Diagnosis without a GP

[lukeyboy44]

Hi everyone,

I was hoping some kind soul here might be able to offer advice/instruction on getting a referral for a dyspraxia assessment without having to go through my GP.

I've been advised by numerous people to get tested. I'm 28 and still in entry-level positions when I (frequently) get a new job. I've struggled since childhood with organisation, co-ordination and esteem issues, I worry about taking a high pressure or 'hands-on' job because I think I'll mess up or frustrate my employers with how easily I get flustered by instructions and whenever I take a job, I prove these fears correct!

I've been to my GP on two separate occasions and have been all but laughed out of the office - she essentially told me that dyspraxia was something you get diagnosed with as a child and that the physical and mental shortcomings I have in everyday life (Horrible way of putting it but I didn't know how else to describe it) were down to me just 'being like that'. I still want to be referred for assessment, but I'm scared to go to this or any other GP now. I'm scared to get a full time job after being fired from the majority I've ever had for timekeeping and organisational issues and - on one occasion - losing my temper when I had too much to do at once and not being able to process it all, but I hope that by having the test and finding out that there is a reason I am the way I am and that support is available, I'll be able to commit to more than the low paid, zero responsibility pub job I have now.

If anyone has any advice on how I might go about being assessed without my GP, I'd be grateful to hear them. I don't have much money so I may be limited as far as private assessment goes, but I'm willing to try anything.

Thanks for wading through this message, I look forward to hearing any suggestions you guys may have.

Luke

[AlleyCat]

What an ignorant GP! When I hear about things like this, it makes me so mad . I would suggest you find a chartered psychologist, as you need to be sure you are being assessed by someone who knows what they're doing. You can search for one in your area by clicking on the following link:
http://www.bps.org.uk/bpslegacy/dcp
The list that comes up will probably include psychologists from outside your area, who say they'll travel, but to minimise costs you'll of course want to see if you can get one who isn't too far away . Unfortunately, the assessments don't come cheap- my assessment (over 8 years ago) cost £200 and my university wasn't offering to pay, although it was one of their so-called disability advisers who advised that I have one! It might be difficult if you don't have any family members who can help you out (although it is wrong that we have to rely on this).

I can really empathise with your experiences in the workplace, as I have struggled to be given any kind of responsibility when I have had a job, probably because employers judge me on the way I 'come across' (eg it might take me longer to respond than so-called 'normal' people or my physical movements might seem a bit awkward). I really do think the Dyspraxia Foundation needs to have a campaign focused on helping adults with dyspraxia to find employment which reflects their skills and abilities- employers need to be taught not to 'judge a book by its cover' where people with dyspraxia are concerned.

Hope you get somewhere with this. Btw if I were you, I would definitely be looking to change my GP!

[lukeyboy44]

Thank you so much! I should be able to get a bit of help with the money, its definitely worth it in the long run. Don't worry, I've sacked that GP off, I'll be specifically requesting not to see her next time I go. Its sad, though, from reading other people's accounts that sort of reaction isn't exactly uncommon. It made me feel like a hypochondriac when I (and a lot of other people) think my concerns are legitimate.

I get labelled 'dumb' or 'away with the fairies' a lot in the workplace. I have my own routines and ways of working but I definitely don't do things the way others do them, and I can be very slow on the uptake with instructions but the job gets done and I work hard. Unfortunately, its the process and not the end result that always seems to count, and I always feel like my relationship with bosses is teacher-student rather than equals. Sorry for rambling on when a simple 'thank you' would have done, but its nice to speak to people who know what they're on about and aren't dismissing my worries out of hand.

[lukeyboy44]

Also, which psyhological service should I be looking for. There was a wall of different options under 'issues' and I wasn't sure which specific sub-category it would be, my best guess was neuropsychology.

Thanks again.

[AlleyCat]

Relationships with others in the workplace seeming like a teacher-student relationship rings bells for me too- I've definitely been addressed more like a child than an adult grrrrrrrr. In answer to your question about which 'issue' you should choose when looking for a psychologist, go to the 'Education' drop-down list and select 'Learning difficulties.' Although it can be frustrating for people who are intelligent to know that they have a so-called 'learning difficulty,' that's how conditions such as dyslexia and dyspraxia are unfortunately still usually described (rather than as a 'learning difference,' which might be more appropriate).