What to expect, Please help, running scared

Hello. I am new to the forum and I am looking for some advice. I am 23 and people think I am autistic. My GP has referred me to a specialist who I am seeing on Friday. I don’t know what to expect. I am nervous. What will they do to me?
To sum me up I will list a few of my problems;
Hate loud or unexpected noises
Always counting things such as roof tiles, bricks in houses
Constantly fiddle with things that have funny textures
Obsess over things such as eating off the same plate / drinking out of the same cup
I have food fads and since the age of 10 have lived off toast, crisps, apples, chips, nuggets and vegetable fingers
Struggle to communicate in voice, can’t get the right words out.
Don’t recognise peoples feelings
Say dumb things. My parents told me my granddad had cancer and apparently I showed no emotion and just asked when he was going to die.
I like to have a routine and get annoyed and lash out when it is changed
Struggle to make and keep friends
People say I have an unrealistic sense of danger
Don’t understand jokes or see the point in make believe
Does any one else suffer from things like this?
Please help I am so so scared about going on Friday.
Thank you.

Alex

Is your appointment with a neurologist, psychiatrist, or psychologist? If who ever you see agrees with the AS/autism idea you'll be refered to a special type of psychologist that has a PhD in neuropsychology to be given a several hour long test to assess what type (if any) mental and neurological disorders you might have as well as various types of brain damage. You'll also be given a quick interview for him to assess your current psychological state and might be asked to answer what you know about things that relate to developmental disorders, for example when you started speaking, about forms of self stimulation, etc. If it is possible you might want to have your parents write some notes about your early childhood development for you to take along so they have informantion other than your own to go by. Also be understanding if your parents are upset by this, my girlfriend told me her mom cried for weeks when both she and her brother were diagnosed with ADD as children. Much like ADD, AS/Autism isn't something your parents caused or could have prevented - it is the way you were born.

hi to be honest you should'nt be scared of friday, i had to have a diagnoeses 3 weeks ago- im 14 and it was cool.
i was diagnoesed with adhd, and aspergers
i finally understand myself
good luck
x

It might help you to do some more surfing and compare and contrast the medical and social models of dis-ability, the medical model being where people are labelled as if there is something wrong with them, and the social model being more that people aren't disabled, it is society that dis-ables them, though lack of access to facilities and services and lack of understanding and acceptance.

It also might help if you ask yourself: would I be 'diagnosed' black or gay? If you're aspie, it's not you that's 'in the wrong'. it's a matter of making society accept us as who we are, just as Rosa thingymajig, the black woman on the bus did, just as gay people campaigned for homosexuality to be de-medicalised and accepted.

Would you feel ashamed or guilty or bad or in any way inferior if you were gay or black? Then why accept any such attitudes if you happen to be Aspie?

Most find that it's a relief to be diagnosed. Diagnosing isn't going to create something that wasn't there before, just explain it. Use the knowledge to your benefit.

There is nothing to fear... switch your perspective... your going to finally have someone address and help you with behaviors you have always found troubling or different from others! There is a big difference between Autistic Spectrum Disorder and being genuinely Autistic. Once you get a "label" it just makes it that much easier to treat the behaviors you don't like, and accept the behaviors your comfortable with. Your going to finally know the reason why you do what you do!!! Be happy!!! Coming to the realization that your not alone and there is a name for the way you act is usually quite comforting! There is absolutely nothing to fear when you are getting help!