Diagnosing autism in adults

[MissPurple]

Hi all,

I know there are several clinics/centers in Thailand for children with autism.

But I was wondering is there also a center / or a psychologist in Thailand who knows more about autism in adults? Especially women.

I think I may be somewhere on the autism spectrum.

However I am not 100 % sure yet and I don't want to be under or over-diagnosed. I read that as a female it maybe more difficult to be diagnosed.

Maybe someone knows more about this?

Thanks for any help.

[wotsdermatter]

I am a Registered Clinical Psychologist and just returned to Toronto from BKK, where I work and spend time every year. Either contact one of the "several clinics/centers in Thailand for children with autism", which you claim to know about (so why do you bother to air your concern on a general public forum, for such information when you can do the research yourself), a Psychologist or the Thai Psych Association to obtain the information you seek. There are psychologists in BKK who treat that particular affliction. Ask for a psychologist who specialises in adult autism, aka Aspergers. I have treated many in T.O. and BKK but cannot provide any details regarding who to contact in BKK as many of my files are there not in T.O. It is no more difficult to diagnose a male or a female. You provide no support to your claim; "I think I may be somewhere on the autism spectrum." Also, as an individual, it is virtually impossible for you to self-diagnose. It is not possible to be either "under or over-diagnosed," unless you do it yourself, and, as stated, that is practically impossible. Nobody should try to self-diagnose either medically, except for things like flu, cold, and the like, and the same goes for matters that are the concern of a psychologist. Finally, a word of warning. Do not go to a psychiatrist as they usually depend on a manual for diagnosing, unless they have adequate experience, and secondly, they usually treat nearly everything with medication.

Maybe you do not like or appreciate my comments but I do not pussy foot around as that only to prolongs the agony or non-conclusion to a situation.

Edited April 25, 2016 by wotsdermatter

[Oxx]

One thing that may help put your mind to rest is to do the Autism Spectrum Test. It was devised by Professor Simon Baron-Cohen, a researcher at Cambridge University who specialises in autism (and also happens to be the brother of Sacha Baron-Cohen, better known as Ali G and Borat). Anyway, this is a serious, scientifically designed and validated questionnaire, not some silly Internet "personality test", and is for adults. It's available online at:

https://psychology-tools.com/autism-spectrum-quotient/

[Sheryl]

I would suggest starting with a good general pyschologist who can in turn refer you elsewhere for testing if it is indicated, after they have had a chance to get a sense of your problem. Suggest http://www.psiadmin.com/

Whether or not you are somewhere on the autism spectrum, you obviously have something bothering you. Social anxiety and other problems can also be confused with mild forms of autism spectrum.

An exact "diagnosis" is perhaps less important than learning to deal with whatever it is.

[Baerboxer]

I hope things work out for you MissP.

The arrogance of the first reply is outstanding - bluntness is often called "plain speaking" to disguise rude arrogance or inability. The comments against psychiatrists are unprofessional, stereotyped and generalist. You have to be a qualified medical doctor first to become a psychiatrist (in my country).

The other posters offer good advice. Remember, lots of professionals out there and nothing wrong with seeking more than one opinion. And many do have pleasant professional "bedside manners".

[MissPurple]

Thank you Baerboxer.

I was also very surprised about the first reaction.

Just because I didn't write my whole life story but came straight to the point doesn't mean I don't have one.

I have some bad experiences as a foreigner with getting the exact help I need.

As I don't want to go through 5 psychologists, I thought maybe someone knows more about this and can suggest someone who is known for knowing a lot about autism in adults.

Asking that on a forum for expats in the "health, body and medicine" sub-categorie is apparently not done. What was I thinking ugh.

Thanks for the link Oxx, I did that test already and I scored in the "higher functioning autism" range. Having read more about this condition and my own struggles I came up with this topic.

Looking for a good general psychologist is a good idea to start with. I will check what is available.

If someone has any additional help for this topic please let me know, thanks!

@ wotsdermatter - I appreciate you answered. However I don't appropriate your " not pussy foot around" approach. I don't agree on everything you said and think you make fast conclusions without knowing everything.

Additionally I am not a native English speaker. Maybe I didn't write "under or over-diagnosed" in a correct way.

However I think you will get my point.

[arjunadawn]

I am a Registered Clinical Psychologist and just returned to Toronto from BKK, where I work and spend time every year. Either contact one of the "several clinics/centers in Thailand for children with autism", which you claim to know about (so why do you bother to air your concern on a general public forum, for such information when you can do the research yourself), a Psychologist or the Thai Psych Association to obtain the information you seek. There are psychologists in BKK who treat that particular affliction. Ask for a psychologist who specialises in adult autism, aka Aspergers. I have treated many in T.O. and BKK but cannot provide any details regarding who to contact in BKK as many of my files are there not in T.O. It is no more difficult to diagnose a male or a female. You provide no support to your claim; "I think I may be somewhere on the autism spectrum." Also, as an individual, it is virtually impossible for you to self-diagnose. It is not possible to be either "under or over-diagnosed," unless you do it yourself, and, as stated, that is practically impossible. Nobody should try to self-diagnose either medically, except for things like flu, cold, and the like, and the same goes for matters that are the concern of a psychologist. Finally, a word of warning. Do not go to a psychiatrist as they usually depend on a manual for diagnosing, unless they have adequate experience, and secondly, they usually treat nearly everything with medication.

Maybe you do not like or appreciate my comments but I do not pussy foot around as that only to prolongs the agony or non-conclusion to a situation.

"which you claim to know about (so why do you bother to air your concern on a general public forum, for such information when you can do the research yourself."

"You provide no support to your claim."

"Nobody should try to self-diagnose..." (as opposed to dx online).

"Do not go to a psychiatrist..." (medical advice?)

Maybe the OP doesn't care, but I think your comments, couched by a professional label, are provocative if not rude for a medical specialist. As a family member of an autistic person it disgusts me that you would post as you have, charging contempt with advice. It makes little difference if their are pearls within your post. When your deportment conveys such abruptness you achieve nothing. This post is instructive as it demonstrates that all professionals should not be taken out of hand, but considered on the merits of their clinical performance.

"Maybe you do not like or appreciate my comments..." I don't like but appreciate your comments. I appreciate them as evidence that anyone can get a degree if they remain in school long enough. Among the chief manifestations of autism is isolation, and emotional detachment/sensory dissonance. When a person (who must ensure their job title is correctly capitalized to impress the reader) with such a title flippantly talks to a person like this, I can only empathize for the patients. Consoling yourself that you are a straight shooter, who does not "pussy foot" around does not remove culpability for being an offensive.

[arjunadawn]

I hope things work out for you MissP.

The arrogance of the first reply is outstanding - bluntness is often called "plain speaking" to disguise rude arrogance or inability. The comments against psychiatrists are unprofessional, stereotyped and generalist. You have to be a qualified medical doctor first to become a psychiatrist (in my country).

The other posters offer good advice. Remember, lots of professionals out there and nothing wrong with seeking more than one opinion. And many do have pleasant professional "bedside manners".

I jumped direct to a response from the first post before reading your post above. Thank you. To the OP many people who might assist you are "pleasant professionals," Bareboxer is correct. I wish you well and as another poster observed, this could be something else. You took the time to express your thoughts objectively- outside yourself- now take the time to follow up. There is only error in not reaching out. Reaching out takes courage, especially as an adult.

[Mexlark]

I'm retirement age and expat. I also recently began to think I might be mildly autistic. I have talked to some local professionals already. Some were helpful in providing possible referrals, but my overall impression is that ASD in adults is in some way a local taboo subject. I'm continuing to pursue the subject locally, but not with much confidence. So I'm also thinking about going home to get a diagnosis. and even there it could be difficult and time-consuming. Small wonder so many try to self-diagnose themselves, and just go on adapting as they always have done, in semi-secrecy. I see no point in revealing this at work, as somewhere along the line someone will undoubtedly exploit it as a weakness. And I don't really want to be seen as making excuses for myself - especially since I might well have survived this long somewhat more successfully than many supposedly able-bodied and able-minded people. It would be good to be diagnosed, but it might also be good to be diagnosed with some other condition. (I have already had a local neurologist tell me that I probably won't develop a couple of other debilitating conditions anytime soon - but then he/she totally avoided the issue of ASD.)

I notice ASD websites emphasise the importance of making contact with people who might have similar problems. Contact me with a private ( and anonymous) message on this site, if you think it might help to compare notes and experiences.

In my case, I'm beginning to think that a different medical condition at pre-school age may have rendered me slightly autistic. I'm aware there is little adults can do about ASD other than share their problem with others and continue adapting as usual. But that other medical condition might still be with me, and might even be more diagnosable than ASD. I note that a lot of ASD specialists are beginning to talk about it as a complex combination of many factors and disorders - some of which might respond to treatment. Perhaps then we need to think that ASD is an untreatable set of symptoms of some other underlying disorder/disorders some of which might be treatable, in part.

One remains hopeful, but some sort of diagnosis (however limited) might help. I'm putting a positive slant on it so far.

[Mexlark]

Well I suppose there must be some method of sending private messages between members of this forum when they are either on or offline, but I haven't found it yet. Perhaps newbies don't yet have that privilege.

In which case, perhaps we can just exchange a few more thoughts in public until I get the hang of this forum ..... again.

[Oxx]

Well I suppose there must be some method of sending private messages between members of this forum when they are either on or offline, but I haven't found it yet.

Go to http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php?app=members&module=messaging (You can also get there by clicking on the down triangle next to your username in the top right hand corner of any page.)

There are other ways, and doubtless you'll find them in time.

[Mexlark]

Appreciate that Oxx. Had just found it already thanks

[johnatong]

I'm retirement age and expat. I also recently began to think I might be mildly autistic. I have talked to some local professionals already. Some were helpful in providing possible referrals, but my overall impression is that ASD in adults is in some way a local taboo subject. I'm continuing to pursue the subject locally, but not with much confidence. So I'm also thinking about going home to get a diagnosis. and even there it could be difficult and time-consuming. Small wonder so many try to self-diagnose themselves, and just go on adapting as they always have done, in semi-secrecy. I see no point in revealing this at work, as somewhere along the line someone will undoubtedly exploit it as a weakness. And I don't really want to be seen as making excuses for myself - especially since I might well have survived this long somewhat more successfully than many supposedly able-bodied and able-minded people. It would be good to be diagnosed, but it might also be good to be diagnosed with some other condition. (I have already had a local neurologist tell me that I probably won't develop a couple of other debilitating conditions anytime soon - but then he/she totally avoided the issue of ASD.)

I notice ASD websites emphasise the importance of making contact with people who might have similar problems. Contact me with a private ( and anonymous) message on this site, if you think it might help to compare notes and experiences.

In my case, I'm beginning to think that a different medical condition at pre-school age may have rendered me slightly autistic. I'm aware there is little adults can do about ASD other than share their problem with others and continue adapting as usual. But that other medical condition might still be with me, and might even be more diagnosable than ASD. I note that a lot of ASD specialists are beginning to talk about it as a complex combination of many factors and disorders - some of which might respond to treatment. Perhaps then we need to think that ASD is an untreatable set of symptoms of some other underlying disorder/disorders some of which might be treatable, in part.

One remains hopeful, but some sort of diagnosis (however limited) might help. I'm putting a positive slant on it so far.

If you have reached retirement age perhaps you should consider enjoying retirement rather than worrying about whether you are 'mildly autistic'.

Even if you find someone willing to confirm your fears and give you the label I very much doubt it will change your life for the better.

Do you have any hobbies/interests ?

[Mexlark]

QUOTE Johnatong:

If you have reached retirement age perhaps you should consider enjoying retirement rather than worrying about whether you are 'mildly autistic'.

Even if you find someone willing to confirm your fears and give you the label I very much doubt it will change your life for the better.

Do you have any hobbies/interests ? UNQUOTE

Very good question, which I have already given a great deal of thought to in the last few weeks since I have finally admitted that it isn't just part of the normal burden of life. I've always thought it was depression, which had to be chased away with more concentration and seriousness at work. I have also long had a tendency to think of ASD as an imaginary disease, myself.

I have considered retiring soon and almost certainly will - because my main problem is and always has been that I get completely overloaded with incoming data in extreme social situations, and just basically freeze. And my job involves a lot of noise, complication and socialising. That is tending to get worse recently, which might just indicate that old age ALSO causes hearing problems and other mental confusions. But it seems that I'm not likely to succumb to either Alzheimer's or Parkinsonism any time soon - according to a neurologist.

But then again, I might also ask myself why fully retire anyway? Work does have its merits. Especially if you begin to remove the things that cause meltdown. Especially if you can make your work more in line with your real hobbies and interests.

I don't fear an ASD diagnosis at all. I also don't really fear NOT being diagnosed with ASD - although there has obviously been something wrong right from my earliest memories. Rather, even the very recent thought that it might be ASD has actually greatly lessened my worries. This worry would undoubtedly be worse if I continued to dismiss any problem out-of-hand. (I actually came to think ASD might be part of the problem a few weeks before all the recent publicity about Autism Awareness Week, but I was really heartened [during that week] to see a Youtube movie of a 71 year-old man telling the World that he had just been diagnosed as autistic - it was obviously a real weight off his mind.

I can happily live without the diagnosis. Especially if I have more contact with other people who have a similar experience. The label isn't really that important because I don't intend to wear it anyway. My somewhat autistic behaviour might just be an indication (a complex set of symptoms) of mental impairment caused by a severe metabolic problem in childhood. A diagnosis of that underlying metabolic problem may actually be more important - since my research indicates that it is a lifelong condition that could yet have other repercussions.

So retirement would likely be a clearing of the decks to be welcomed, and a diagnosis might ease that adaptation process - but may never happen and may not even prove to be desirable. The main thing is to admit something is a problem.

.

Edited May 4, 2016 by Mexlark

[Sheryl]

Whether what you describe is due to mild autism, anxiety, or other cause in any case the issue is how to deal with it. So why not just go into counselling? There are a number of good Western therapists here (see pinned mental health thread). Even if you succeed in putting a label on your problem, short term therapy is still going to be indicated so I suggest starting with that.

[Mexlark]

Whether what you describe is due to mild autism, anxiety, or other cause in any case the issue is how to deal with it. So why not just go into counselling? There are a number of good Western therapists here (see pinned mental health thread). Even if you succeed in putting a label on your problem, short term therapy is still going to be indicated so I suggest starting with that.

Thanks for that positive advice Sheryl. And it remains an option, which has also been recommended by another local specialist.

But I do have some reservations. I tend to like professionals who deal mainly with the factual stuff and who expect a fee commensurate with my income. The thing is also what could counselling possibly unearth that I haven't already figured out for myself in over 50 years of intense introspection. I have actually hit on a formula that helps me to deal with this already. What I perhaps hope to achieve here is to get some discussion going amongst what might be labelled neurodiverse expats and locals of similar experience. I can tell you there haven't really been any traumatic encounters with other human beings that I can now use as an excuse for being the way I am. Self therapy has shown me that there have been people who have tried to exploit the vulnerability that is probably part of my condition, but I have already basically sorted out to deal with such folks in a fairly positive and peaceful manner. In other words, I don't feel victimised. I just never received any useful information from others, because people just didn't do such things back then.

A diagnosis of my problem or its metabolic precursor might now almost be thought of as trying to seek some sort of closure, so I can move onto more positive times. I don't really think I would need to explore things much further after say a diagnosis or a diagnostic impasse, but I do think I need the companionship of a few people in similar situations. There is a comical side to this, and I do laugh quite a lot at things that happen, and would actually like to share that sense of fun.

To wit, a funny story. About 25 years ago I had a bit of a run-in with an occupational psychologist for a government retraining scheme. I think she had basically been called in to do a psychological profile on all the trainees, but I was probably given some special attention because I had recently had a slight tiff with another trainee. The situation seemed to have been deliberately set up to make me feel uncomfortable so I would present them with some kind of behaviour she could write a report about to earn her fee. The psychologist opened the proceedings by saying, "I think I know how it it is with you. You blow up all of a sudden, and then scarper, leaving other people behind in uproar". Perhaps not too far wide of the mark in those days, and I certainly got a bit disconcerted by her approach - but still managed to tell her politely that actually I had already largely learned to avoid getting myself in bad situations where my explosive temper came to the fore. But she was dead right that such tempers only lasted just a few seconds, before I deliberately doused them. The thing is that what I took away from that rather silly session was that I was probably a manic depressive - a thought brought on by my previously having had a manic depressive colleague. That faulty piece of deliberate misinformation and ensuing dodgy self-analysis has lived with me for over 25 years. I waited for her to then tell me what she thought might be the problem, but she never actually spelled it out. Presumably because she was purely engaged in achieving what she had been paid to do by the government, and she certainly wasn't going to now help me in any constructive way, because I wasn't paying her.

Perhaps that might indicate where the distrust comes from.

Edited May 5, 2016 by Mexlark

[Mexlark]

Of course there is a rather big problem with therapy anyway. Almost all the links on your medical links pages are hours away for me, even by plane. But I am close to a medical faculty, and my guess (based on generally positive past experience) is that there are specialists in this place who are capable of dealing with the ASD issue. With that in mind, I have been going through a few regular channels with doctors who have a good working knowledge of English, who are generally prepared to listen and who are aware of medical issues in a more global sense. I've been referred once already, and it was constructive in as much as it seems to have largely eliminated a few competitor disorders. But it seems that no one really wants to talk about ASD. Language barriers? Fear (American style) of litigation perhaps? And then perhaps something else, which is always best avoided. But perhaps something might turn up eventually. Hence the thought that a trip home is probably called for. Trips to Bangkok, talking to American doctors or in prestige Bangkok hospitals, might actually work out more expensive.

[Mexlark]

Perhaps one of the cheapest and quickest ways for someone to find out for themselves whether they are on the ASD spectrum is to post a lot of their intense thoughts in a forum thread and then see if drives all the other contributors either nuts or mute. Judging by this thread and other forums that I occasionally contribute to, that seems to be the case in my case. Apologies all around! You will be glad to know that I usually exit almost every forum after about only 5 days, having bored myself and the entire cohort to death.

There is an industry website I look at most days, but don't contribute to. One named contributor adds comments on each new subject, and his comments do tend to be a bit contradictory and edgy. He gets huge amounts of flak for it from other regular contributors, to the point where one tends to feel sorry for him. Then take a look at his Facebook page, and note that he lists himself as Asperger's - a term that seems to have gone out-of-date about 4 years ago when they started thinking of all these neurodiverse thingies as on the Autism Spectrum. And perhaps one very good reason to stop using the label Asperger's is to avoid all those boring stereotypes of monomaniacal brilliance. As they say, there may well be a sense in which almost everyone is on the spectrum - in which case there isn't much point any longer in stereotyping all autistics as similar to Dustin Hoffman in Rainman. It would seem most people with ASD feel that they are judged by the rest of the World as essentially useless, to the point that they get to feel that the public is probably right. But isn't that essentially how modern-day free-market capitalist societies work these days - there is a great deal of dodgy Social Darwinism thought around that tends to see all also-rans as total losers. So much so that you could probably call 99% of the global population born losers, and on the spectrum. But don't worry. Better times will trickle down soon, according to the free market witch doctors. If global warming doesn't get us all first. ;-)

My guess is it won't be too long before ASD is just thought of as a complex set of symptoms that interact with a whole load of other supposed disorders such as ADHD - and that the real causes that underlie those symptoms may often concern the individual's metabolism and his/her built-in ability to deal with our exponentially speeding-up lifestyles.

Soon, almost everyone can be on the spectrum! Perhaps Donald Trump really is one of the very few sane people left on the planet. But comfort yourself with the thought that what he does actually need you for is your vote, and to clean his penthouses.

Edited May 6, 2016 by Mexlark

[MissPurple]

I am a Registered Clinical Psychologist and just returned to Toronto from BKK, where I work and spend time every year. Either contact one of the "several clinics/centers in Thailand for children with autism", which you claim to know about (so why do you bother to air your concern on a general public forum, for such information when you can do the research yourself), a Psychologist or the Thai Psych Association to obtain the information you seek. There are psychologists in BKK who treat that particular affliction. Ask for a psychologist who specialises in adult autism, aka Aspergers. I have treated many in T.O. and BKK but cannot provide any details regarding who to contact in BKK as many of my files are there not in T.O. It is no more difficult to diagnose a male or a female. You provide no support to your claim; "I think I may be somewhere on the autism spectrum." Also, as an individual, it is virtually impossible for you to self-diagnose. It is not possible to be either "under or over-diagnosed," unless you do it yourself, and, as stated, that is practically impossible. Nobody should try to self-diagnose either medically, except for things like flu, cold, and the like, and the same goes for matters that are the concern of a psychologist. Finally, a word of warning. Do not go to a psychiatrist as they usually depend on a manual for diagnosing, unless they have adequate experience, and secondly, they usually treat nearly everything with medication.

Maybe you do not like or appreciate my comments but I do not pussy foot around as that only to prolongs the agony or non-conclusion to a situation.

"which you claim to know about (so why do you bother to air your concern on a general public forum, for such information when you can do the research yourself."

"You provide no support to your claim."

"Nobody should try to self-diagnose..." (as opposed to dx online).

"Do not go to a psychiatrist..." (medical advice?)

Maybe the OP doesn't care, but I think your comments, couched by a professional label, are provocative if not rude for a medical specialist. As a family member of an autistic person it disgusts me that you would post as you have, charging contempt with advice. It makes little difference if their are pearls within your post. When your deportment conveys such abruptness you achieve nothing. This post is instructive as it demonstrates that all professionals should not be taken out of hand, but considered on the merits of their clinical performance.

"Maybe you do not like or appreciate my comments..." I don't like but appreciate your comments. I appreciate them as evidence that anyone can get a degree if they remain in school long enough. Among the chief manifestations of autism is isolation, and emotional detachment/sensory dissonance. When a person (who must ensure their job title is correctly capitalized to impress the reader) with such a title flippantly talks to a person like this, I can only empathize for the patients. Consoling yourself that you are a straight shooter, who does not "pussy foot" around does not remove culpability for being an offensive.

I did care actually.

Reading that first post made me sad and also angry. I decided not to really respond on it further. It would only escalate I thought. But I am very happy for your response. I appreciate it a lot!

[Mexlark]

Nobody should try to self-diagnose either medically, except for things like flu, cold, and the like, and the same goes for matters that are the concern of a psychologist.

In the ideal world. And it isn't even just a case of money. Even some specialists try to avoid this topic. Understandable, given there are no real certainties.

But I sort of agree that perhaps it might be better to just think of it as I how do I solve my own problem without naming it. The message I'm getting is that there may be a point quite soon when even the letters ASD are redundant, because they describe a somewhat arbitrary category that is becoming so broad and convoluted that it might just end up explaining everything and nothing simultaneously. Expect other more specific terms to arise soon, I think - although they may also have a somewhat cocktail nature.

[Mexlark]

Perhaps you might want to inform us please which is/are the best clinic/s/center/s in Bangkok to visit for a referral in this matter. I have been through the provincial hoops on this one (although the last person I went to was a national figure). I got no further than the front desk, but the receptionist let me know it is a subject local specialists try to ignore because it takes too long to do and that eats into their profit from local patients. (And I suspect there are some other reasons too ;-) It would be great to know if a visiting specialist could do this, but it would also be great to have some idea how much time it is likely to take. But of course, that is an issue no one wants to say much about. And I also have huge issues with getting this done in my home country, because I have been too long away from it. Small wonder so many prefer to just self-diagnose and get on with their life.

I am a Registered Clinical Psychologist and just returned to Toronto from BKK, where I work and spend time every year. Either contact one of the "several clinics/centers in Thailand for children with autism", ........................

[Mexlark]

On 5/5/2016 at 7:36 AM, Sheryl said:

Whether what you describe is due to mild autism, anxiety, or other cause in any case the issue is how to deal with it. So why not just go into counselling? There are a number of good Western therapists here (see pinned mental health thread). Even if you succeed in putting a label on your problem, short term therapy is still going to be indicated so I suggest starting with that.

Sheryl, it was diagnosed in the home country by an experienced clinical psychologist. I paid for that diagnosis, as government health scheme is not usable by long-term expats. (In fact, that means you can't even use their otherwise free online advisory services.) The GAD and reactive depression were diagnosed locally, but after a few weeks of anti-depressants, I decided it was less risky to fix those myself. The local shrink wanted a year on medication before therapy was even remotely considered. And I can't say I really have any faith at all in either medication or therapy. I've heard numerous examples of people having difficulty getting off anti-depressants. And little evidence that they actually help anxiety either. and for autism they are essentially useless anyway. Bangkok therapists/counsellors are seemingly too expensive. I have zero debts and prefer to keep it that way. Low income is par for the course with this ..... condition. The diagnostician was actually excellent, and wasn't as expensive as some. It seems the industry doesn't like the label 'mild', and I tend to agree; the point being the longer you go on being undiagnosed/non self-identified, the more isolating it becomes. The great thing about being diagnosed young because of the comparative severity of your condition is that appropriate education can make all the difference. I'm sure the best thing for adult autistics here is the support of others in the same boat,  but it is a taboo subject here. I can sort of figure why it is taboo at this time in local history, but as certain international newspapers are frequently blocked here, I have no actual evidence to back up my hunch. And no desire to elucidate. I detect the shrink's reason for advising a year of medication first was purely and simply to keep me quiet for at least a year until the situation changed a bit. But I'm working on finding an appropriate network of friends. Things are actually looking up, but Bangkok is not exactly conducive to healthy sleep patterns, and noise is unlikely to get better any time soon. A change of location seems desirable.

Edited March 30, 2018 by Mexlark

[The manic]

On 4/26/2016 at 7:10 AM, Oxx said:

One thing that may help put your mind to rest is to do the Autism Spectrum Test. It was devised by Professor Simon Baron-Cohen, a researcher at Cambridge University who specialises in autism (and also happens to be the brother of Sacha Baron-Cohen, better known as Ali G and Borat). Anyway, this is a serious, scientifically designed and validated questionnaire, not some silly Internet "personality test", and is for adults. It's available online at:

https://psychology-tools.com/autism-spectrum-quotient/

The UK newspaper The Guardian had an article on this, yesterday and how to self diagnose. Depending on the severity autism is not necessarily an affliction nor is aspergers. The latter group are being recruited by savvy companies including security services 'idiot savant' syndrome.. Seeing the patterns you don't see. 

[Mexlark]

7 hours ago, The manic said:

The UK newspaper The Guardian had an article on this, yesterday and how to self diagnose. Depending on the severity autism is not necessarily an affliction nor is aspergers. The latter group are being recruited by savvy companies including security services 'idiot savant' syndrome.. Seeing the patterns you don't see. 

Thanks for that. It is both self-identified and formally diagnosed. I did quite a few of the online tests, but in my case I observed loads of lifetime events, and got others to comment on the time before I was too young to remember. Some people believe this is not worth the bother for an older person, but I think it gives you ownership of your own issues; so you don't constantly have to be told by others what they think is wrong. There is a positive side. There is a humorous side, but at retirement age one is not about to be snapped up by a headhunter agency looking for lateral-thinking coders. There are indications of learning difficulties and dyspraxia. I suppose I broadly fit into the high-functioning category, but I have always been made aware that I wasn't brilliant or commercially useful (Ha!, even as they employed me because I could do the job they wanted competitively). So I prefer to do stuff that develops my craft skills or pursue my own interests these days.

One thing that does appeal to me, however, is finding an organization that is pioneering DNA testing or MRI scanning. I have been told those will take decades to properly develop in this case, because of the numerous comorbidities involved. But I like the idea of playing a small part in such developments. Some people would say the problem with that is that the diagnosis might change to some other condition on or off the spectrum. But really that is not really a huge issue for me, because even if it eventually turned out not to be on the spectrum, I would still know for definite that my life wasn't entirely conventional. In fact, I am sometimes so conventional, unadventurous and unimaginative that most people find me very dull company. But I'm not about to change that too much, because that is how I have coped for so long. And it isn't always necessary to have a huge social network to enjoy life.

Edited March 31, 2018 by Mexlark