Don´t understand what my difficulties consist of

I´ve pretty recently got the diagnosis PDD NOS, that is "pervasive developmental disorder not otherwise specified" and from the assessment I got a couple of written pages written about my diagnosis out of test results and conversations with psychologist.

Before I went to outpatient care because of depression and anxiety I never thought of having an autismspectrum disorder and neither did my mum or teachers when I was younger. I´m now 30+.

The WAIS test shows that all is within the normal distribution and nothing else is specified that really tells me "you have such and such difficulties".

The diagnosis has only made me worried and overly tense and I´m for example afraid I´ll never get a permanent and more qualified employment because of some difficulties I have but aren´t aware of.

I have had jobs, a few friends and so on and what I know of noone has thought of me like being very different or that someone has thought of me as a person who must have a diagnosis. I do not mean to talk in a condescending manner about the AS spectrum, I just tell about my own experiences.

Perhaps someone has some advice or own experience on this?

The hard thing about having problems one is not aware of, is that it is sometimes hard to understand what something even IS if it is not in your natural thinking. If you have areas with difficulties it might also mean you are blind to those areas. If so, someone needs to try their best to explain to you how you differ from "normal" people.

Hello. For me, I'm surprised they told you PDD-NOS because in the new DSM, they combined all the autism diagnosis to just autism spectrum disorder.

But anyways, generally, PDD-NOS usually means you don't fully fit a criteria for one of the DSM-IV autism diagnoses, so you must have some social difficulty like not understanding social cues as an example. And also having some restrictive and repetitive behaviours. If you don't have the restrictive and repetitive traits, you can think of social communication disorder, which is just the social difficulty part. Many people with PDD-NOS fit this criteria better. There is so many combinations I can think of. If you aren't clear on why you were diagnosed with something, ask the doctor to clarify. I'm sure they will do it. I was just recently diagnosed ASD - level 1. I know how the reports aren't always easy to understand. I'm just lucky my intense interest is mental health so I figured out how to read my report.

For me, I figured out I probably had ASD on my own. I had speech delay, which is a clear trait. I have always not had many friends. I find it hard to understand people and social norms like what's so big about being valedictorian and stuff? I am trying to figure this out. It was me who thought of this. Anyways, I'd ask your doctor to clarify. Hope this helps .

Social anxiety disorder, ASD, GAD, OCD, and panic disorder

Lexapro, 10 mg; Ativan 0.5 mg PRN

In Sweden ICD is used. The next ICD is likely going to follow DSM in how autism is seen, but that is years ahead. In the meantime, things like Asperger's and atypical autism (PDD) still exist.

Didn't know this. Thanks for telling me.

Social anxiety disorder, ASD, GAD, OCD, and panic disorder

Lexapro, 10 mg; Ativan 0.5 mg PRN

Thanks. Yes, I´ve thought about this "blindness" and I´ve several times hinted to my T that I´m worried and that I feel like suddenly I can´t trust myself. But she, she also works with clients with a full asperger diagnosis, has never told me something like "we can´t do this and that because of your difficulties". Hard to know I guess.

Thanks for explaining. Yes, they are referring to the DSM IV code and also ICD 10 so it´s some kind of combination that tells me PDD NOS. Nothing of what you say is specified in my written diagnosis, I´m not saying you´re wrong but that what´s difficult, they never told me more specifically about the meaning of the diagnosis.

Interesting. Why is it years ahead before ICD is to follow the DSM? What will happen, will "everyone" just be seen as being on the autism spectrum or will there be different "levels" as today?

Hello. I found the criteria under the ICD 10 for Pervasive Developmental Disorder. Here it is:

Maybe the above will help you figure out some stuff about you? And anyways, I'm assuming the ICD checks the DSM to make sure everything makes sense. Also, the ICD doesn't have an "anxiety disorders", it's called Neurotic, stress-related and somatoform disorders. But the conditions are basically the same. Have you considered asking them? Hope this helps .

Social anxiety disorder, ASD, GAD, OCD, and panic disorder

Lexapro, 10 mg; Ativan 0.5 mg PRN

I think it is hard to know what will be in the next ICD. It's not even supposed to follow DSM, but it has sort of become a slave. It's a shame really, cuz then why use it at all?

When DSM upgraded there were a lot of discussions and the idea was that the concept of autism had become too wide and needed to be narrowed. What happened instead was that, they were so displeased with the first official draft that the final product actually had widened the concept of autism!

So that tells me maybe not be too sure to what will happen with ICD. Maybe it will keep Asperger's and PDD? But no one thinks it will happen. ICD-11 is meant to be published in two years. It already takes longer than planned, but the same happened when DSM upgraded. It took forever. But those things are peer reviewed so... slow is the nature of it.

When it comes to atypical autism/PDD it will vary from case to case if it is seen as autism, if ICD goes the same path as DSM, meaning getting rid of all subtypes of autism and instead grade the severity from 1 to 3.

I like parts of it like I always wanted a severity thing with all things diagnosed really! Not just with autism. I mean say when I had my really worst depressions, I got the diagnosis of depression, now I have mild depression, and the diagnosis for that is... depression. Like, seriously?

I think maybe you need to be upfront with your treatment provider and ask them if they think there is stuff they think you don't "get". I mean it can hurt to hear it but at the same time it's really good to know! I know a lot of my own quirks but some had to be shown to me. I didn't really feel hurt deep down, because my foundation that is I was born aspie and I was always what I am, I'm not a lesser being, I still dream large!