New Here: Helping me figure out if I have Aspergers

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Hey all,

I had never heard of Aspergers until I went to college and became close friends with a diagnosed "aspie." Overtime, I realized we had many things in common, but I never starting thinking I might have Aspergers until people started commenting on how similar we actually are. My friend has a very severe case of Aspergers, bordering on autistic. Though his case is far more pronounced than mine, every time we hang out I wonder where I fall on the Autism scale, especially when people point out how both us have poor eye contact or speak far too loudly for the situation.

Both of us had a very hard time making friends as kids and seemed to be consumed with memorizing trivial things. As far back as I can remember, I have taken an interest in trivia, memorizing lists of things like World Series, US Senators, Oscar winners, etc. The more I learned about my friends' Aspergers the more I saw similarities with myself. I have specific "obsessions" with baseball, politics, and mass transit. I always did very well as school except when I was forced to work in group projects or depend on others. In terms of women, don't ask...I'm the anti-Tiger Woods.

I know it's impossible to diagnose me on the basis of a few short paragraphs of text, but I was wondering if anyone had advice about what I should do next. I have considered going to a shrink, but I don't want to be the guy who happened to have a slightly more difficult childhood and come off sounding like I am complaining of looking for an excuse. If anyone has any questions feel free to ask. Thanks for your help!



Brian

Last edited by BrianF on 02 May 2010, 9:25 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Hi Brian. There's tests that can be taken (some of the other users might can point you to them).
Read informative pages on Aspie symptoms (if it describes your life).
If you feel confident you have Aspergers, then ask your doctor to make a referral to an informed and practicing Autism specialist.

Those would be my first suggestions. I have the benefit of 3 kids verified through an Autism specialist. Mommy carries a gene, I think...

Welcome to WP

Welcome to WrongPlanet, and welcome to my time warp.

Nice to meet you, Brian - and welcome to the Wrong Planet neighborhood.

Welcome to WP!

From what I've heard, it's much better to be the anti-Tiger Woods.

Welcome, BrianF

Hi, I'm sort of new, too (was on here a few years ago, but lost internet, home, etc.)

You kinda sound like me, but I'm 55, and only heard about Asperger's a few years ago. My young "obsessions" were airplanes, science and reading. I lived on a farm, so there weren't many other kids around anyway.
My art talent and "little professor" vocabulary pegged me as odd, so that (and ADD) seemed to explain my differences, but I've diagnosed myself with Asperger's from reading about it (a psychiatrist agreed with me, but it wasn't formal.)

I would say: if you seem to fit the published criteria and diagnose yourself, it could explain SO MUCH, and help you understand social problems, and that can be profoundly helpful, in understanding your past, and how to proceed. But if you can afford a "real" diagnosis, then that opens up many helpful services, which I wish I'd had, back when they would have helped me. Others know more about that than I.

Oh, and as for women, I'm shy and inept, but have been married twice, because two women really, really wanted children, and I wanted love and intimacy. Both marriages ended before I discovered Asp; I think knowing about it should help with relationships.

Hello BrianF, welcome, enjoy your stay on the Wrong Planet!