getting a diagnosis--cost?

[Guest guest]

I have recently finally found a clinic that will diagnose adult

asperger's in my area. I'm curious as to how it compares in price. I

was told that it's basically one day of testing and interviews with 2

or 3 psychologists and that it will cost in the 1100.00 to 1800.00

range, U.S. dollars. Is this comparable to what others in the group

have paid? And, did having the diagnosis really help?

Thanks,

Kathy

[Guest guest]

kathyleecory wrote:

> I have recently finally found a clinic that will diagnose adult

> asperger's in my area. I'm curious as to how it compares in price. I

> was told that it's basically one day of testing and interviews with 2

> or 3 psychologists and that it will cost in the 1100.00 to 1800.00

> range, U.S. dollars. Is this comparable to what others in the group

> have paid? And, did having the diagnosis really help?

If you're shopping by *price*, you're on shaky ground. You should be

shopping for *proven competence*.

Among " commercial " mental-health " shops " , that's a *lot* harder to

find vs. adult dx, at any price. The older the adult, ...the harder.

The price seems to me low -- for an adult dx *claimed* to be highly

reliable.

Whether " diagnosis really helps " depends entirely on the purpose to

which you'll put it.

If you're looking to qualify for " services " of some sort, the dx

probably is *necessary* - therefor helpful IF it's positive.

If you're looking for peace of mind, then any dx positive OR negative

MAY further your understanding of the person in question.

Be careful with who knows the diagnosis: It can help in achieving some

desired goal, some purpose; BUT in other cases the " label " MIGHT be very

damaging to a person's future.

For example in my case I made *absolutely certain* there was NO WAY my

employers could find out. ...Until after I was securely retired, and it

no longer mattered.

- Bill, forever 49, dx AS

--

WD " Bill " Loughman - Berkeley, California USA

http://home.earthlink.net/~wdloughman/wdl.htm

[Guest guest]

Bill: If you're shopping by *price*, you're on shaky ground. You

should be shopping for *proven competence*.

Me: I agree.

Bill: Be careful with who knows the diagnosis: It can help in

achieving some desired goal, some purpose; BUT in other cases

the " label " MIGHT be very damaging to a person's future.

Me: Again, I agree with Bill. It might be helpful to tell an employer

when requesting reasonable adjustments under the law, but, alas, it

is easy to be over-optimistic about other people's capacity for

intelligent understanding and good will.

I chose to share my dx of PDD-NOS with family and close friends, or

friends I regarded as close, as I wanted people to understand that I

take a long time to get in touch sometimes because I am simply

socially overloaded and exhausted, and need lots of alone time,

rather then let them think I can't be bothered or don't value the

friendship. Family were great, and a few friends were great. But some

friends just didn't even acknowledge that I had trusted them with

such important and significant information. Maybe they just felt

embarrassed - but it left me feeling unacknowledged and unmet by

them, and wondering whether I should be investing my time in

more 'connected' friendships that meet my emotional needs instead,

and where I can comfortably talk about personal stuff.

So now I am much more reluctant to share this information with people

I know, in case it is not going to be treated with proper respect and

acknowledgment. Though at least it's a way of finding out which

friends one can really connect with.

Hope the above is helpful.

[Guest guest]

At 04:14 PM 1/9/2009, wrote re. discussing a dx.:

>... I am much more reluctant to share this information with people

>I know, in case it is not going to be treated with proper respect and

>acknowledgment. Though at least it's a way of finding out which

>friends one can really connect with.

I couldn't agree more with you, . On this list, I've repeated the

story of sharing information about my anxiety disorder with a close

acquaintance. I lost some credibility with him after that, and I felt

that even my strong qualities, eg. reliability, thoroughness, were

viewed as a manifestation of my anxiety disorder, rather than as

another facet of my (hopefully) good character.

It wasn't until much later that I learned his wife and daughter had a

mental illness, so when I disclosed my own challenge to him, he

projected his own perception of anxiety disorder on to me.

So now, I think a dx of an ASD (or a suspicion of an ASD) is

something you would treat as you would any other personal information

.... ie. only on a " need to know " basis, or only to be shared with the

closest friends. And sometimes you will still be surprised,

unpleasantly - or pleasantly - as to how supportive and mutually

respectful your friendship really is.

- Helen