The beginning of my Asperger diagnosis journey begins…
So, just like many other female adults, at age 36, I am just now realizing I have Asperger Syndrome. (Self-diagnosed, amongst many educated specialists in agreement). And just like many other women, have been misdiagnosed all of my life. Just like many other women, I can see and understand signs as early as kindergarten age. Shy, withdrawn, awkward, quiet, confusion, masking, pretending, all of it. Just like many other women, reading blog after blog about women’s experiences, the missing puzzle pieces just came together. I have never felt so validated and understood than I do reading about other women.
Why is this so?! Why should I be the one realizing this at 36? Why haven’t any doctors put those pieces together?! I do believe there are many faults with our healthcare system, for one. I don’t know how to fix it, but if all the pieces in my life were in one file, and someone took the time to review it, then surely they would piece it together? Right?! Unfortunately the only ones with access to such a file are ourselves. And I am not a diagnostician…or so I have heard many times.
Luckily for me, I already have a psychiatrist handy that speaks to me for about 5 minutes every 2 months, and hands me my 2 scripts for Fluoxetine (anxiety/depression/PMDD) and Adderall (ADHD), and sends me on my way. Yesterday was my appointment and going in I was pretty excited to share my revelation with my doctor. I was hoping to receive some valuable resources, and maybe even perhaps an unofficial diagnosis.
I would receive no such things.
Instead, I received criticism, made to feel like I was absurd for coming up with such a notion, a lecture on self-diagnosing, and judgmental questioning about my reasons for validation. He even at one point began to say that one end of the spectrum was like having a disease, while the other end can “maintain” a living.
Needless to say, I am looking elsewhere.
#florida #actuallyautistic #aspergers #misdiagnonsense #pmdd #adhd #asd
Misdiagnonsense 