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Hi folks.

I have never been diagnosed Asperger, nevertheless in a number of occasions a number of people told me that they think I could be autistic (these were not professionals).
It is not a big deal for me, I know who I am independently from whatever label you want to put on it, but I knew autistic people are people who can not INSTINCTIVELY recognize the meaning of facial expressions, and this is not quite my case.

Also people with autism have stiff routines, and I don't have any.

It's true that I am quite socially awkward, and I can speak with a monotone voice and miss social clues, but this is due to to embarrassment caused by shyness/ social anxiety.

Also I have basically no friends and I don't attache much emotionally to people. Well being a loaner doesn't mean being autistic, right?

Does anybody relate to this experience, being considered autistic, but disagreeing according to some basic definition of autism (including the two features above mentioned)?

In the end the issue is about how you define autism, is it suffering from social anxiety already a form of autism and why should it be?

Welcome to WP!

I have AS and wasn't diagnosed until my early 40's. I'm almost 48 now. I had a lot of social problems growing up and as a young teenager and probably would still have them to this day if I hadn't met a group of friends who were semi-popular (that sort of fringe group) who accepted me, liked me, and helped me to learn how to be social. They pushed me when they had to. They were patient and explained things. They went so far as to tell me word for word what to say, many times. Eventually, I caught on. I faked it for years until it became second nature and I began to actually think more socially much of the time. I of course had and still have times when I wanted not to socialize. I still have a wierd sense of humor and will run on too long about things if people let me. My friends all know that I'm the one to go to if they have an obscure question to ask on certain topics, and not only will I know the answer, but I'll probably give them a book about it. However, I know how to, and can, fit in with almost any social crowd and they won't know I'm not one of them. Not being one of any crowd, I've learned chamelion like traits and that works for me.

I don't have rigid routines, but once I get something in my head about the way it's going to be, or how I'm going to do something, I prefer to keep it that way. It helps me to be able to remember everything I need to do, and get it done.

I'm married 25 years and have 4 NT kids and a grandbaby. I married an NT also.

I do not have a monotone voice at all. I speak in that stereotypically animated Southern way, because that's just how girls are taught to speak down here. I cannot help that.

Not every symptom is going to fit you. Not every symptom is going to fit me. I have very mild AS, so I'm able to deal with my symptoms and problems easier than some others.

I would advise you first of all, to get a diagnosis. There are many things that can mimic some symptoms of AS. Either way, AS or not, dx or not, you are welcome here. A dx will help you to understand yourself better so that you can recognize symptoms and know how to handle them better. I would also advise you to not worry about the symptoms you don't have. Not everyone has them all.

Nice meeting you, and I look forward to posting with you.

Thank you for your welcoming.

Believe me I am totally not worried about the symptoms I don't have.



Most of mankind actually.

My issue is not quite about me, but more on why some people (kind of psychiatrists wannabe) think I suffer from autism, while I quite doubt this idea.

Some other people also thought I was gay, while I am 100% straight.
I think when some people think you are weird they pick their first word in their brain and stick it to you.

About autism, even real experts are aware of not knowing much about it

Hi Parnassus! Welcome to Wrong Planet. Check out the different forums and articles here. They are interesting and helpful. You are among friends here at WP.

It is not necessary to have all of the traits to be on the Autism/ Asperger's spectrum. Also, different people have differing intensity levels to the same traits. Check out the Autism/ Asperger's forum here for more info. At least one article there has links to some online tests you can take if you are interested in seeing if you may be on the spectrum, and to what extent.

I hope you enjoy WP. I do!

Hi... Nice to meet you.

Nice to meet you all.
Questor, I may not be a autistic, but I truly like your quotation of Thoreau. It is one of my favorite philosopher and life model.

I actually saw on youtube some videos of Alex Plank and his Asperger friends, and I would have never been able to guess they were autistic.
I related my personality to things like social anxiety disorder and highly sensitive personality, thinking Asperger autism was a much more impairing problem for people who have very little insight about other persons and a condition which starts from birth ( while in my case I didn't have big troubles to relate to people when I was a child).

Probably all these things are interconnected and it is difficult also for expert to set boundaries. Or also in the last few years the notion of Asperger autism has been broadened in such a way which is hardly differentiable from social anxiety disorder.

Welcome to WP!

Nice programming reference.

Welkome to WP

Mick

To WrongPlanet!! !