Neuropsychologist Puns

Kind*

I got scheduled an appointment with one this month and I am wondering what is it like? Google says that there are extensive tests that people do with a neuropsychologist, are those mandatory? I really dislike such tests and they make me extremely anxious, and ironically anxiety is why I am going to a neuropsychologist in the first place.

Title is self-explanatory! If I’m diagnosed and medicated via a doctor, is that recognized by the OSD (aka will I be able to access accommodations) or is it a must to get a neuropsychological evaluation?

I've been seeking the help of a neuropsych these past few months in an attempt to alleviate my persistent brain fog and lack of feeling present I've had increasingly since I was about 10 years old. This is due to my brain being overworked by what my neurospych describes as my 'internal world' ehich is full of repetitive ruminations and taxing thought processes, essentially leaving not as much brain processing power for the outside world. Along with this, I have a few weird subtle things I do with my body which could be classified as stimming (tapoing my fingers in certain patterns in a way that it mirrors and evens out etc). I also get quite obsessed with certain ideas and hobbies and tend to dive into them with all my energy.

This led my neuropsych to strongly suspect that I may be on the spectrum, and she has advised more testing to confirm this. However this diagnosis was made without her inquiring about my social/empathetic behaviours and abilities, and I was hoping to describe those briefly now and see whether yall think it still lines up with the diagnosis.

It's also worth noting that I had very normal and even strong mental development as a child and was never said to be on the spectrum in my youth. In seeking help from various psychologists and psychiatrists over the last few years I've been told I have everything from anxiety to ocd to depression to ADHD, but not autism.

I do not mean for any of this or the following to come across as offensive or in some way imply that people with autism cannot be socially adept or have empathy - I genuinely do not know much about autism at all.

I've never had trouble reading facial expressions or emotions. It comes very naturally to me, as do social cues. In social settings I can become a bit nervous and this can lead to some awkwardness, but generally I feel socially competent, as far as understanding the situation goes and communicating. In many situations, such as dating, I feel exceptionally competent when meeting someone for the first time.

I'm also a very empathetic and self-reflective person. I am almost wired to constantly put myself in another persons shoes and feel what they are feeling. For example the other day my friend was telling me about someone she knew who was my age who had one month to live because of cancer, and I was completely shook for the rest of the day, imagining him and what he must be thinking. It was heartbreaking. And I feel my strong disposition towards empathic thinking

My doctor said that because I’ve tried and failed so many medications she said she might give me a referral to a neuropsychologist. Has anyone been to one? Did it help?

She also said I might have to try “heavier medications” like clozapine (she diagnosed me bipolar but she’s aware of my BPD dx)

I'm just looking for some names, please. No discussion about symptoms.

Am seeking a Neuropsychologist recommendation in Central Texas (Austin?) area.

I have immediate family history of Dementia/Alzheimer's and got a referral from my PCP to see someone about this.

I would like that Doctor to also have an understanding of Aphantasia and SDAM.

Aetna insurance, btw.

My dream is to be a clinical neuropsychologist. I want to perform cognitive assessments on patients, write reports on them, study how damage to different brain regions impact behaviour, and hopefully contribute to our overall understanding of the human brain through research. With that knowledge I want to accomplish other things, but that's the main goal for now.

For the record, I am currently in my second year in CEGEP in Quebec doing a DEC in Psychology. So, back in high school I smoked a lot of weed, fucked around, and missed a lot of the prerequisite courses I need to get into a Psychology BSc program (Sec IV math & science, Sec V math & science, physics, and chemistry). As far as I'm aware, I'd need quite a bit of time to catch up on those courses to meet the requirements to apply for a BSc in psychology. My brother has been very adamant on me getting those classes done right away because, and I quote, "a BA in Psychology is the least impressive degree a person can have when you're a student looking for a job relevant to your field of study". He told me I'd be fucked over for life if I don't do this now. Alternatively, my psychology professor told me not to waste my time doing those high school courses and that I do not need a BSc in Psychology to pursue becoming a clinical neuropsychologist, just lab experience. I have family in the field who have told me they'd be willing to hire me to work in their labs.

My dilemma is that I don't want to waste my time doing things I don't enjoy (eg a year or two's worth of high school classes) if I know there is a route to my goal that is potentially more exciting and fruitful. There is something called the DEAL program which I'm looking into, where you can complete your courses at your own pace within a six-month period. I am, however, taking a reduced course load at school because I can perform better and focus better on my studies if I don't take too many at once. If I take the high school classes as I do CEGEP, I worry I'll end up shooting myself in the foot and fucking up my R-Score while trying to do these damn high school classes which would ruin my chances of getting into a uni Bsc Psych program anyway. I have 10 courses left to complete until I can get my DEC, which I plan on dividing between 2 more semesters of 5 courses each.

SO, TL;DR: ultimate question is, should I spend the time completing those high school science and math courses to get a BSc in psychology, or should I settle

I'm 24 and I don't know where to start with getting a dyscalculia assessment.

My college is a top research university in the US and I've been on the waitlist to be seen by a neuropsychologist to get evaluated for ADHD / possible Autism / just figuring out what's wrong with my brain / how it works, for a year now. I've been floundering in college and life for years now which has made me bitter. I keep thinking to myself in my very not proud moments, that there are probably many people getting help from neuropsych who prob didn't need it. I'm sure that's not true or at least not entirely sure, but I keep thinking it, so I'm wondering if someone can tell me straight what type of people get seen by a neuropsych professional. Are they people with complex situations like mine? Are they children (I wish I got evaluated as a kid lol) , are they people getting evaluated for things like depression / anxiety?

Basically I want insight , if possible, why the wait list has been as long of a wait as it has. Thank you

Looking into and understanding autism helped me understand myself and behaviors that have been an issue for me or made me different my whole life. I connect with the community a lot and follow many autism-related subreddits.

Should I unjoin them?

Also, a book I have about autism in relationships states that sometimes neuropsychologists can miss autism, especially in adult women (I am an adult woman). Am I insane to wonder if I am possibly still autistic?

Thanks for listening.

POST-AMA EDIT: Thank you to everyone who attended my r/neuropsychology AMA! I really enjoyed getting a chance to chat with you all, and some great questions were asked here today. I know that not everyone may have been available during the 3-6pm EST time period, so I will be checking this post periodically over the next few days to answer any other questions that get submitted.

Hi r/neuropsychology: I’m Dr. Cady Block, an assistant professor and neuropsychologist in the Department of Neurology at Emory University School of Medicine in Atlanta, Georgia, USA. As stated in the title of the post, I’ll be here today from 3:00 to 6:00 pm EST. AMA about training and education in neuropsychology!

A little bit about myself: my clinical and research interests include pre/post-surgical evaluations, epilepsy, and neuro-oncology. However, I have a particular passion for working with neuropsychology students and trainees at all levels. I actually just released my first published book, called The Neuropsychologists Roadmap: A Training and Career Guide (APA Press, https://amzn.to/3jf2Hh0), which is intended to help people interested in neuropsychology navigate their way the field. For this book, I drew on my years of experience in working with neuropsychology students and trainees, as well as the professional work that I have done to contribute to the training standards in neuropsychology. I currently sit on the executive committees of the KnowNeuropsychology and New2Neuropsychology education initiatives, and am also highly involved in multiple national and international neuropsychology organizations (having served roles within the Society for Clinical Neuropsychology, International Neuropsychological Society, National Academy of Neuropsychology, American Academy of Clinical Neuropsychology, Clinical Neuropsychology Synarchy, and Epilepsy Neuropsychology Organization (INS Special Interest group).

Want to get into neuropsychology as a profession? Ask away!

u/subtextual u/falstaf u/ciaranmichael u/automoderator

https://preview.redd.it/vvl2igqwxcj71.jpg?width=480&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=7d0f27cd9a4c405f152fcdef06e0dec6be4a9055

Long story short, I had record of my ADHD Diagnosis from when I was in elementary school, but my primary doctor wanted me to get tested again. So I did, went through a specialist, did the awful 4 hour test, and (shocker) came back that I still have it.

I originally was seeking out help/meds because I'm working in an 'office job' position for the first time, and I'm REALLY struggling with starting tasks. When I brought this up to the neuropsychologist (both before and after the testing) he asked me "Why?"

... And...I don't know why. I don't know why I just sit there knowing what I should do, knowing how to do it, knowing how to be GREAT at it... But I just... Don't. And for some reason I felt pretty bad for not having an answer to give him. Like I was suppose to have one, even though I know...deep down that there's something else to this. If I knew the answer and could overcome it on my own...I would have.

Does the words I'm saying and feeling make sense?

Hey Everyone,

Welcome to the r/Neuropsychology professional development megathread. The subreddit gets a large proportion of incoming content dedicated to questions related to the schooling and professional life of neuropsychologists. Most of these questions can be answered by browsing the subreddit function; however, we still get many posts with very specific and individualized questions (often related to coursework, graduate programs, lab research etc.).

Often these individualized questions are important...but usually only to the OP given how specific and individualized they are. Because of this, these types of posts are automatically removed as they don't further the overarching goal of the subreddit in promoting high-quality discussion and information related to the field of neuropsychology. The mod team has been brainstorming a way to balance these two dilemmas, and decided to post this megathread where any question related to education, or other aspects of professional development in the field of neuropsychology can be posted would be a good solution. In addition to that, we've compiled (and will continue to gather) a list of quick Q/A's from past posts and general resources below as well.

So here it is! General, specific, high quality, low quality - it doesn't matter! As long as it is, in some way, related to the training and professional life of neuropsychologists, it's fair game to ask - as long as it's contained to this megathread! And all you wonderful subscribers can fee free to answer these questions as they appear. The post will remain sticked for visibility and we encourage everyone to sort by new to find the latest questions and answers.

Also, here are some more common general questions and their answers that have crossed the sub over the years:

1. “Neuropsychologists of reddit, what was the path you took to get your job, and what advice do you have for someone who is considering becoming a neuropsychologist?”
2. ”Is anyone willing to describe a day in your life as a neuropsychologist/what personality is suited for this career?”
3. ["What's the path to becoming a neuropsychologist"](https://www.reddit.com/r/Neuropsychology/comments/aop7y9/path_to_becoming_a_neuropsy

I have been reading up a lot on neuropsychology as a career path and it seems like something I want to train in.

My one fear is that the discipline is heavily based on testing and diagnosis. So I worry that testing and diagnosis may, in the near future, be done better through AI.

Have other people here had similar fears and is there some information that would help alleviate them?

I am currently finishing my master's in research psych and I was hesitating between a research path or a path that incorporates clinical training.

Thank you.

I have cptsd and high anxiety. I knew this before going into the appt. I wanted to know if I have adhd as well so I went to see a neuropsychologist for adhd testing.

First, I talked openly about my past trauma, which was difficult as it is. Then I went through 3 hours of testing that was very mentally difficult for me (I wasn't taking my prescribed adderall) and exhausting.

Then the Dr told me there was no way that he could be able to tell whether I had adhd considering my trauma. He also said ADHD is on a continuum and that most people are on an ADHD spectrum. I have already been prescribed adderall by my pcp for the treatment of suspected ADHD. I went here to make sure since I was concerned and emotional about if I'm doing the right thing for my health.

I've been severely impacted, moreso in the last year (due to stress and covid obviously), with issues of overstimulation, sensory issues, executive dysfunction, inattention, and low working memory in my day to day life it is causing me noticeable distress. Adderall has been helping me tremendously with feeling like a functioning human being and it has really improved my quality of life.

He said that everybody feels good from taking adderall and based it off his own anecdotal experience with the drug. I started crying and told him that I was scared for my future (since I told him I wanted to be a PA and am scared about how these issues will impact that future) and I was exhausted. He started saying he was concerned about me. I apologized. He said that I was going to have a very hard time in my life. He started touting veganism.

We had to cut the appt at the 3 hour mark because I couldn't stop crying due to be overwhelmed, hungry, and worried. I felt like I was being judged for 3 hours, I feel like it's reasonable as an unmedicated person with sensory issues having to be judged for 3 while hours and then being told inconclusive results+I have a terrible working memory+I am going to have a terrible time getting into and going through PA school). Also, he made a couple snide remarks having to do with choosing the term agnostic as my religion choice. I told him that I switched from xanax to lexapro for my depression/anxiety due to being afraid of the highly dangerous and addicting quality of xanax and there was an alternative. He told me well adderall is highly addicting too and it's the number one abused drug on campus. I was like ok...

I asked for my report from the appointment which was sent to m

Actually that’s unfair. The neuropsychologist said I need to have more structure in my life. But that is extremely difficult for me with my depression and memory problems. The memory problems are really bad. I’ll set something down and completely forget about it all the time. I lose things all the time.

I am 17(M) and currently in my final year of high school with exams coming up soon. There aren't many courses in university that really interest me except for psychology, so I'm planning to do a bachelor of psychology. However, the only career pathway I'm really interested in is becoming a neuropsychologist.

I've done some research on how to become one: 4-years bachelor of psych -> 4-7 years postgraduate (masters/doctorate/psyd/phd) -> 1-2 years supervised internship to become certified. So in total about 10-13 years of study to become a neuropsychologist. (Feel free to correct me if I've made an error in the course pathway to becoming a neuropsychologist).

I don't really know much about postgraduate studies. So do I have to do a masters degree before doing a doctorate/phd? How mentally straining and difficult is it to get a phd? Is a phd necessary to become a neuropsychologist? How much in debt will I be by the end of my studies? Is it worth it?

I haven’t but I’m going in a few weeks. I’m scared. I’m afraid they are going to look at my brain and I don’t want to see it. I’m afraid they’re going to look at my brain and be like, hey we see what’s fucked up here we can fix it. I’m afraid there is something they will do to “fix” me or fix my brain. I’m scared they will look in there and see like tumors or something. I’m just scared. My anxiety is like a freight train going down a hill right now with no breaks.

Hello I'm a 21 year old MSc Clinical Psychology student from India. I have always been interested in pursuing Neuropsychology as a career. Lately, Neuroscience and more specifically Cognitive Neuroscience have grabbed my interest. Would a PHD in Neuroscience benefit me in my career path of becoming a Neuropsychologist?

Sorry for the long title, sometimes I have trouble being concise. So… I am a 27yo female and I have been in treatment for depression for ten years and BPD for about half of it.

I always had trouble fitting in but never thought it could be due to something else other than my “weirdness”. As time went by, I learned that ASD can present itself in many ways and I also learned about autism in adults that only got their diagnosis later in life. Their experience seemed to match mine, so I brought it up to my doctor and she agreed that it might be worth digging into it.

I am very excited about this because it could explain so many things and give me better tools to handle life! So, to the question, finally: Are there articles, blogs, resources, etc you recommend me so I can learn more about autism while the “diagnosis-day” doesn’t come? I accept medical books too, in fact, I love those. (I used to go to med school 😖)

I work as a psychometrist in a neuropsychology clinic and I was thinking about this because I was wondering about my IQ (I don’t want to know what it is tbh lmao). I couldn’t take a WAIS/DKEF or other test because I’m already familiar with the answers and interpretations as well as the alternate forms!!

What do they do in these cases where the neuropsychologist needs to be tested for some kind of cognitive decline? Sure, if you need the testing done in the first place your memory of them might not be as sharp but overall I don’t see how it could be reliable measurements.

Thanks in advance!!

ps I tried tagging this as a question but general discussion was the only option. Sorry!!!

Hi, I'm currently graduating from my bachelor in Psychology and I'm very interested and pursuing Clinical Neuropsychology as a masters. However, I've also been interested in pursuing a separate psychotherapy license, seeing as where I'm from without one I cannot offer therapy. What I am asking is whether a systemic family psychotherapy license could be useful for a clinical neurosychologist? Keep in mind I am mostly interested in developmental neuropsychological disorders and psychological disorders, as well as brain trauma. Cognitive loss and aging is not the field of neuropsych that is currently very interesting to me.

What are your views on this?

Thank you very much!

Hi,

Title says most of it. I'd like to know if the cost for the supplemental battery to test for ADHD as part of the medical exam will be considered a qualified medical expenses for health care flexible spending account purposes.

Apparently costs associated with diagnosis are considered qualified medical expenses, but it also stipulates that is typically only for prevention or cure of a disease or injury, which the supplemental battery doesn't seem to fall under.

Has anyone had experience with using a health care FSA to pay for aeromedical neuropsych exams?

Thanks in advance

We talked about some of the issues I’ve been struggling with but it was such a laundry list I didn’t bring up everything.

They mentioned that a lot of this could be attributed to OCD and social anxiety (I’m already diagnosed with ADHD-C, bipolar disorder, GAD, and PTSD…I think that’s it). They said they weren’t dismissing the possibility of ASD and that we could explore it and if I wanted to see a neuropsychologist they would send a referral (I told them I need to figure out if my insurance would cover it).

I brought up my irritability and rigidness with routine and items having to be in the exact spot they’re supposed to be in so they upped one of the meds I’m on for depression in bipolar to see if it helps with irritability (I’m on 2 meds for bipolar (1 for mania and the other depression), another anti depressant, a stimulant for ADHD, and a med for anxiety).

I feel super exhausted after this 30min convo and overall I just feel burnt out on life.

I’m supposed to fax them some notes I took on some things I think are attributed to ASD but I didn’t know if there was anything super specific I should point out? I wrote some things from childhood as well as from each category of the DSM-V.

I was wondering if anyone is, or has considered, becoming a neuropsychologist after graduating with their PsyD or PhD in school psychology. I recently came into contact with a pediatric neuropsychologist in a private clinic who, turns out, just obtained their PsyD in school psychology. It wasn't a branch I considered for SPs prior. I would love to know if anyone had gone that route, and any if you have any thoughts/opinions/tips/suggestions.

FAA says neuropsychology exam must be done by a board certified neuropsychologist. A previous exam was done by a non-certified dr, who diagnosed my husband with mild ADD at 60 years old. FAA got wind of that and pulled his medical. He’s been a captain for decades, zero issues ever, passed every exam, checkride, etc. We have been fighting to get it back, it’s been a nightmare! It dawned on me that how can that diagnosis stand when the doctor wasn’t board certified? He has nothing negative on his record. He actually got his private license when he was 16 years old. Even counting from back then zero flying errors. His AME is not helpful at all. Aside from hiring a lawyer, any ideas? I hate for his career to end this way when he was and still is an exemplary Captain.

Monday I have an appointment with a neuropsychologist to get tested. They said they will be observing me and giving me a verbal and written test. The whole process should take 3 hours. Afterwards I will receive results and they will discuss with me what they have discovered. Does anyone have any advice or thoughts about this? I am a little nervous, but also a little excited because I am ready to get this process over with.

I was wondering how long it would take to become a clinical neurologist in the UK and if there are multiple paths to it what the fastest one is

TLDR: I wanted to learn more about each test I was given at the neuropsychologist's office yesterday, but instead, while googling and redditing, I learned so many other different pathways to testing, diagnosis, and treatment and wondering if I am receiving the best advice and care and why there is such variation.

I told my psychiatrist that I suspect I have ADHD and/or am on the spectrum -- aside from my symptoms, I have a family history of ADHD and Autism diagnoses. So she recommended that I see a neuropsychologist. Yesterday I went in, not knowing what to expect, and was surprised by the battery of tests (about 3 hours of testing). I assumed they were pretty standard so that the doctor can rule out other neuropsychological issues (like traumatic brain injury, seizures, psychosis) and wanted to learn about what each test was and what it means (for example, I had to use blocks to recreate images and wanted to know if my struggles with certain sections were typical of the ADHD experience).

Anyway, I'm browsing articles and message boards and not hitting on exactly the information that I'm looking for. BUT, I am reading a lot of articles and posts about what ADHD testing "typically" is like or reading others' experiences, and suddenly I'm getting overwhelmed wondering if I was given the right level of testing or what. Basically, I gather that others' experiences range from something as simple as their PCP or psychiatrist detecting their symptoms and giving them a diagnosis, to something like what I experienced yesterday, to something more in-depth that is more like 5-6 hours including testing that uses brain scanning/monitoring and even third-party interviews.

Why is there such variation in testing and diagnosing for ADHD? Why do some psychiatrists diagnose ADHD without neuropsych testing? On the other hand, why didn't I receive more extensive testing?

I'm getting ready to transfer to a university, so I'm trying to choose a bachelor's degree that will help me financially along the way. I'm interested in conducting tests and evaluations. I was wondering if I could get a dual major in computer science (CS) and psychology. Would CS be a helpful skill to have and possibly make me a better applicant for PhD programs? Are there any other recommendations that can be used in that field and help me financially? My school is based in the US.

Hi everyone, this is my first post on reddit and I'm hoping for advice on following matter:

I grew up in Germany as a adopted brazilian child. And while i enjoyed a good upbringing and education, I really feel out of touch with the people and way of living here. Most of my friends are foreigners and having visited international school, a lot of my childhood friends moved away over the years. I have a masters in clinical psychology and work as a neuropsychologist at a larger hospital in Hamburg. I got really lucky since my pay is good; i get along well with my coworkers and live in a nice flat with my gf. Everything seems good, but deep inside i feel that i do not want to settle here. I already knew 10 years ago, but never caught the "right moment" to make my exit. Before studying i traveled alot and lived in different places in Asia. During my journeys I always made new friends instantly, probably due to my outgoing nature. Here in Germany its just not the same. I have to deal with alot of casual racism and find many people to be rather socially awkward or straight up unhappy with their lives. Stuff I dont want my future children to deal with.

I would love to move to the UK or Canada, but am worried that i wont be able to stay in my line of work, since I'd require a phd to practice as a neuropsychologist in most places.

Can anyone offer advice? Am i just sticking around the wrong people? Or should i follow my gut feeling? It just doesn't seem like a spontaneous impulse, more of a lingering feeling.

Thanks in advance for any advice given :)

Hello! I thought r/psychologystudents might be interested in a couple of the AMAs r/ClinicalPsychology will be hosting:

AMA Schedule:

• Friday, July 23 at 12:00pm EDT - Criminal Forensic Psychology with u/NoNattyForYou
• Friday, July 30 at 12:00pm EDT - Neuropsychology with u/Roland8319

These will be great opportunities to ask questions regarding two popular and interesting careers in psychology. We hope to see you there!

I did a personality test which is pretty similar to the mbti and it came out their version of the ENTP as well.

I suspected that I was a sociopath but I was very afraid that my infj gf wasn't cool with it since she always suspected as well but still...

She's cool for now, she's the only person that makes me feel empathy and she makes me a better person, when I'm with her I become more empathic, I love her so much, fuck, I don't wanna lose her anymore. I already fucked up and broke up but I regretted it I still do these are the only time that I cry, I'm so glad we're back, but if she wants to break up I won't be mad, after all who would've date someone who's a sociopath?

So there's that, is there anyone else diagnosed with sociopathy around here?

Do you think a sociopath is capable of loving someone?

Hello. I'm currently a BS Biology student of UP Manila. I want to be a neuropsychologist. Does any UP campus, or any other university in the Philippines, offer neuropsychology? How do I get in? How do I start? Undergrad ba ang neuropsych, or is it a masters/doctorate? I really need advice, since I don't know how this works.

Neuropsychologists of reddit: how many of you really use neuroanatomy/physiology in your day-to-day clinical practice?

Obviously, understanding the neurological principles underlying disorders is important, but how relevant is that knowledge to the actual process of assessing/making diagnoses/writing up reports? Is it something you might give a passing thought to or do you actually frequently use that knowledge to help you interpret assessment results?

(Context: I am a first year clinical psychology student, specializing in neuropsychology and planning on pursuing a career in clinical practice. I love learning about the biological principles behind human behavior, but chose neuropsych over other neuro career paths because I want to work directly with people.)

From her Facebook: Vegan Neuropsychologist

Speciesism vs mental illness.

Well, this is a conversation.

I have many problems with labeling speciesism (or non-veganism) as a mental illness.

First, speciesism is an issue of justice - there is definitely a “right” and “wrong” when it comes to systemic oppression. Speciesism is clearly wrong. Asserting this as a mental illness perpetuates the existing stigma that mental illness is morally “wrong”.

And frankly, those of us living with mental illness are constantly having to deal with the shaming, blaming culture that is perpetuated by mental health stigma.

Second, the “speciesism is mental illness” opinion clearly draws attention. It weaponises mental illness while also exploiting those of us who have to live with it every day.

Third is around the issue of choice. For those of us with privilege (such as our age, financial independence, resource stability, accessibility to and availability of food), animal consumption is a choice. Veganism is a different choice.

The implication of the “speciesism is a mental illness” opinion is that we can simply choose not to be mentally ill. Got depression? Just choose to be happy! Got speciesism? Just choose to be vegan! Got anxiety? Just choose to be calm!

I am not happy, and I have many words to say - too many for one post. Although if I had to sum up my opinion with five words, they’d be:

COULD WE JUST FUCKING NOT?