your... about to be diagnosed disease, whether it exists or not the people that know you will still like you for who you are.
Unless they didn't like you in the first place.
...
In my opinion Asperger's syndrome is rather vague with a string of common symptoms.
You will stay who you are, no matter what the doctors say , if it turns out that you do have it then as long as you don't tell anyone about it nobody will know. Simple.

If you don't want people to view you differently after you've been diagnosed as someone with Asperger's then you lie to them. Because they will treat you differently.
You will stay the same but their perception of your will be altered.

I hope that whatever the result may be, you will find happiness.

 

[Erana]

You don't need to share your medical history with anyone.
If you have these fears of not belonging in a group due to your... about to be diagnosed disease, whether it exists or not the people that know you will still like you for who you are.
Unless they didn't like you in the first place.
...
In my opinion Asperger's syndrome is rather vague with a string of common symptoms.
You will stay who you are, no matter what the doctors say , if it turns out that you do have it then as long as you don't tell anyone about it nobody will know. Simple.

If you don't want people to view you differently after you've been diagnosed as someone with Asperger's then you lie to them. Because they will treat you differently.
You will stay the same but their perception of your will be altered.

I hope that whatever the result may be, you will find happiness.

Well said.
I'd like to throw my emphasis on his words; they were exactly what I hoped to convey.

Still, you can pretty much keep it to yourself. You may wind up having to tell your family, in which case, you calmly and respectfully request that they keep it to themselves, because it affects peoples' perceptions of you, and you feel that you alone have the right to disclose this information about yourself. (Barring medical what-nots, of course)

That being said, if it is Aspergers, then you will now have a well-documented, tangible issue. That makes it easier to deal with.
And sometimes, just knowing what the problem is can make things a whole lot better. It was scary for me to have been diagnosed with a tumor, but it made me feel better to know that there was something that was messing with my head, rather than me just being crazy or something. It freed me up to be able to stop and think not just about the situation, but the way in which I was processing the matter.

And as The Iron Ruler said, you are still you. This doesn't have to change a thing if you don't let it. And you could be better equipped to handle a chronic issue, even!

And the biggest point? Aspergers isn't really that bad. OK, so it definitely is something that has an effect on one's entire life, but it doesn't have to keep you from doing just as you had planned prior to this.
Its really just a label.

 

[ThriKreen]

Don't let a label ru(i)n your life.

 

[Svenparty]

I have been diagnosed with Aspergers and I didn't let it effect me: Obviously due to the different level of it I cannot access your individual situation but I found that by keeping it to myself I could manage fine with no social awkwardness. Also it can be beneficial as I always feel I can focus on a subject intensely which helps with my filmmaking work.

Just don't let the label effect your relationships because there are a lot of people who will see you differently if you label yourself too much.

 

[Doclector]

I'll be honest, people will judge you, just as they judge anyone who isn't absolute pure "vanilla" normal. But that's not as important as how you deal with it. I have only one important piece of advice: aspergers can make some things hard, not impossible. People will try to tell you otherwise, from garden variety ignorant people to teachers to the doctors themselves, they will try to tell you there are things you shouldn't attempt, but ignore them. No one knows you better than you. No diagnosis will ever change that.

 

[Doclector]

I have been diagnosed with Aspergers and I didn't let it effect me: Obviously due to the different level of it I cannot access your individual situation but I found that by keeping it to myself I could manage fine with no social awkwardness. Also it can be beneficial as I always feel I can focus on a subject intensely which helps with my filmmaking work.

example of exactly what I was talking about: I'm working towards filmmaking too. Doing damn well at it. And that's another thing they told me not to try.

 

[MetallicMonkey]

And the biggest point? Aspergers isn't really that bad. OK, so it definitely is something that has an effect on one's entire life, but it doesn't have to keep you from doing just as you had planned prior to this.
Its really just a label.

Felt the need to emphasize this. I was diagnosed with Asperger's as a kid, and I know from experience that if you let it rule you, you'll be miserable. Just remember that you're still you, and no "disorder" will change that.

 

[aegix drakan_v1legacy]

Solution? Just don't tell people you have aspergers if you're worried about their reaction! (Actually, you SHOULD keep mum about it to employers. There is such a thing as too much information.)

Also, if they DO know, and you feel they're treating you differently, call them out on it. I have aspergers (got diagnosed as a teen, and it explains a lot about me), and honestly, it doesn't make me all that different from anyone else. Sure, I'm a bit weird, have serious concentration issues on stuff like Calculus, and I do some stuff that's just plain bizzare for most people, but I'm Still mostly like your average normal person.

Don't worry so much about it. It's not like when you're diagnosed you'll start to change. You've technically dealt with this problem your whole life, you won't magically start suffering from it just because you now know what it is.

Personally, if anyone would treat me differently, or try to coddle me because I have aspergers, I'd tell them to knock it the hell off. Having super-mild autism doesn't make you lesser than anyone, nor does it mean you are mentally handicapped to the point of social incapability. And anyone who pretends this is true is an asshole and should be called out as such.

So don't sweat it. If they DO diagnose you with aspergers, it's just putting a name on what you've been dealing with. Nothing more. And fear of a name only increases the fear of the thing itself. And the thing in this case is not that big a deal. You'll be ok.

 

[Saulkar]

Has anyone been through this kind of diagnosis before? How did your family, friends, and various professionals treat you after you were diagnosed? Because I really do feel like this will make my life worse off. I'm shit scared, and on the verge of crying, I think... I mean, wow. I am not looking forward to this.

I was diagnosed with Aspergers over a period of 6 months when I was 8 and when the school found out I was mercilessly called ass-burgers. What did I do? I asked them if that was all they had: it was. After that whenever some one discovers I have Asperger they show uncensored interest and questions. Something that I am more than willing to share enthusiasticly. Honestly it is a very mild disorder compared to some others (but can be devistating on your development if it is not diagnosed and changes made to your lifestyle) so I would not get my panties in a bunch.

 

[smithy_2045]

Why do you have to tell anyone aside from medical professionals (who have to keep stuff confidential), and possibly family?

 

[Distant_Twilight]

Has anyone been through this kind of diagnosis before? How did your family, friends, and various professionals treat you after you were diagnosed? Because I really do feel like this will make my life worse off. I'm shit scared, and on the verge of crying, I think... I mean, wow. I am not looking forward to this.

I was diagnosed with Aspergers over a period of 6 months when I was 8 and when the school found out I was mercilessly called ass-burgers. What did I do? I asked them if that was all they had: it was. After that whenever some one discovers I have Asperger they show uncensored interest and questions. Something that I am more than willing to share enthusiasticly. Honestly it is a very mild disorder compared to some others (but can be devistating on your development if it is not diagnosed and changes made to your lifestyle) so I would not get my panties in a bunch.

You too?
Having this diagnosis does not change who you are. It helps you understand some of your behaviours. My Aspergers is going to be different from your Aspergers
I work with kids who have a variety of neurological disorders, myself being an aspie.
I have personally found Aspergers to be more of a personality tweak. Sure, there are some downsides, but I would not trade it away to be a neuro-typical.

I personally was diagnosed initially with PDD-NOS (sibling of Aspergers) when the genetic counselor told my mom that I was a lost cause and I was better off having Downs Syndrome because there was more support. And even in when it was changed to Aspergers in elementary school, my IEP took forever because the school board didn't support what I have.

In the real world, I was declined a cashier position because I seemed too anxious in the interview, though I believe this to be the work of my Anxiety disorder rather than my Aspergers (which just makes it more extreme).

 

[Dashe Troxon]

I've known and interacted with a ton of people who'd been diagnosed with Asperger's, and about 90% of them get along just fine. The only thing you need to remember is not to use it as an excuse or let it hold you back from being the best you can be.

Honestly, though, I'm almost convinced that Asperger Syndrome was invented by normal people who felt too boring and wanted to bring the cooler people down a few pegs. In many places, especially creative fields, it can be a powerful asset to have your mind work a little differently than the norm.

 

[Gunner_Guardian]

Dude relax, one Asperger to another it's not that big of a deal. All it means is you have some difficultly in social situations.... that's it...

First off it's a spectrum disorder which is why some psychologists are considering merging it with the more serious Austism (which is what my sister has) so how it impairs your socialization skills varies and thus it's a very broad disorder. It can vary from slightly awkward to very socially impaired.

Also keep in mind socialization is a skill you can keep learning so don't let the fact that your diagnosed with this disorder hold you back. I'd recommend taking sociology at one point, it explains some things everyone picks up on instinctively but things you and I need explaining.

Lastly if your worried about being judged about it then don't bring it up they can't judge you on something they don't know .

 

[tharglet]

Depression != autism. Being autistic may make certain things harder to deal with, but depression's a totally separate issue.
I know some aspies who are totally happy (partially to do with not being able to ascertain things aren't going as well as they should be) and some who get depressed easily, and others in between.

Hopefully, if you do have it, you'll be able to turn the diagnosis to your advantage... work out why certain things produce certain effects, and learn to get round certain situations.

As others have said, you don't necessarily have to disclose it to everyone you meet. I've certainly not told everyone I know.

If you're being treated less of a person because of it, you're talking to the wrong people tbh. Yer, suggestions may differ on how to get you out of a rut, but it should just be diff things not "lesser" things.

 

[Ando85]

I honestly don't think it will change much, hell you don't even have to tell them. It is merely a label. I have a friend who was diagnosed with scizophrenia and got meds for it. After learning this it didn't change anything at all between us.

 

[Simalacrum]

Has anyone been through this kind of diagnosis before? How did your family, friends, and various professionals treat you after you were diagnosed? Because I really do feel like this will make my life worse off. I'm shit scared, and on the verge of crying, I think... I mean, wow. I am not looking forward to this.

I was diagnosed with Asperger Syndrome when I was younger. Honestly, there is nothing wrong with having it. My parents didn't treat me any differently, they just focused on helping me find solutions to my issues. They were doing that even before I was diagnosed actually, its just the diagnosis helped with finding what sort of help I might need, and also helped financially as an official diagnosis gave my parents access to disability funds. Heck, they even found out my father has it after diagnosing me.

In many ways, for me the diagnosis was a relief; I had always felt that there was something different about me from all the other kids, and I constantly fretted about it, wandering what it was about me that separated me from others. Being diagnosed just confirmed what I already felt; it just allowed me to identify and name what it was/is.
From then on my entire life has been shaped around Asperger Syndrome. In a good way.
It was because of Asperger Syndrome that I found my greatest passion (Circus Arts, a skill I picked up at a school I went to because of my Aspergers [although the school itself wasn't a specialist school, it just suited my needs better]), found many of my best friends, discovered a whole community of people like me, and learn social skills from the ground up to the point that my Asperger Syndrome is, from a social standpoint, barely recognisable anymore.

Of course, there have been difficulties; I still find it incredibly difficult to organise myself, and I often find myself distracted very easily (like, say, I find myself on this very website while trying to write an essay... >.>), and I've gotten into all sorts of trouble due to these factors of Asperger Syndrome. Nevertheless, Asperger Syndrome has made me who I am today; and I wouldn't have myself any other way.

Asperger Syndrome isn't a 'disease' (I've even done a speech in front of about 500 people upon why the pursuit of a 'cure' for Asperger Synrdrome is immoral and wrong). There is absolutely nothing wrong with you even if you do have it. In many ways it can open many opportunities for you that may not have existed for you previously. All you need to do is not fear having Aspergers, and to not be afraid to find help where you need it!

TL;DR, not only is Asperger Syndrome not a bad thing, it can even be a good thing!

 

[Snake Plissken]

Don't worry about it too much. The Autism Spectrum Disorders are the most misdiagnosed "issues" in children and young adults currently. Get a second opinion before anything else.

 

[OmniscientOstrich]

Seems everyone else has covered the bases but I guess I'll throw in my two cents for what it's worth: Like people have said, if your worried that people are going to treat you differently don't tell them. It's not a betrayal of trust or anything, it's just trivial information that they really don't need to know and has no impact on them whatsoever. Don't think of yourself/your actions differently and don't use it as an excuse. Up until you've been completely oblivious to the condition and have been making decisions without thinking that there was anything hindering your ability to learn/socialise/function and there still isn't. Nothing's changed, you're still the same person you were before, you don't need rationalise or justify anything you do or have done by attributing it to your condition. You are just as responsible as the next person for what you do and just as capable as the next for whatever you want to pursue, don't pin anything on the condition, it's all you. I was diagnosed as a toddler but my parents only told me when I was 17 and I've since not told anyone about it, not discussed with my family and requested that we act like the conversation never happened. Nothing's changed, it's just an arbitrary label that I'm not going to let hang over my head. All of my failures and accomplishments are on my head, I don't need or want any special treatment, I'm perfectly capable of changing my fortunes if I put in the effort. In short, don't let this information change the perception of yourself or things around and good luck in your endeavors buddy.

 

[ChillzMaster]

Good friend, my mom just tried to diagnose me with AS. Didn't work. I'm just an eccentric Satanist 16 year old. And guess what? Part of the test was discovering I'm a genius, so when I turn 18, I get money from the Gov't.

Things turn up old sport. Keep your chin up, and just because somebody puts a "This is a chair" sign on a chair doesn't change anything about the wood, the smoothness, or the comfort of sitting in that chair.

-Chillz