#professional diagnosis

[sys-polls]

- finn.

#finn🍄.txt #• [system polls] • #( #endos dni #sys polls #system stuff #traumagenic system #tulpas dni #did system #system #diagnosis #professional diagnosis #self diagnosis #self dx #sysblr #)

[desultory-suggestions]

19 years of my life

18 years since someone first noticed I was a bit different

8 years since I tried to tell my mom I felt different

7 years since my doctor told me it was probably nothing

6 years since I started guilting myself into thinking I was a liar

3 years since I started to accept that I wasn’t

2 months since I finally met a psychiatrist to test me

3 days since I was diagnosed with ADHD

1 day of finally starting to accepting myself

You know your mind and body better than anyone else. Lying is intentional. Please don’t give up on getting the care you deserve because you aren’t being heard. Someone is ready to listen to you.

#mental health #adhd #adhd diagnosis #self dx #pro self diagnosis #pro self dx #professional diagnosis #adhd positivity #actually adhd

[gender-hellbender]

Things I've had to do so far in attempt to get psychological testing (timeframe 1.5 months~?):

Call mental health department

Get told I need referral from therapist

Therapist says contact primary Dr

Primary Dr says call MH department

They say I need a psychiatrist

Have to wait for a call

Am called, get scheduled with psychiatrist

Go to appointment

Psych can only prescribe meds

Call MH department again

Wait for a call back again

Get appointment with another psych

Go to appointment

Psych can only approve me to move on to testing

Call & finally put in touch w/ clinic, but they don't do testing

I need to call a college???

Give up

#mental health #professional diagnosis #mental health diagnosis #adhd #asd #bpd #audhd #cptsd #ocd #gad #mdd

[chaosdisorganized]

I love when I type out a long ass post or ask then delete it all because I decided nobody actually gives a shit about what I have to say.

Anyways self diagnosis is the only reason I was able to get professionally diagnosed. I spent many years in the mental healthcare system, saw multiple professionals, none of which had much knowledge about dissociation let alone a dissociative disorder. I spent so many years confused and terrified by my own brain because I had no idea what was going on and every professional I saw didn't know what was wrong with me either. When I did research and learned about DID so many things started making sense. If it weren't for me doing that I would've never sought out a dissociative specialist, I would've wasted more time and money on uneducated professionals due to how stigmatized this disorder is even within the medical community. If you're anti self diagnosis you should block me rn, self diagnosis allowed me to access the care I need, it allowed me to access a professional diagnosis. I don't understand the negativity that surrounds self diagnosis, it literally changed my life for the better.

#vent #self diagnosis #dissociative identity disorder #actually did #actually system #professional diagnosis

[bambiraptorx]

There's a lot of discourse in the ND community about professional versus self diagnosis, but I think we also need to recognize that there are more than those two options.

For example, I don't actually know if I was diagnosed as ADHD or not. I know I was evaluated when I was six or seven. I don't remember the results. I don't know where I was evaluated. It's been long enough that the clinic or psychologist that did the evaluation would have destroyed the records by now.

I think my mom has a copy of the results from that eval somewhere--I know because I read it when I was about 12. I don't remember what it said. We have moved since then, so I don't know where that file is.

For all I know, I've had a diagnosis for twelve years. For I all know, I wasn't diagnosed at all.

I'm Schrödinger's Neurodivergent.

#self diagnosis #professional diagnosis #adhd #neurodivergent #diagnosed adhd #self diagnosed adhd #self diagnosers #possibly autistic #we also have to acknowledge that medical professionals sometimes refuse to diagnose a kid who doesn't fit the stereotypes #or that their parents can refuse to have them diagnosed #not to mention how many doctors intentionally misdiagnose people so they won't have Scary Labels #and that some people have one thing diagnosed but a bunch of comorbidities that aren't #getting all of the correct diagnoses from a professional can take years and sometimes it just isn't worth the effort/money/time #getting diagnosed is complicated

[grouchydairy]

This one's for autistic people who held space open in the community for others who chose to self-diagnose/self-label even if they personally went through the process of professional diagnosis for their own reasons. Holding that space for others is so key when the community can be so different in experiences, in resources accessible, in privilege.

#actually autistic #self-diagnosis #professional diagnosis #neurodiversity #neurodivergent #55764

[an-inkling-of-life]

Entry 04: December 03, 2022

So, on the 12th of November 2022, I finally received a formal diagnosis after my first consultation with a psychiatrist. The evaluations confirmed that I struggle with Generalized Anxiety Disorder, Social Anxiety Disorder, and Major Depressive Disorder. On one hand, I feel happy that I'm not simply overreacting about my problems; however, I fear the potential onslaught of ableism that may come my way if people knew. Not that they needed to know my diagnoses to give me ableist treatment anyway.

#inkellmanvents #tw: mental health #mental illness #mental health #tw: anxiety #anxiety disorder #generalized anxiety disorder #social anxiety disorder #major depressive disorder #professional diagnosis #depression

[disclaimer-performatico]

.

#so like I thought I was being presumptuous and blowing things out of proportion but after taking some tests #and conferring with friends I am starting to get the distinct impression that I might not be allistic #like certainly I might not be but the tests seemed legitimate enough and so much of my own experience with well life in general seems to #overlap with that of neurodivergent people who talk about theirs #I scored pretty high as well like high enough that statistically acording to the rsult explanations anyway nt don't score that high #but I mean it could always be that I am an outlier but on the other hand it would explain so much about myself #like on the one hand things I have struggled with might have led me to develop those behaviours but on the other it would make sense for #autism (or rather nt social systems vs my autism if there is) to be the reason I struggled to begin with #also like I would like to know but I don't think I necessarily want to get a formal diagnosis #like sure it would be nice to know but I don't know the potential repercussions and #as someone generally perceived as a woman misdiagnosis could very well be within the cards #like I do belong to various groups which are more statistically likely to be autistic but again I could just not be despite this #it still feels somewhat presumptuous to say I am because what if I'm just stereotyping but #it also feels irregular to dismiss the things that point towards it (and there is plenty that does) just on a lack of #professional diagnosis #anyway if anyone has any advice on this or has dealt with something similar and come to a conclusion I'd be happy to hear

[jophielthepoet]

Just got my professional diagnosis of autism, and while it was an important step reading the report was so uncomfortable. The doctor who wrote that talks about me like I was a lab rat, an oddity to study. It felt so dehumanizing. It felt horrible having every single details about me noticed and put in a report as a way of being like "Look, this individual acts in an abnormal way". Things I never thought about like my posture or my way of speaking (apparently I'm "monologuing" instead of dialoguing with others) were pinpointed. I just felt awful + they talked about my weight and how I should be on watch for obesity while it's literally irrelevant.

#autism #autism diagnosis #Professional diagnosis #actually autistic

[thelunarforest]

Hi! This is going to be a short talk about self diagnosis (specifically about general mental health diagnoses), feel free to ask questions, add your opinions, etc.

So: to get a few things out of the way, 1: Not everyone can get professionally diagnosed, whether it be due to lack of resources or lack of viable doctors, or lack of people willing listen in the first place, plus loads of other reasons. I'm sure you all know this by now, and if not, well now you do. 2: If you believe that people should self diagnose, then you probably also believe that adequate research should be put in before self diagnosis, though of course, how you might define "adequate research" varies from person to person.

So, I personally think that self diagnosis is good and a useful tool when used properly. But I'm kind of caught up on what "used properly" means. As mentioned before, you need to do research. But who's to say what "enough" research or doing the "right kind" of research means?

And what's the difference between self diagnosing and seeing a problem that you deal with and working towards accommodating yourself and helping yourself? But also, if the label fits, why not use it to describe yourself?

I personally feel like diagnosis in general is...

1: A way of explaining what's going on with you to yourself (in which professional diagnoses can be useful if you want to know, or need medication, but why shouldn't you notice a problem and deal with it as you see fit, regardless of a (self or professional) diagnosis? Why should someone need a diagnosis of depression in order to get therapy or ask others for help? I understand needing a professional diagnosis for medication, but if you aren't looking to get medication, then why not just deal with the problem? I think people are scared of asking for help when they feel like others have it worse than them, and getting a diagnosis is a way for them to prove to themselves that they deserve help, at least partially. Of course, there are other reasons to pursue a diagnosis, and not everyone feels the same way as what I just rambled about here.)

2: A way of explaining what's going on with you to other people, it makes things faster, and (sometimes) makes people be more understanding. (Though it's also important to note that a lot of people will not be understanding if you are not professionally diagnosed, which I think is sad.)

3: To get needed accommodations from workplaces or schools, or other places. (this one you might need a professional diagnosis for.)

4: To find resources of how you should help yourself, or how others should help you. Though, as mentioned before, in some situations you could probably look for help with specific problems, though in other situations how you treat the problem depends entirely on the diagnosis, which also makes getting a diagnosis, whether it be professional or personal a bit scary, as if you/they get it wrong, then you might be treating it the wrong way. At that point though, just changing the course of treatment would probably work.

Diagnosis in general is a tricky thing, because a diagnosis is just a categorization of complex tendencies that occur in people. You might get it wrong. Professionals might get it wrong. As long as what you're doing works, that's what matters. (at least to me)

Anyway, just felt like ranting about this a bit, but yeah, I'd like to hear other people's thoughts. (of course though, please don't hate on me or others. Sharing a different opinion is NOT the same as hating on someone, sharing your opinion is fine.)

#self diagnosis #self dx #professional diagnosis #psychiatric diagnosis #diagnosis

[babyspacebatclone]

I encountered this fascinating video on “Color Seasons for Fashion” at the same time I was contemplating diagnosis for Neurodivergent conditions, and wow did her final takeaway resonate with me:

Starting from timestamp 20:19:

So while it makes perfect sense why this is a modern trend, but it is important to note the origins of these [fad] systems come simply from color theory [an established and tested discipline, with applicability beyond what is being used in these fad systems].

And while you can… [try modern “quick bite” tests] that are supposed to be able to tell you, or go pay a professional to give you their opinion… the entire thing will come down to the same basic concept,

just distilled down into rules and regulations [intended to] make it a bit easier to understand

but, theoretically, are inevitably going to limit you in a lot of ways as well.

(emphasis and additions in square brackets mine)

The fact that the original writings of color theory not only take the time in the 1850s to apply the concepts to fashion - and very explicitly in a “Use these principles to minimize or emphasize traits you choose on a case by case basis” - but outright acknowledges that the colorings of different ethnicities would require different perspectives to bring out tones that would not be preferable to a European perspective.

As she had gone through the complaints about POC very regularly not bring represented in Color Season theories, it hurts to see what had been there being dropped because people thought it was “irrelevant.”

And, again, big resonance with current ND diagnosis, both “pop” and sadly professional.

From timestamp 16:29:

…they had long ago stopped quoting who it was from or even discussing where the origins of the theory came from.

So they had completely forgotten why they came up with these rules in the first place, and instead we’re just talking about the rules [like the rules outside of context mean anything at all].

(emphasis and additions in square brackets mine)

Anyway, fascinating watch for anyone into history, the hows and whys of the process of popularizing of concepts for profit, or just into fashion. 😊

#color seasons #color theory #actually neurodivergent #diagnosis #self diagnosis #professional diagnosis #diagnosis criticism #popsci #Youtube

[flirts-with-dragons]

The autism center finally called, now they're gonna start my testing process. Estimate was a year, it took 7 months in actuality. Faster than expected!

Theyre doing some forms first and giving us informational booklets, then I will be tested in-person.

The only reason I haven't been tested up until now is because I was born female 👍 and my mom used to be extremely ableist. Hopefully I can get this diagnosis and finally be able to say "I'm autistic" in regards to my needs. Although, I won't be able to go to New Zealand. Which is weird as fuck.

#autism #autistic #autism diagnosis #professional diagnosis #asd

[artisticdivasworld]

Understanding Adult ADHD: Identification and Management

I have a grandson with ADHD, and even though he is now an adult, he struggles with it. I know many adults with this condition, and I see them struggle daily to just get things done. Having ADHD as an adult is difficult because most people only see this condition as one for children, so adults with it rarely get or even seek help. It is unfortunate that many people live a life of constant…

View On WordPress

#Adderall #ADHD diagnosis #ADHD management #ADHD treatment #Adult ADHD #adult ADHD support #adult ADHD symptoms #Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder #behavioral therapy #Cognitive behavioral therapy #hyperactivity #impulsivity #inattention #neurodevelopmental disorder #professional diagnosis #Ritalin #stimulant medications #Strattera #support groups

[lunasalix]

Haven't read my entire diagnostic report yet, just the parts my neuropsych made me verify understanding of. Kind of want a day without anyone around to have time to really process what I read. There's so much there and I know from the little I did see that some of it will be hard to read.

#autistic #professional diagnosis

[queer-frenchmermaid]

To go back on the autism professional assessment, here are two links about getting diagnosed as an adult in Ireland (where I'll settle hopefully next year)

https://eptclinic.ie/full-autism-assessment/

So yeah, if you want it to be cheaper, it takes ages to get a meeting with a professional, and if you want to go through a private organisation to get there quicker, it costs over 2000€.

To all those who think diagnosis has no value unless it's made by a professional FUCK YOU.

People often get misdiagnosed by professionals as well and not everyone has 2200€ to spend in one go.

Thinking self diagnosis has no value is just classist as fuck, if you want people to get ''properly'' diagnosed, feel free to give people 2 grand in order for them to do so or shut the hell up

#adhd x autism #autistic women #autistic adult #autistic assessment #autistic diagnosis #professional diagnosis #classist #class issues

[studying-roxas]

I was visibly disabled. I was held down physically by teachers and family members. The discussion of diagnostic testing was first discussed apparently when I was four years old, but I was reading books from the third and fourth grade libraries at that age so the school told my parents not to have me tested (this was a Catholic school) because they could "fix me" and have me grow out of it. When again at the age of seven my first grade teacher said I should be tested, the principal of the school told my family that I was too smart to hold back, and that a diagnosis would prevent me from being in honors classes come time for high school. My second grade teacher was the worst with treatment towards me and attempting to stop my neurodivergent traits.

I instead was put into shitty speech therapy that only made my speech impediments and selective mutism worse, my parents were given a pamphlet on sensory processing disorder and coordination disorder, and I was pushed through.

When I mention to people that I switched between the gifted program and the special education program, they often act confused and don't believe that was a thing that could be done, but it was. I switched to public school when I was ten, and at that time speech therapy provided by the school was a part of the special education program, so I was officially out of the gifted program I had been in at my previous school and in the special education program. I got my diagnosis at thirteen, the testing spanning my birthday.

Nobody is trying to argue that late diagnosis means you must be invisibly disabled. My parents spent 9 years dragging me to doctors like speech therapists, neurologists for migraines and vocal/physical tics, and sensory processing issues without ever getting me properly tested because I was "too intelligent to risk the future of."

However, there IS something to be said about the difference between myself and a lot of people currently at the front of the autistic community, especially on TikTok, who just do not seem to relate to experiences such as mine at all. A diagnosis at thirteen is considered late diagnosis, in theory I should relate heavily to those people. But I can't.

When left alone, I do not eat causing malnutrition and weight loss. When I am prompted to eat, it is repetitive foods with low nutritional value as they are sensory friendly. I have self injurious stims such as hitting myself, involuntary vocal tics that trigger asthma attacks, pacing without watching my environment (I paced into the rode yesterday and my friend had to pull me back as I was almost hit by a car), hair pulling and skin picking, the list goes on. It's been days since I last brushed my teeth because my morning routine is near impossible to follow without instruction - instruction that caused me to constantly lash out in highschool but without it I cannot function. For my dorm, I put on YouTube videos of people cleaning as the often give step by step instructions of "first we are grabbing the cups off our bed, now the dishes and clutter on the desk" etc etc to clean. I have struggled since childhood to fall asleep and remain asleep so I am frequently tired. I rarely go to the dining hall because it is overwhelming.

My motor control issues that made me unable to tie my own shoes until my early teen years, and still cause trouble with fine motor control such as that, is objectively different from people who don't experience as many motor control issues. That being said, I'm an artist, and there are autistics who cannot write at all on their own. I can understand that, but it often feels like those of us with any level of motor control issue outside of being cutesy levels of clutzy are left behind and ignored. Some of my biggest disabilities are from my motor function issues, but it is rarely, if ever, discussed in the autistic community and the dyspraxic community is very small.

We in the late diagnosed community put out posts about how "autistics aren't low empathy, we actually have higher empathy than allistics" as if we aren't throwing people under the bus. I'm low empathy. I do not relate to others easily in the slightest, I don't even understand what the phrase "feel what others are feeling" actually means because it seems nonsensical to me. Those of us who are late diagnosed put out posts about masking, and how you'd never tell we're autistic and that's how most autistics are (I've seen many people on Tumblr and Reddit say most autistics appear neurotypical), but even when I think I'm masking incredibly well people can tell I'm autistic. Being visibly autistic is common and okay, we don't need to claim that most autistics actually don't look it.

We in the late diagnosed community throw other autistics under the bus constantly, including others who have late diagnoses. I've worked with an aid in middle school before I demanded my parents fire her (embarrassment and pride are powerful emotions), but I never see resources regarding finding an aid or working with one in our communities.

The community is already very rarely reflective of what makes us disabled as we feel so intensely that we must separate ourselves from how neurotypicals perceive us, and it is made even worse by those on tiktok.

People on TikTok are posting videos saying that autism isn't a disability and that we're just quirky. They post videos reacting to sounds with stimming motions that honestly are exactly how people used to mock my hand flapping and rocking. There are people who become downright offended when you mention that many autistics will never live safely on their own, even though it's true.

I will never be able to live fully on my own. I simply cannot care for myself to the extent needed. I have friends I made through DnD and and I'm in higher level education, but the mundane tasks of the day are inaccessible to me. Even with my accommodations, classes are inaccessible to me. I can count on one hand the amount of autism acceptance tiktoks I have seen discuss self accommodation for things such as switching tasks (one of my biggest struggles), but there are hundreds of videos of people talking about, for example, what the difference between an autistic special interest and an ADHD hyperfixation is. That's an important discussion to have, but those sorts of discussions are drowning out discussions on how to deal with a public meltdown when you have one, or ways to set up your room to best aid in executive dysfunction. There is a huge difference between the content we currently make, and content we should be making such as... What to do if it's been four days since you've last eaten anything and you still can't get your brain to work well enough to go get food or how to handle a situation where you have wandered off and are completely separated from your group (something that has happened to me many times over my life and never gets any less anxiety inducing). I have a medical bracelet stating I'm autistic that we got me after I had the cops called on me due to my autistic traits, but I still don't actually know what I would do should that situation arise again.

This is definitely long and rambly, and I lost my point part way through I think, but TLDR is that there is a severe disconnect between the content we in the community create and the content that we need to make. There is also the issue that, in trying to broaden the way autism is thought of, the pendulum has now swung in the other direction to display a single very specific depiction of autism that is someone who needs very little outside support and can instead self accommodate with relative ease. We have begun to try and argue that autism is not a disability, but I am disabled by my autism to the point that even with accommodations, I would remain disabled. We perpetuate ableism by attempting to distance ourselves from anything or any behavior that would make us nonpalatable to allistics.

#actuallyneurodivergent #actually autistic #self diagnosed autism #professional diagnosis #asperger's syndrome #aspie #actually aspie #im the autistic you see biting my arms and digging my nails into my ears until they bleed #apparently thats a tag i have used in the past??? #tagging that for reach but reminder that hans asperger was a nazi who sent children to die #autistic spectrum #asd #autism spectrum condition #autism special interest #pddnos #autistic pride #autistic culture #autistic adult #autistic adhd #actually dyspraxic #dyspraxia #coordination disorder #ableism #actually disabled #actuallyautistic #actually autism #adhd problems #actually adhd #actually nvld #pervasive developmental disorder not otherwise specified