r/AutismTranslated • u/Oshawhaat • 11d ago
Diagnosis assessment with my own psychologist
I (28) have been seeing a psychologist for about a year and at one point she told me that I am on the autism spectrum. She is a professional specialized in the subject (she herself is on the spectrum) and she told me that, if I wanted, I could do a neuropsychological assessment to seek a diagnosis, although she does not necessarily recommend it because this would just be bureaucracy since all I need is to understand my difficulties in order to find adjustments for them. Some time has passed since that and I'm willing to seek a assessment.
My question is whether there would be any problem in doing this assessment with her (she is a certified professional) or whether the correct thing to do is to do the evaluation with a professional who is not my therapist?
P.S. sorry for my english, it's not my mother language.
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u/j_stanley 11d ago
If possible, I recommend she do the assessment.
I had a neuropsychologist evaluation many years ago, when autism was less understood, by a psychologist who didn't know me at all and didn't understand some of the subtleties of older people.
The tests should work regardless — they're designed to measure neurological functioning without knowing any background. But the interpretation of those tests will be the useful/valuable part of the exercise, and I think someone who understands your life already will be able to evaluate it more helpfully.
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u/Oshawhaat 11d ago
That makes sense. Also, the fact that I already feel comfortable with her will make the process easier, because it's hard for me to talk to a new person. Thank you for your perspective.
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u/Purple_Source8883 11d ago
Why would you go to someone else?
Your psychologist has been working with you and has spent the past year gaining insights into you, your thought processes, and behaviors. She likely has been picking up on things you might not have noticed too. She's qualified and specializes in this area.
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u/Oshawhaat 10d ago
Yeah, that makes sense. Part of my insecurities is because since I told my parents about that they keep saying she is wrong and I'm not part of the spectrum. But they never really gave attention to my struggles.
You are completely right. She is the one who is capable of saying if I am.
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u/Purple_Source8883 10d ago
If you have questions - ask her! I asked a lot of questions to the psychologist who assessed me and I found it helpful. For example, I worked in mental health treatment centers for 5 years. I'm really good at having emotional insight in others (and to an extent myself - but that's due to over thinking and struggling to communicate with words and needing to find the right words and trying to understand myself)
Anyway. She explained how while that might be a struggle for some autistic people, that's a stereotype because it's not for all, and it's not a criteria in the dsm that disqualifies me from having autism.
On reddit I found out that actually a lot of autistic people are hyper empathetic, and are able to very easily pick up on the emotions of others. (While some people fall on the complete opposite end of the spectrum with that lol).
Basically, there's a lot of stereotypes and misbeliefs about what autism does and doesn't look like, and your parents likely operate off of those misbeliefs, and also you probably do too (it's not your fault, it's what you've learning, but by asking questions it will be helpful and clarifying to unlearn those things).
The cool thing too is, if you let her assess you, and you already have an ongoing relationship with her, she can help you down the rode debunk some of those stereotypes and understand autism better (and maybe help you help your parents understand better too).
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u/Oshawhaat 10d ago
Absolutely! My parents have very limited (and in some ways completely wrong) knowledge of the spectrum. I myself knew almost nothing about when she first told me about it and she is helping me a lot to understand better.
I will ask her about all my insecurities. Thank you so much for sharing your perspective.
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u/Purple_Source8883 10d ago
Of course ♡
For me, it felt like quite a journey, and sometimes it felt overwhelming, but ultimately, it's been so helpful to learn more. Hang in there and be kind to yourself!
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u/Leading_Movie9093 10d ago
A formal diagnosis gave me a lot of clarity, peace, and perspective. I am also seeking accommodations at work. That being said, it was incredibly stressful, invasive, protracted, and frankly, traumatizing. I am happy I was able to afford it, not everyone can.
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u/Oshawhaat 10d ago
I’m sorry this has been so hard for you. I’m a little nervous about this. It does seem like a difficult process. But I’m also mostly looking for clarity. I’ve been really hard on myself my whole life because I felt like I had to fit in. I’ve always controlled how I acted and how much I shared because everyone was constantly calling me demanding or too “difficult.” And because I was so good at hiding it, some people are now saying I’m not on the spectrum and that it doesn’t make sense. While I’m already in the process of accepting myself as I am, I think doing so will give me the peace of mind to understand how I really work.
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u/Leading_Movie9093 10d ago
Masking is a common experience. I got so good at at people just saw me as quirky rather than autistic, and in brief interactions people don't often see even that.
BUT masking is also exhausting (for me) and it has led me to a very bad case of occupational (autistic) burnout, from which I am still recovering.
What you say totally matches my own experiences. I was considered a "difficult", "fragile", "unusual", "sensitive" when I was a child (my parents' words!).
Two things to know about the diagnostic process. A good psychologist will consider other diagnoses as alternatives (e.g. personality disorders, OCD, PTSD), and will also talk to your family to see how you were as a child. Autism must present itself from early childhood, and this is a key element that can distinguish it from other conditions. Both of these things have added stress ... it was hard to think of anything else for many months, all while waiting for what it seemed like forever to get my formal diagnosis.
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u/Oshawhaat 10d ago
This is exhausting for me too. It’s probably what led to me isolating myself for about 5 years, where I would do everything I could to avoid talking to other people unless it was absolutely necessary.
I’m going to talk to her about other possible diagnoses. It could be something else, because I’m not so sure if the signs started early in my childhood. I tried asking my parents, but they weren’t very helpful. It’s probably because they were so busy working that they didn’t pay much attention.
My sister and I can only remember things from a later point in my childhood. Things like that I didn't liked most of the other kids and my only friend was the one with who I could share my obsession for a show we liked. But I know that doesn’t mean much.
I can only imagine how stressful this was. I haven’t even started and I’m already freaking out.
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u/LilyoftheRally spectrum-formal-dx 11d ago
If you need a formal diagnosis to access official accommodations for university or a job, I recommend getting one with her. It doesn't matter if she does it or not if she's qualified to do it - many therapists aren't qualified, and a lot of folks here struggle to find clinics that will assess adults for autism.