I have been diagnosed as having Asperger's because I am introverted ("unsociable"), intuitive ("daydreaming"), obsessed with my own interests, and question social norms. I have also been diagnosed as dyspraxic because my S is practically nonexistent. However, I am now very seriously doubting and questioning these diagnosis and think I am just an INFJ. Besides that, I do not fit the mold for someone with AS or High Functioning Autism at all. I am very sensitive to social cues and can often understand and predict the emotions and reactions of others far better than anyone else and have unusually high aptitude in both verbal and written communication. Has anyone else had this experience?
Has anyone else been diagnosed as "disordered" based on their type?
- Thread starter MsTeller
- Start date
I don't have that experience, but wrong diagnoses for mental health disorders are not rare. You can go to several different people and they can give a different diagnosis each. I'm not sure if it is because of your personality type or not but if the diagnoses doesn't help you then it is certainly not wrong to question it.
Next time you're talking with someone you know. Try and keep eye-contact. If it's virtually impossible for anything more than the length of a sentence, asperger's might be on the cards.
Anyhow, whether you fit on the autism spectrum doesn't really matter does it? Your experience of life isn't going to change one way or another.
What took you to the psychiatrist anyhow?
Anyhow, whether you fit on the autism spectrum doesn't really matter does it? Your experience of life isn't going to change one way or another.
What took you to the psychiatrist anyhow?
When I talk to people I tend to make very good eye contact and I can maintain it well. That is one of the things that makes me doubt the diagnosis. I ended up at the psychiatrist due to a massive breakdown. When I was describing the problems I was having in my daily life, he suggested that I was on the spectrum. At the time I never thought that maybe I had simply chosen the wrong occupation for my type or that I was suffering from the consequences of traumatic events built up through my life. I now realize that both of those things are probably very true.
I guess the challenge now is to process and integrate your experiences in a constructive, freeing way. As for the diagnosis - opinions are hard to give via a forum. A diagnosis of autism doesn't really change anything, but will just direct possible therapies - most of which are not particular to autism. Given that there is no specific "autism therapy", but rather therapies are symptom specific: eg. Communication skills, Cognitive Behavioural Therapies for changing patterns of behaviour and phobias, post-traumatic stress therapies,etc. etc., I would waste neither time, nor money just to get someone who doesn't apply the "a" word - it won't make much difference at all to the available therapies.
If I were you I wouldn't care about any of that diagnosis. As Flavus said, your experience of life isn't going to change one way or another.
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I think the relevance of these labels really depends where you are getting these diagnosis and how they are effecting your life. For example, if you feel happy and are functional, I say "phooey!" to most of them.
I am introverted to the point that it could test as avoidant (I am too normal to be schizotypal). I have also tested low on agreeableness, high neuroticism, low on openness. Sometimes I test a bit paranoid too. They way I look at it though, none of these things bothers me that much because for the most part they don't effect my life negatively. I am an oddball, but quite functional and happy the way I am. It would have been easier to have been born with a different personality, but after much angst and trying, including even CBT to that effect, I can't train myself to be less of an "I." I can't become more extroverted, agreeable and open. I can pretend I am when I need to though in order to get by. I mean the pudding is already made, I am who I am. Best to try to be happy with my identity and find backdoor ways to find meaning/joy and get by.
In this vein, I don't think you should look to pathologize yourself. Sure, life might be easier if you were a highly athletic, main-stream interested, extrovert. But if you are happy and can function in the world, why look for stigmatizing labels?
PS
I can see how no S could cause you test dyspraxic on paper, but it is a pretty specific set of diagnosies, involving a battery of physical tests including audio,reflex and other things. I question how you got that part. I know because this came up for me with an audio-neurologist because I am a super klutz and have horrible depth perception. I rarely drive at night my depth perception is so bad, to give you some idea. It's quite specific though. I have an injury to my inner ear acquired in late childhood that causes these problems. This separates the problem from idiopathic dyspraxia, though I have some of the symptoms. I would sincerely question if you have this and why you would think that you do.
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Yes. I have had a similiar experience with misdiagnosis. In my case, however, I actually managed to get it revoked. Mistakes do happen.
I disagree with the people claiming that it won't affect your experience of life. It is actually potentially quite damaging because, if you believe the diagnosis, you may end up unconsciously and unnecessarily limiting yourself and acting in accordance with that label.
This sort of thing is probably more common than you think and I wonder how many people go their whole lives under the label of some 'disorder' that they don't actually have. There is an unfortunate tendency for society to stamp a diagnosis on people's foreheads when their behaviour does not align with social expectations. But really, the ability to question and challenge one's social environment seems like it should be a natural part of the human psyche.
I disagree with the people claiming that it won't affect your experience of life. It is actually potentially quite damaging because, if you believe the diagnosis, you may end up unconsciously and unnecessarily limiting yourself and acting in accordance with that label.
This sort of thing is probably more common than you think and I wonder how many people go their whole lives under the label of some 'disorder' that they don't actually have. There is an unfortunate tendency for society to stamp a diagnosis on people's foreheads when their behaviour does not align with social expectations. But really, the ability to question and challenge one's social environment seems like it should be a natural part of the human psyche.
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There's a truth in that. While a diagnosis of aserger's might not objectively change anything about you, it might change a lot subjectively. Given that you Ms Teller doesn't agree with the diagnosis, I think it won't have a strong impact, but if it's important to have that disagreement vindicated - I guess it's important. However, I would not think that it would have priority over dealing with the more disabling issues. Perhaps the original psychiatrist would come to a different conclusion over time, if he/she got to know her and was not so proud as to sacrifice professional integrity and admit a mistake. Who knows... apparently a very great proportion of people fit somewhere on the autism spectrum... the psychiatrist may simply categorise it as very high-functioning, low level???