AFAB with ADHD and Autism: Seeking Advice on Diagnosis

Resting bitch face in my case. My parents didn’t admit it until it was said by a doctor, and even then they wouldn’t admit I’m autistic just that I have Asperger’s. I think it’s mostly my mom being her usual self, incredibly bitchy that is (I get it from her), but she also won’t admit that I really am autistic, not Asperger’s despite the obvious.

I fit all the traits but what popped out the most to me reading online was the extreme sensory pain and nonverbal shutdown but yea be warned getting a diagnosis can be a very dehumanizing process a lot of the “professionals” treat autism like it’s a problem that needs fixing

mostly SPD and social issues

Im sorry but im too burned to personalize my response. I hope its still helpful! “what i did was print out all the screeners grab some gel pens (it was supposed to be highlighters but ADHD said no🤦🏾‍♀️) and i assigned each color a specific response for example color 1: i currently experience this color 2: i used to experience this but not any more color 3: i need clarification color 4: i THINK i have or am experiencing this color 5: i am currently spending effort to mask or mitigate this Diagnostic screeners 1. https://taniaannmarshall.wordpress.com/2013/03/26/moving-towards-a-female-profile-the-unique-characteristics-abilities-and-talents-of-asperwomen-adult-women-with-asperger-syndrome/ 2. https://the-art-of-autism.com/females-and-aspergers-a-checklist/ 3. Current “official” diagnostic criteria https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/autism/hcp-dsm.html 4. Diagnostic criteria for aspergers a previously separate disorder that got combined with autism disorder to for autism spectrum disorder. https://iancommunity.org/cs/about_asds/about_asds_dsm_iv_criteria_for_aspergers_syndrome 5. Diagnostic criteria for Autism disorder pre- DSM V changes https://iancommunity.org/cs/autism/dsm_iv_criteria “ Another piece of advice. On the day of your evaluation appointment, go sleep deprived. Subconscious masking gets harder to maintain when we’re tired.

I am also going to try and test for ADHD since the same time at 17 she told my mom I had inattentive type, but wasn’t going to diagnosis me because I “was almost done with school/an adult so there’s no reason to give (me) a label that will (ableist stigma reason here)”

I’m currently searching for a place to get re-evaluation. Dx’d at 17 in high school after seeing a therapist for month for unrelated reasons (cough*transphobic*parents*cough). But I don’t have any of the paperwork with me or to give my current psych. (Who doesn’t do testing). It’s hard to find “autism services” for adults where I am that aren’t like…bad.

I went in for a Neuropsych evaluation at Viewpoint in MI, but I got tested for autism. I had brought it up with my therapist first then my dad called around places to see which place had the soonest appointment available. it was a long test blegh

I basically just insisted I had it in addition to ADHD until I got officially tested.

Same.. i actually got diagnosed by Vocational with “other specified neurodevelopmental disorder, with deficits in delayed auditory memory”… which in my opinion is just a long way to avoid saying asd 😒 as in i didnt hit all the right spots on the asd chart but im certainly something…. It was like pulling teeth just trying to get dx’d w adhd by my psych. Long awful story i had to go elsewhere and lo behold i certainly had it. Really just act yourself. No stim toys nothing. I was bored as hell and wigglin in my seat i didnt take my vyvanse and i got that dx. Just bored and uncomfy..

I’m not sure specifics. I was attending a special education school up until high school, so there was a psychologist and a psychiatrist in the building. I had to visit the psychiatrist after hallucinating really bad during a manic episode (bipolar disorder). This was soon after the loss of my stepdad. My parents thought I was autistic at a young age and originally they said I’m not but my psychiatrist was hearing me talking and watching me stim and obsessively draw in her office and looked at my parents and told them I was definitely autistic and they did some testing?

I'm in the same boat! My therapist also 100% thinks I'm also autistic, but they can't give a formal diagnosis, and I'm so nervous about being discriminated against when I try to get one, just for being AFAB and like, the fact that I was able to graduate college... so many professionals have such outdated ideas, like "oh, you got your degree? You can't struggle that much then, you're overreacting" 🙃🙃🙃