Questions About Being Autistic

[Brett327]

It's fascinating to me that some people here are willing to absolve (or condemn) a guy with a diagnosis from a physician for a disqualifying mental disorder simply because the guy comes on an internet forum and says, "Hey, I'm good to go." Compounding this problem, we now have a commissioned Naval Officer recommending that the guy (whom he has never met) commit fraud and conceal a disqualifying mental disorder on his application. Brilliant. None of us are qualified to absolve this individual from his previous diagnosis - that is why we have flight surgeons and mental health professionals.

To the OP - do not lie or omit anything about your medical history if you choose to apply. If you were misdiagnosed or somehow grew out of the problem, there are legitimate pathways to resolve that, but the Navy needs to have a complete picture of your medical history. With a full understanding of your history, Navy medecine will make a determination, then they assume the risk of approving you. Don't take that risk on yourself, or place it unwittingly on the shoulders of your shipmates. That's not fair to anyone.

 

[HeadInTheClouds]

Hey, thanks for the responses everyone. I really appreciate it.

How old are you now, and how old were you when diagnosed?

I'm going to be turning 27 in April. I was diagnosed with autism very young, probably about 3 years old, definitely no later than 5 years old.

Were you diagnosed with Asperger's or full blown (Kanner) Autism?

I'm pretty sure my diagnosis is "true blue" autism, not Asperger's.

were you in any kind of special education classes when younger?

I was actually put in classrooms and educated with my non-autistic peers. I wasn't put in any special ed classes.

I believe during medical screening, you have to answer a question about if you've ever seen a psychologist/psychiatrist for any reason, right? Technically, that would be true. Although, that was only for things like diagnosis and testing. Never had serious behavioral issues like beating up on other kids or other negative antisocial behavior. I was a pretty well-behaved boy.

Only way I see of getting around it would be to have the diagnosis overturned.

So, it sounds like my best option is to probably see a professional at some point, explain my situation, and hopefully, he will determine that my symptoms have changed enough that he will overturn my autism diagnosis. Hell, I suppose somebody could argue that I wasn't ever really autistic. Just a boy who developed a little slower than his peers and showed some autistic traits. My dad has told me that he believes he may have a few autistic traits. Although, he has of course never had any diagnosis.

By the way, does the military routinely use EEG (brainwave) screening? I once had an EEG where I was told that I had "sharp waves". I've heard that you will not be disqualified from aviation simply because of abnormal brainwaves though. Can anyone give input on that?

 

[sevenhelmet]

Says the guy with a signature effectively calling HIMSELF out for "mental issues"...

Joking post- no offense meant to anyone- this can be a sensitive subject.

 

[HeadInTheClouds]

Hey, I just looked at the psychiatry waiver guide provided by LFCFan and noticed section 14.1 seems to most pertain to my situation as autism would be considered a learning disorder. Hmm, since I get academic accommodations, it looks like I would probably need to provide college transcripts and get a neuropsychological evaluation. It seems like the evaluation consists of intelligence testing and other tests that would have no real relevance to me (i.e. alcohol dependence). Not to sound overconfident, but piece of cake! Also, the neurology waiver guide would suggest that EEG isn't used as a conclusive test for disqualifying conditions like epilepsy. So, looks like I'm good there as I have no history of epilepsy.

 

[LFCFan]

OP: I suppose you could call it a learning disorder. Keep in mind that we are just reading the aviation guides, and not the guide for a general physical to get in. I can't help but wonder if it is in there because it doesn't need to be - you just might not be able to get into the military period. I'd be surprised by that though, as Asperger's is somewhat overdiagnosed (as others have pointed out, sometimes quirks are wrongly pathologized). But we are dealing with regular Autism here, as least as far as your diagnosis was concerned.

The fact that this happened when you were so young is something you've got in your court. If you're still getting accommodations, that would probably be a no-go. It would be a lot easier to say "they thought I was autistic when I was 3, but I've grown up alright" than "I was diagnosed, we think it's crap...but I've still got accommodations." Your best bet is to get off them as soon as possible and show that you don't need them.

I'm going to be really honest with you though. If you get waivered, great. It does seem like you enjoy being social, making friends, etc. But you might also find that you will struggle as an officer if you experience symptoms of this disorder, even more so than as an aviator. If you have trouble reading emotions in others, managing people, are unsure how to act in social situations with people who aren't like you, recognizing and putting faces to names (I'm so bad at this one myself and it is really, really awkward) it will be very difficult to be an officer. Just a heads up. The military isn't as forgiving to people who are eccentric as a lot of the civilian world. This is me assuming that because you presently have accommodations that there is perhaps some truth to the diagnosis. But I'm not a doctor, and I've never met you.

By the way, does the military routinely use EEG (brainwave) screening? I once had an EEG where I was told that I had "sharp waves". I've heard that you will not be disqualified from aviation simply because of abnormal brainwaves though. Can anyone give input on that?

So I busted out one of my textbooks from grad school, one of "the" textbooks on EEG, and there was nothing in the index about autism. I tried a few related terms and turned up nothing, so probably not.

 

[Beans]

So, it sounds like my best option is to probably see a professional at some point, explain my situation, and hopefully, he will determine that my symptoms have changed enough that he will overturn my autism diagnosis. Hell, I suppose somebody could argue that I wasn't ever really autistic. Just a boy who developed a little slower than his peers and showed some autistic traits. My dad has told me that he believes he may have a few autistic traits. Although, he has of course never had any diagnosis.

By the way, does the military routinely use EEG (brainwave) screening? I once had an EEG where I was told that I had "sharp waves". I've heard that you will not be disqualified from aviation simply because of abnormal brainwaves though. Can anyone give input on that?

Your best option is to apply if you want to apply, and deal with the medical condition when asked. Don't wait because you think you might be denied.
EEGs are requested to support physicals if some other condition leads the reviewing BUMED entity to think they need one. For example, some items in MANMED ch15 say something "is disqualifying unless ..." If a test is required to prove that "unless," then you need that test.

 

[HeadInTheClouds]

It would be a lot easier to say "they thought I was autistic when I was 3, but I've grown up alright" than "I was diagnosed, we think it's crap...but I've still got accommodations." Your best bet is to get off them as soon as possible and show that you don't need them.

If it helps my cause, I'm certainly willing to surrender my accommodations. Right now, they give me extra time for exams and occasionally help with notes since I don't tend to write fast. Do you think major makes much of a difference? I currently study accounting.

If you have trouble reading emotions in others, managing people, are unsure how to act in social situations with people who aren't like you, recognizing and putting faces to names (I'm so bad at this one myself and it is really, really awkward) it will be very difficult to be an officer. Just a heads up. The military isn't as forgiving to people who are eccentric as a lot of the civilian world. This is me assuming that because you presently have accommodations that there is perhaps some truth to the diagnosis.

I wouldn't say I have any real trouble reading emotions. In fact, I once took a online test where you read people's emotions from their faces and I scored only one point below the average non-autistic score. I think this was out of a total of 50 points. I'll post a link to the test if I can find it. I can't really objectively evaluate my management ability since I haven't really managed anyone (with the exception of children and maybe that time I gave a tour at my college), but as far as I can tell, I work well on teams. I'll admit, I can be rather forgetful as far as peoples' names as well. After forgetting once or twice, I generally remember pretty well though.

Honestly, I kind of asked for accommodations simply because I figured "I should". I probably could have made it through a bunch of my classes just fine without them. All I did was ask for accommodations, backed it up with documentation, and they gave them to me, no questions asked. A little insurance, "just in case" I really needed it. Looking back though, maybe that wasn't a great idea.

 

[nittany03]

Honestly, I kind of asked for accommodations simply because I figured "I should". I probably could have made it through a bunch of my classes just fine without them. All I did was ask for accommodations, backed it up with documentation, and they gave them to me, no questions asked. A little insurance, "just in case" I really needed it. Looking back though, maybe that wasn't a great idea.

Drop this attitude and drop it quickly if you want to apply. If you think you need special help, you're one step behind the talented type-A personality who will outwork you and flat-out crush you because it never occurred to him/her that any "accommodations" were needed. If you're 100 percent convinced you can rock the program, it doesn't mean you will, but it's Step 1 to even being able to think about doing it. If you think you might fail, you're going to have a hard time.

 

[HeadInTheClouds]

Drop this attitude and drop it quickly if you want to apply. If you think you need special help, you're one step behind the talented type-A personality who will outwork you and flat-out crush you because it never occurred to him/her that any "accommodations" were needed. If you're 100 percent convinced you can rock the program, it doesn't mean you will, but it's Step 1 to even being able to think about doing it. If you think you might fail, you're going to have a hard time.

Right, you make a great point. If I want to get taken seriously, I need to prove I can stick it out on the line with the others. It's funny, but I used to feel too proud to accept help and I got an Associate's in Information Technology, no accommodations. Thanks for pysching me up with that wake-up call. I'm starting to feel way more motivated to go back to my old ways and do it legit!

Getting some good advice from you guys. I like the "no BS" answers.

 

[feddoc]

Hello everyone. New guy to the forums here. If this has already been addressed somewhere, sorry for creating a new thread. I looked but didn't see much that addressed being autistic in the military.

Anyways, my big question is, will being autistic kill any chance of becoming an aviator, even if it is an extremely high functioning form? I've been diagnosed as autistic, but it's never truly hindered me in life. Also, if anyone is wondering, no, I've never taken medication for autism, EVER. It's also worth mentioning that I perform very well in my academics. In fact, I currently hold a 4.0 GPA. Besides that, I get along with my peers just fine and actually enjoy making friends, which is unusual for those on the autistic spectrum.

My autism is so minor, that many people would never suspect I have such a condition. I actually wouldn't be surprised if I could see a doctor now and him reclassify me as non-autistic. Would it be best to do that first before going through the military entrance process? I know this might sound weird to those who think autism is a permanent condition, but autistic symptoms can improve with age.

If any of you have questions about me or my condition, feel free to ask. I will be on later to address anyone's questions/concerns. Thank you.

Who diagnosed you as being autistic?