Autism test

[Phil_Stein]

Here:
http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/9.12/aqtest.html

"In the first major trial using the test, the average score in the control group was 16.4. Eighty percent of those diagnosed with autism or a related disorder scored 32 or higher. "

I tried to be as truthful/realistic as possible - I got a 23. How about you?

Edit: Note that the article says that most people who are autistic score >= 32, not that most people who score >= 32 are autistic.

And yes, I *am* enough of a detail freak to add that clarification to the original post, even though I also mentioned it down below, and most folks would figure that out for themselves, anyways.

[Hawkeye Fierce]

I got a 10. I am Anti-Autism Man.

[Jason McMaster]

24

...

[Stroker Ace]

38! I like to crunch numbers in games, I can't carry on small talk, and I enjoy my alone time. I didn't consider my answers *too* carefully, so they could be off by +/- 10 I'd guess.

[Hetzer]

i got a 12... so im one of the sanest people????

[shang]

30 o_O

[Erik J.]

6

....

[Stroker Ace]

i got a 12... so im one of the sanest people????No; you suck at logic, patterns, numbers, and focusing.

[ElGuapo]

Psychologist Simon Baron-Cohen and his colleagues...

I'm not buying it, Borat's Dad.

[Nick Walter]

20, though I suspect I could have crossed 30 if you'd given me the test 10 years ago.

[Hawkeye Fierce]

6

....

Dammit.

[ElGuapo]

21 . . . hmmmm. I guess that's in the middle. Earlier in my life, I think I would have scored much higher, but I've become a thousand times better socially (or so I think) as the years have gone on.

[Troy S Goodfellow]

12

Troy

[madkevin]

20

...

[Lunch of Kong]

18, whatever that means.

[Enidigm]

29? ..

[Stroker Ace]

I cleared it and retook it 30 minutes later, paying attention to the degree of my responses. Still a 38.

[Drastic]

19. N-n-n-n-nineteen.

Also put me into the group that would probably have scored higher, say, a decade ago. I want to be stereotyped. I want to be classified.

[Bill Dungsroman]

Yeah Erik wins. I myself got a 9.

[Glenn]

24. Halfway between normal and autistic.

[Phil_Stein]

Note that the article says that most people who are autistic score >= 32, not that most people who score >= 32 are autistic - there is a difference...

[wisefool]

Standard I am-not-a-psychologist disclaimer.

This test seems geared for very mild autism symptoms. I have a family member with severe autism. He interacts better with a computer screen than with people. It is difficult for him to understand you are upset at his behaviour. He was stuffing jelly in CDROMs and hacking his way out of Locked Kid's mode in windows by the time he was 6. The whole bang head into wall thing in full effect.

This Wired test has questions that fall into these categories:

*I am shy, social awkward, kinda nerdy. About half the questions.

"17 I enjoy social chitchat."
"11 I find social situations easy."


*I like numbers and patterns as posters above point out.

Some of the questions seem more specific to autism and should
be weighted more IMO:

"It does not upset me if my daily routine is disturbed."
"When I'm reading a story, I find it difficult to work out the characters' intentions."

If you've already taken the test, pretend you're youngish social-awkward nerd that likes D&D, reads a lot of history, science fiction, etc. You'll have positive answers that correlate to their definition of autism.

[Glenn]

Note that the article says that most people who are autistic score >= 32, not that most people who score >= 32 are autistic - there is a difference...I didn't feel that that difference was particularly relevant to a quippy five word response.

"I often feel an overwhelming urge to correct trivial details during casual conversations." SA A D SD

[steve]

11, thank you cousin of Borat.

[Lorini]

31

But I'm not suprised.

Lorini

[Erik J.]

Yeah Erik wins. I myself got a 9.

I shall hold this over you forever, Bill. FOREVER. _I_ am the uber-mensch!

Erik J.

[Ed Solomon]

Nine.

[skedastic]

I got 11, but I also noticed patterns of repetitive questions during the test, and participating in this (virtually) social forum is making me anxious.

[Matt Perkins]

18.... almost not broken

[Stroker Ace]

Am I the reigning champ or is everyone else too embarassed to ID on the high end of the scale?

[madkevin]

What do you care? It's not like you can feel anything anyway.

[Stroker Ace]

Too true.

[Bill Dungsroman]

I'd hug you Stroker, but you'd just cry and run away.

[Stroker Ace]

I'd hug you Stroker, but you'd just cry and run away.No, I'd try and hug you just the right amount to not make you feel weird, then back away and look sideways and mutter something.

[Odysseus]

25

The internet needs a test like this for Asperger's, but one that always tests positive no matter how you answer. It would make a lot of people very happy.

[LesJarvis]

I had the same problem with this as I have with all of these types of questionaires, i.e. poorly worded or ambiguous questions and an answer system that didn't reflect my actual responses too well. I scored a 30 though, so I guess I'm a bit on the nutty side.

[Mark Crump]

I scored a 28. Mostly because I'm not socially outgoing.

[Robert Sharp]

These things are so silly. As if shyness equates to autism. Tests like this are exactly what's wrong with modern medicine.

[Hawkeye Fierce]

These things are so silly. As if shyness equates to autism. Tests like this are exactly what's wrong with modern medicine.

I think equating this test with modern medicine is a strong sign of autism.

[Rimbo]

10.


Wisefool's observations are spot on; this test is by no means a replacement for a proper psychiatric examination.

[LesJarvis]

As if shyness equates to autism.

Yeah, that was my general sense. I'm antisocial and reasonably good with numbers and maths so I scored a high number, but I don't think I'm remotely autistic.

[antlers]

20

Yes, wisefool had it right. I don't think "shyness" is part of the autistic spectrum, and overinterpreting the results would lead you that way.

Someone with social anxiety disorder might score quite high.

[Warning]

24 for me.

I do tend to keep to myself or with just my family but that's because I'm a mental health therapist and spend all day talking to people. I don't much want to do that when I'm "off-duty".

[Phil_Stein]

I've got a few other symptoms that I think likely indicate a mild bit of Autism/Asperger's...

I am very much of a fidgeter - need to have my hands busy with something. For the last few years it's been Post-It notes - making little origami triangles and the like out of them. Before that it was paper clips, doodling, and probably some other things.

I'm also not sure if this indicates anything along the Autism/Asperger's spectrum, but I have what I believe to be a pretty huge disconnect between my numerical skills/fact recall, and my face/name recall (i.e. I think I'm well above the norm in numerical areas and well below it for face/name recall...)

Fortunately, I don't do the Bill Gates chair-rocking thing. :)

[Nellie]

I scored 27, but then I about 2 questions into it I figured I'd end up with "Congratulations Dustin, get thee to a casino." so I just lied about being a social animal given that there wasn't a "if pubs stopped selling alcohol you'd probably never see anyone outside of work again would you?" question.

I'm a data analyst, of course I see patterns in things, remember numbers, like collecting information etc etc etc

[Patrick]

15 for me.

[Tyjenks]

16 - what does this mean again?

[Stroker Ace]

It means you fall in the center of the Borat autism spectrum.

[steve]

16 - what does this mean again?
Seek medical attention immediately!

[Rimbo]

Yeah, that was my general sense. I'm antisocial and reasonably good with numbers and maths so I scored a high number, but I don't think I'm remotely autistic.

I think there's a difference between being good at numbers and mathematics and liking them. I don't find numbers fascinating. Even back when I could do figures in my head faster than my classmates could type them into a calculator, although I did (still do) feel special to be able to go so fast, I don't enjoy it.

[LesJarvis]

I think there's a difference between being good at numbers and mathematics and liking them. I don't find numbers fascinating. Even back when I could do figures in my head faster than my classmates could type them into a calculator, although I did (still do) feel special to be able to go so fast, I don't enjoy it.

Well for my part I do enjoy them, but I still don't think I'm autistic.

[Robert Sharp]

I think equating this test with modern medicine is a strong sign of autism.

:P Good point. What I mean is that we are too quick with our judgments based on tests that have multiple interpretations. I didn't really mean this test per se.

[jpinard]

27.. but I probably got some of the questions wrong. ;)

[SpoofyChop]

19. N-n-n-n-nineteen.



It's an Autism test not a stuttering test.

I got a 24.

[SlyFrog]

30, though I really don't like taking tests with circles that you fill in; they should be squares that get checked off.

[playingwithknives]

30. Probably should be higher but I fight my shyness/foibles/eccentricities to a certain extent.

[Jojo]

18. I guess that's good then.

[fuzzyslug]

14. I knew I was normal. Somewhat.

[Fugitive]

32. Which probably isn't too significant. Even if it is the second power of two neighboured by twin primes.

Edit: Oh wait, no it isn't. Man, I suck at being autistic...

[Hawkeye Fierce]

:P Good point. What I mean is that we are too quick with our judgments based on tests that have multiple interpretations. I didn't really mean this test per se.

Absolutely. But stuff like this does provide amusing forum diversions.

[Enidigm]

I am very much of a fidgeter - need to have my hands busy with something. For the last few years it's been Post-It notes - making little origami triangles and the like out of them. Before that it was paper clips, doodling, and probably some other things.

I'm also not sure if this indicates anything along the Autism/Asperger's spectrum, but I have what I believe to be a pretty huge disconnect between my numerical skills/fact recall, and my face/name recall (i.e. I think I'm well above the norm in numerical areas and well below it for face/name recall...)


Ah, heck. I fidget like an electron. Along with my high score, does this mean i'm doomed?

(I drum insessently with my hands, feet, and fingers to inaudible rythms. Worst of all, though, is that i sometimes drum with my teeth...)

[Dave Markell]

28. My wife and I both suspect I have borderline Asperger's Syndrome; this test points in that direction as well.

[Tim Partlett]

8.

I'd have definitely scored higher when I was a teenager, but I don't think I was any more autistic then.

[chet]

I cleared it and retook it 30 minutes later, paying attention to the degree of my responses. Still a 38.

I think this gives you a 40.

[Stroker Ace]

Can you propercase your name? It's been driving me nuts for 4 years.

[SqueakyFoo]

19. I guess this means I'm mostly normal?

[Charles]

18. I'm slightly more normal than Squeaky.

[noun]

30. Yay, I'm fucked up, too.

[Ben Sones]

I want to take the test, but I'm currently too busy organizing all of my pens (first by color, then then length, then alphabetically by name of retraction mechanism).

[Fugitive]

What the hell... I just noticed that there isn't even any differentiation between 'slightly' and 'strongly' responses in the scoring.

[Hawkeye Fierce]

What the hell... I just noticed that there isn't even any differentiation between 'slightly' and 'strongly' responses in the scoring.

Noticing that adds 8 points to your score.

[Mano]

Agree: 4,5,12: 1 point
Disagree: 29,49: 1 point
Score: 5

Anyone know what the disagree/agree is supposed to mean?

[Stroker Ace]

I think you're supposed to answer all of them.

[Moore]

29...

[dannimal]

30. At least it's a good number. 29 or 31 would have bothered me.

[fire]

30. At least it's a good number. 29 or 31 would have bothered me.
What do you have against primes?

Edit: What's special about this number? (http://www.stetson.edu/%7Eefriedma/numbers.html)

[RichVR]

15, meh.

[Timemaster Tim]

25, but I put it down to being not comfortable in social situations.

[Aeon221]

I think the scores have more to do with whether you chose strong answers. I chose very few strong answers and ended up with a 7. I have not been to a party/bar in a year, and therefore I doubt I should have something that low. I also have a long standing aversion to strongly deciding either way on a subject.

Based on the last screen, I believe that someone who feels strongly either way is more likely to get a high score.

[shift6]

I was going to take the test but Wapner's on at 7... gotta watch Wapner at 7....

Also: awesome link fire.

[dannimal]

What do you have against primes?

Edit: What's special about this number? (http://www.stetson.edu/%7Eefriedma/numbers.html)

It's odd (no pun intended?). I don't have anything against primes. I love them (and, sadly enough, I noted to myself that both were prime AND that someone would probably point that out). I love them, when thinking about mathy-stuff. Greatest Prime ever? Optimus. Then, 2. 29 and 31 are pretty solid primes in their own right. My mom is 29 years old (and never gets older). Baskin Robbins has 31 flavors, and Jamoca Almond Fudge is AWE-SOME.

However, my OCD/pseudo-Autism/Internet Cool-Asperger's/social anxiety whatever plays trump here.

On scales/number lines, I like multiples of 5. It bugs me to have the TV volume at 33. 30 or 35 please (or, 10 or 15 on the office TV).

I'm going back to therapy, now.

[Brendan]

14. Bland and unspecial in every way. As usual.

Sob.

[Nellie]

I think Asperger's is going to be the "in" syndrome for bored middle class americans to have this decade and it ties in with the therapy fad as well. They can happily pay their therapists $100 an hour to be told that not only are they mildly depressed, but mildly autistic as well and here, have some more expensive pills to help you cope with it.

Shock horror, IT workers, in an industry that values skills like numeracy, attention to detail etc score highly on a basic test that autistic people also score highly in, stop the press!

[SlyFrog]

I think Asperger's is going to be the "in" syndrome for bored middle class americans to have this decade and it ties in with the therapy fad as well. They can happily pay their therapists $100 an hour to be told that not only are they mildly depressed, but mildly autistic as well and here, have some more expensive pills to help you cope with it.

Shock horror, IT workers, in an industry that values skills like numeracy, attention to detail etc score highly on a basic test that autistic people also score highly in, stop the press!

Well, yes, that is possible, I suppose. Having considered whether I have it myself, I have also realized that to the introverted layman geek it is a bit of a "sexy" disease. It explains why you are antisocial in a more comfortable way than just admitting you don't put much effort into being social or are a jerk, and has the cool side effect of meaning you concentrate really well and are wicked sharp at analytics.

I understand that is a hackneyed summarization, but I do think that is part of the allure of finding an Asperger's diagnosis acceptable and a relief. It conveniently explains why you never got invited out to the rock quarry back in high school without having to acknowledge that it was really because you were an antisocial dick.

[Lorini]

I think Asperger's is going to be the "in" syndrome for bored middle class americans to have this decade and it ties in with the therapy fad as well. They can happily pay their therapists $100 an hour to be told that not only are they mildly depressed, but mildly autistic as well and here, have some more expensive pills to help you cope with it.

Shock horror, IT workers, in an industry that values skills like numeracy, attention to detail etc score highly on a basic test that autistic people also score highly in, stop the press!

This is such a typical reaction to mental illness. Mental illness is not fun not trendy not easy. Those expensive pills you mention sometimes only give temporal relief and the ill person is stuck still sick, and battling folks like you on top of it. Somehow if the mentally ill person had a congestive heart failure, that would be worthy of sympathy and help, but having severe major depression is "all in his/her mind" and they should "just get over it" and stop being "middle class trendy". Mental illness can be traced throughout history, long before a "middle class" and many people have lost their lives to it. But of course according to you, they were just being fashionable.

One day, mental illness may affect someone you love (or may be affecting them now, but they are too ashamed/embarressed to tell you). Hopefully you'll get a clue and be able to respond with a little more support. Probably not, but there's always hope.

Lorini

[Nellie]

This is such a typical reaction to mental illness.

It's not a reaction to mental illness at all, it's a reaction to the growing number of people convincing themselves that they've got a mental illness/condition more or less unheard of 5 years ago because it loosely fits their behaviour.

My GF is a therapist for disturbed chidren, whether "disturbed" because they've been abused, are having other difficulties or because they are simply mentally ill so I'm perhaps slightly more aware of the effects and consequences of mental illness and how therapy/treatment works and is viewed than you might think.

That still doesn't mean that I don't think there are a lot of people about happy to label themselves as having Aspergers because it's a lot more interesting than just admitting you're a bit socially awkward and good at remembering numbers.

[edit] I think Slyfrog sums it up quite nicely.

[Odysseus]

Come on, now, Nellie wasn't criticizing all mentall illness. He was specifically criticizing the American middle class, and our tendency to self-diagnose mental illnesses. We, in turn, get to make fun of British dental care.

[Nellie]

He was specifically criticizing the American middle class, and our tendency to self-diagnose mental illnesses.

You might have to blame your exported media entertainment in the 90's for the perception that huge swathes of middle class Americans are in therapy and on Prozac for seemingly trivial reasons.

[Bill Dungsroman]

This is such a typical reaction to mental illness. Mental illness is not fun not trendy not easy.
Yes, the unfun, difficult bits are what make it so trendy. Oooooh, loookit meeee, I have a mental illllness! Everything is harder for meeeeeee! Feel bad now. NOW!



Those expensive pills you mention sometimes only give temporal relief and the ill person is stuck still sick, and battling folks like you on top of it.
"Battling?" You mean exploding into sudden tears over a half-assed LOL YANQUIS joke? From Nellie? Have you seen him? He looks like Rowan Atkinson and Frank Miller's love child, poor sod.



Somehow if the mentally ill person had a congestive heart failure, that would be worthy of sympathy and help, but having severe major depression is "all in his/her mind" and they should "just get over it" and stop being "middle class trendy".
Diagnosis: gay. I think I see the disconnect here. See, lots of people lay claim to having some mental illness, when they actually do not. People occasionally do this with actual illnesses, as well. They exaggerate them or sometimes make them up from whole cloth. I once dated a chick in high school who had leukemia, and used to feign worsening conditions whenever she did something wrong to avoid blame. I had a buddy who used to fake petit mal seizures to get out of work. I knew a dude who tried to make people feel sorry for him by saying he had cirrhosis.

Now, you can't equate those people with people who have an actual disease, just like you can't take humbrage if you have a legit mental illness because there are people who are desperate to find some defect within them that allows them to point at it and go Yes, that's it! See, that's why I am this way! Blameless! Nobody seriously suggests mental illness doesn't exist entirely, just that more people lay claim to having it than rationally have a right to. Do you argue that?



Mental illness can be traced throughout history, long before a "middle class" and many people have lost their lives to it. But of course according to you, they were just being fashionable.
Wow. Are you really attacking Nellie for overgeneralizing and then forcibly hoisting yourself on your own petard? YOUR TACTICS INTRIGUE ME.



One day, mental illness may affect someone you love (or may be affecting them now, but they are too ashamed/embarressed to tell you). Hopefully you'll get a clue and be able to respond with a little more support. Probably not, but there's always hope.
This part of your post must really embarass you after reading Nellie's reply. Remember, even the most USENetworthy putdown can be trumped.

[Nellie]

He looks like Rowan Atkinson and Frank Miller's love child, poor sod.

Bastard, I need therapy to cope with that jibe.

[Odysseus]

You might have to blame your exported media entertainment in the 90's for the perception that huge swathes of middle class Americans are in therapy and on Prozac for seemingly trivial reasons.

The media exaggerates for dramatic effect, but it's more or less true. Have you seen our pharmaceutical ads for antidepressants? We encourage people to self-diagnose and to harrass our doctors for the latest breakthrough drug.

[Sidd_Budd]

See, lots of people lay claim to having some mental illness, when they actually do not.
...
Nobody seriously suggests mental illness doesn't exist entirely, just that more people lay claim to having it than rationally have a right to. Do you argue that?
I don't want to derail this thread, especially since test results indicate many posters have difficulty switching their attention, but I'd be interested in exploring this. Do many of you folks know people who are actively seeking mental health treatment (taking psychiatric medication and/or seeing a therapist), yet you feel have no disorder? I'm biased because of my profession, but the vast majority of people who I've evaluated in intake clinics had symptoms severe enough for a formal diagnosis. In my own life, I can only think of one person who I feel exaggerates her mental health symptoms and is actually persuing treatment.

I think it may be likely that some people overdiagnose themselves and then use the label as a convenient excuse to not make any changes in their lives, including seeking treatment for their label. So at the bar after their latest C-, they chalk up their poor study skills to adult ADD (diagnosed by chatting up a cute co-ed who got a B in abnormal psych two years ago), are comforted by the rationalization, and order another round without making any plan to get formally evaluated.

Generally though, the accepted wisdom in mental health is that there's still underutilization of resources. We've made some advances -- lots of campuses now run depression awareness weeks, since this condition is often ignored.

It's a bit of a disconnect for me, because popular media does often show self-absorbed people popping Xanax and talking about therapy appointments, but I don't know any of those people in real life. I've run into many more cases where a friend or acquaintance seemed to have some legitimate issues, but didn't seek treatment because of stigma associated with mental health treatment, than ones where people were needlessly utilizing resources.

[Bill Dungsroman]

I don't want to derail this thread, especially since test results indicate many posters have difficulty switching their attention, but I'd be interested in exploring this. Do many of you folks know people who are actively seeking mental health treatment (taking psychiatric medication and/or seeing a therapist), yet you feel have no disorder? I'm biased because of my profession, but the vast majority of people who I've evaluated in intake clinics had symptoms severe enough for a formal diagnosis. In my own life, I can only think of one person who I feel exaggerates her mental health symptoms and is actually persuing treatment.

I think it may be likely that some people overdiagnose themselves and then use the label as a convenient excuse to not make any changes in their lives, including seeking treatment for their label. So at the bar after their latest C-, they chalk up their poor study skills to adult ADD (diagnosed by chatting up a cute co-ed who got a B in abnormal psych two years ago), are comforted by the rationalization, and order another round without making any plan to get formally evaluated.

Generally though, the accepted wisdom in mental health is that there's still underutilization of resources. We've made some advances -- lots of campuses now run depression awareness weeks, since this condition is often ignored.

It's a bit of a disconnect for me, because popular media does often show self-absorbed people popping Xanax and talking about therapy appointments, but I don't know any of those people in real life. I've run into many more cases where a friend or acquaintance seemed to have some legitimate issues, but didn't seek treatment because of stigma associated with mental health treatment, than ones where people were needlessly utilizing resources.
Where do you live, Sidd? I'm born and raised here in Vegas, and I can't swing a bipolar cat without hitting half a dozen people like that. This may only serve as anecdotal evidence, but I have met people laying claim to either physical or mental illnesses.

Funny thing is, it's my experience that people downplay any mental conditions in the clinical setting, or perhaps it merely seems that way as I have met more people casually with self-proclaimed mental problems and have seen more people in the clinical setting claiming health problems.

Interestingly enough, this also happens in a sort of concert, almost like a wistful, anxiety-induced Munchausen's Syndrome. I once saw a lady in clinic who burst into tears over fears of having stomach cancer (which is pretty rare as far as cancers go and she had zero family history of it), yet literally laughed me off when I mentioned that if cancer was a concern of hers, maybe she ought to think about not smoking a pack and a half of cigs a day.

My summation: people are weird and do weird things, have weird beliefs, and weird outlooks on life. To assume nobody feigns mental illness (as it easier to feign than, say, a double amputation) would be absurd in my opinion, because that is at least as equitable as claiming nobody does the same for physicial illness, which is just not true.

[pms]

25, but I put it down to being not comfortable in social situations.

24, but I put it down to hating other people

[Sidd_Budd]

This may only serve as anecdotal evidence, but I have met people laying claim to either physical or mental illnesses.
...
My summation: people are weird and do weird things, have weird beliefs, and weird outlooks on life. To assume nobody feigns mental illness (as it easier to feign than, say, a double amputation) would be absurd in my opinion, because that is at least as equitable as claiming nobody does the same for physicial illness, which is just not true.
Sorry if my previous post suggested I believe *nobody* feigns mental illness; I agree with you that some folks do. I'm interested in the extent to which people believe it occurs, and how they come to that conclusion.

If I knew enough about message boards to make a poll, it would be something like: If you agree with the claim that many people erroneously believe they have a diagnosable mental illness, what's the strongest source of evidence for this view?
1) many personal friends & acquaintances who claim conditions, have gotten a professional to go along with it, and are needlessly taking pills or going to therapy to try to reduce symptoms
2) news articles and stories claiming overdiagnosis and featuring more interviews with people exaggerating conditions than people with legitimate disorders (to make it sexy enough for primetime)
3) many personal friends & acquaintances who claim conditions, but to your knowledge aren't doing anything to change their condition
4) television shows and movies with fictional characters that exaggerate conditions, pop pills at holiday gatherings, and have overintellectuallized interchanges with their therapists before sleeping with them

I believe category 1 is likely to be the strongest anecotal evidence; relying on other categories would inflate the extent to which people exaggerate mental issues. I have very few instances of category 1 in my own life, and was interested in hearing from others. So Bill, in your experience, are the people laying claim to mental illness seeking treatment, or do they label their problem and then do nothing to change their life (category 1 or 3)?

[dannimal]

Had that been a poll, I'd have voted 3, although it'd be more "acquaintances" than friends.

Psychological hypochondria, I guess.

[Bill Dungsroman]

Sorry if my previous post suggested I believe *nobody* feigns mental illness; I agree with you that some folks do. I'm interested in the extent to which people believe it occurs, and how they come to that conclusion.

If I knew enough about message boards to make a poll, it would be something like: If you agree with the claim that many people erroneously believe they have a diagnosable mental illness, what's the strongest source of evidence for this view?
1) many personal friends & acquaintances who claim conditions, have gotten a professional to go along with it, and are needlessly taking pills or going to therapy to try to reduce symptoms
2) news articles and stories claiming overdiagnosis and featuring more interviews with people exaggerating conditions than people with legitimate disorders (to make it sexy enough for primetime)
3) many personal friends & acquaintances who claim conditions, but to your knowledge aren't doing anything to change their condition
4) television shows and movies with fictional characters that exaggerate conditions, pop pills at holiday gatherings, and have overintellectuallized interchanges with their therapists before sleeping with them

I believe category 1 is likely to be the strongest anecotal evidence; relying on other categories would inflate the extent to which people exaggerate mental issues. I have very few instances of category 1 in my own life, and was interested in hearing from others. So Bill, in your experience, are the people laying claim to mental illness seeking treatment, or do they label their problem and then do nothing to change their life (category 1 or 3)?


I would have to go by personal experience, 3 > 1 > 2 > 4, most likely.


FYI to make a poll thread you have to submit your post first, and then make the poll while everybody is all WHERE'S THE POLL?

[Flowers]

In my experience, the uncontrolled truly fucking nuts either try to hide it or deny they are nuts. You can be totally out of your goddamn tree and know it, however, but recognizing that you need help in the first place usually requires some help.

Exactly.


They need humans with high levels of potassium to have to do what they want.

[Dave Markell]

It's not a reaction to mental illness at all, it's a reaction to the growing number of people convincing themselves that they've got a mental illness/condition more or less unheard of 5 years ago because it loosely fits their behaviour.

As the first person in this thread to mention Asperger's in connection with my own mental state, I decided to chime in here. I've worked with children diagnosed with Asperger's in educational settings before it became "trendy" and...they're me. Or rather, they're me 25 years ago, before lots and lots of practice at social skills, trying to limit my strong tendency towards obsessive perseveration, and recognizing other people's emotional states. That's the only real treatment for the condition--there's no equivalent to Prozac for Asperger's, so self-diagnosing and dashing off to your local prescription-happy general-practicioner isn't going to get you meds.

Still, recognizing the condition is important, particularly in school settings. Here's just one example: assigning group projects to students with Asperger's is a guaranteed disaster. If the project concerns one of their narrowly delimited areas of obsessive interest, they'll totally dominate the group and severely limit the other students' learning. If the project doesn't interest them, it's nearly impossible to motivate them to participate. Since the vast majority of students with Asperger's are undiagnosed (I've seen estimates that 10% or less are recognized for what they are, which makes the self-diagnosis angle more plausible), the burden of accomodating their needs falls on the teacher instead. Teachers with typical class loads can expect to have an Asperger's kid or two every year, but they'll almost never know about it in advance.

[Flowers]

If pretending you have abnormal brain chemistry just to get more attention from yourself seems a bit extreme, I should inform y'all that your problems may also be related to childhood trauma. That way, you get to be a nitpicky bitch and get sympathy as a victim.

I say this because I have no respect for professions outside of exotic dancing and surgery.

[shift6]

One day, mental illness may affect someone you love (or may be affecting them now, but they are too ashamed/embarressed to tell you).
Mental illness affects me every day that I log in to QT3.


I don't want to derail this thread, especially since test results indicate many posters have difficulty switching their attention, ...
Awesome.


...but I'd be interested in exploring this. Do many of you folks know people who are actively seeking mental health treatment (taking psychiatric medication and/or seeing a therapist), yet you feel have no disorder?
There seems to be quite an increase in the rate of diagnoses of mental problems in suburbia, which I question on the face of it; for instance that every kid now has some clinical ADD as opposed to being just kids, or that every soccer mom needs a prescription to deal with stress, or that every hard working bachelor/ette has issues requiring therapy.

On the other hand, perhaps the diagnoses are more or less legitimate but it is the method of dealing with them which is too much: eg. full-on prescription drugs for every halfway mild case of something. It's practically a pop culture joke/reference now to refer to a soccer mom's Xanax or a rambunctious kid's ADD meds or some lawyer's three therapists.

I would also relate the third example in some tangential way to everyone having childhood issues that need "resolution".

Looking later in the thread: IM IN UR POLL PICKING OPTIONS 1 AND 4.

[dannimal]

or that every hard working bachelor/ette has issues requiring therapy

Honestly, I tend to think that a vast majority of the population would benefit from therapy. Being able to talk to someone who's purpose is to listen, not judge, and who's skilled at responding and/or helping you keep talking is a good thing.

Granted, I don't think that everyone "has issues" that *require* therapy. There's still a lot of stigma tied to being in therapy, and people tend to trump up reasons for it.

[RichVR]

Honestly, I tend to think that a vast majority of the population would benefit from therapy. Being able to talk to someone who's purpose is to listen, not judge, and who's skilled at responding and/or helping you keep talking is a good thing.

Granted, I don't think that everyone "has issues" that *require* therapy. There's still a lot of stigma tied to being in therapy, and people tend to trump up reasons for it.

OTOH, I'd venture to guess that a large number of "talk therapists" have no problem listening to people bitch and moan for a 45 minute hour at whatever ridiculous rate they charge, and do little or nothing to actually help their "patients". And while a large percentage might be psychological hypochondriacs, the people with real problems are led to believe that they have to talk and pay for 10 or more years to even get near their "root issues". And since the common understanding of this kind of therapy is that the therapist (psychiatrist, psychologist) is not supposed to make suggestions, they're screwed.

This is just my perception. Prove me wrong.

[Dave Markell]

the people with real problems are led to believe that they have to talk and pay for 10 or more years to even get near their "root issues".

This only occurs is old-school psychoanalysis, which is pretty uncommon today. Results-oriented behavioral and cognitive therapies are the standard. Counseling still plays a role, but the ten-year bit is pretty much limited to self-indulgent socialites and celebrities who think there's cachet to be gained from such fripperies.

[Sidd_Budd]

And while a large percentage might be psychological hypochondriacs, the people with real problems are led to believe that they have to talk and pay for 10 or more years to even get near their "root issues". And since the common understanding of this kind of therapy is that the therapist (psychiatrist, psychologist) is not supposed to make suggestions, they're screwed.

This is just my perception. Prove me wrong.
The popular conception of psychotherapy is colored by Freudian psychoanalysis, the most well-known form of psychodynamic therapy. In actuality, only a small number of practicing therapists describe themselves as primarily psychodynamic in orientation, and even fewer have undergone official psychoanalytic training. Most Ph.D. clinical and counseling programs (at least at major research institutions in the U.S.) can't stand Freud or this model of therapy, because it's difficult to test scientifically, and some of Freud's predictions have no empirical support. As Dave Markell said, most practicing Ph.D's use at least some cognitive-behavioral techniques, which are directive, work effectively in short time frames, and have demonstrated efficacy for many disorders.

I've never practiced in a managed care setting, but my colleagues who do say there's a staggering amount of paperwork required to keep insurance companies covering sessions. The last time I checked research summaries, the average number of psychotherapy sessions is 8 -- usually weekly. You often have to request the insurance company for more than 10 sessions, and they typically want treatment plans and progress reports since the last authorization.

Entering the mental health system for the first time, many of my friends have reported initial waitlists of 6 to 8 weeks, and often can only be seen every 2 weeks unless they are in an immediate crisis. Group psychoeducational workshops, like a 6 week course on managing depression, are also becoming popular as first lines of treatment, since insurance companies only have to pay one or two group leaders for a class of 10 to 15. So for most people working through insurance, you can forget years of psychobabble with a standoffish therapist; you'll probably be seen for two or three months, and maybe not even be able to meet one on one with someone.

Obviously I can't disprove your perception -- it is what it is. I'm biased, of course, but I want to dispel the myth of typical psychotherapy as lasting 10 years, involving heavy dream analysis and exploration of childhood issues, and a therapist who says little or nothing.

Here's a couple web resources if you're interested in further information:
About Psychotherapy (http://www.aboutpsychotherapy.com/) - Kind of an amateur presentation, but good information in topics on the side about what psychotherapy is or isn't from a clinical psychologist. Note he says many of his clients see him for 15 or 20 sessions, which is somewhat longer than I've been led to believe most people stay in therapy.

American Psychological Association info on psychotherapy (http://www.apahelpcenter.org/articles/article.php?id=52) - usually I like the summaries APA puts out, but honestly this one isn't great. Nothing's misleading, but I think it could be more specific about what folks can expect. The guy above probably is an APA member; they should hire him to revamp it.

[Andrew Mayer]

I gotta 10.

I'm an excellent autism test taker.

[tromik]

I quit halfway through and went back to memorizing the phone book.

Seriously, antisocial + details = autism? No fucking wonder half of this board are rtards.

[shift6]

I gotta 10.

I'm an excellent autism test taker.
Unfortunately your score falls outside the 7-9 scale.

[RichVR]

@ Dave Markell and Sidd_Budd thanks for your replies. My perception has been changed, I'm always willing to learn new things.

[John Sansker]

34, but at least I aint the most fuck-ed here. :P

[John Sansker]

It's an Autism test not a stuttering test.

I got a 24.

It was a reference to a song by that name/title.
19.
The song detailed the fact that the average age of soldiers in the Viet Nam war was 19, where in WWI , WWII and Korea the average age of soldiers was higher.

I suppose knowing this raises my score a few more points?

[Hans Lauring]

I suck at social situations, but I'm also crap at math - any pills for that?
Also this test bored me so I started cheating...

The people I know who are on Prozac or the like are in my laymans opinion suffering from what we used to call 'unhappiness with life'.

[RepoMan]

Eight. Interesting that they only scored Strongly Agree / Disagree. I tend towards the wishy-washy on these sorts of tests so I might have skewed the scoring low.