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Hi,

I haven't been diagnosed officially with Aspergers. Ironically, I work as a para in a special ed. room at school. This is how I discovered this. I was talking with an OT and my younger brother came up and she asked me if he had Aspergers and I told her no. She seemed pretty convinced he had it. My sister who is a special ed. teacher has been thinking this for awhile. I began reading on it and I almost exhibit more symptoms than he does. I have always been extremely obsessive. My mom always accused me of becoming obsessed with things which I took as an insult and didn't agree. Last year when the movie Watchmen came out was the first time I realized I was obsessive. I was 25 when it came out and I couldn't restrain myself from seeing twice in theaters, reading the graphic novel, downloading a podcast that had clips from the movie so I could listen to it repeatedly.I wanted to talk about it nonstop and found it difficult to restrain myself at work. My husband is fairly obsessive but I talked about it and read about it so much he was sick of it! That is his favorite comic! It was also the first time in my life I started to realize people don't like to listen to your obsessions. I had obsessions with dinosaurs, different books I would want read to me over and over, meteorology, the Minnesota Twins- I knew every player, their number, their positions, the Twins standings, batting averages and E.R.A's. I just thought everyone gets obsessed with things since my brother did the same thing and my sister who is 2 1/2 years younger than me would just go along with my obsession.
I feel like I had a good childhood except beginning at the age of two I would have terrible melt downs. It wasn't a typical temper tantrum where my parents could give me what I wanted and it ended. Neither they or I could ever figure out what was wrong. I would start by acting upset with something relatively minor and it would just escalate. I couldn't stop myself from having a huge crying, screaming match with my parents even through high school. These meltdowns could last hours without ever really figuring out what was wrong. I was the perfect angel in school but when I got home all hell broke loose. I still have overwhelming emotions and periodically meltdown but not as bad. I feel like a pressure cooker when this happens. Things might bother me but I won't do anything with it at the time and then it all comes out at once.
I also had two significant sensory issues. I am VERY noise sensitive which I now think may have contributed to my meltdowns as a kid. I always complained constantly about everything being too loud and my parents would tell me it wasn't. I realize now how loud my parents' house is. There is always at least one TV on if not more. I have tactile issues with clothing. Most of my pictures of my childhood up through Kindergarten I have no pants on or I am just in my underwear. I couldn't stand clothing unless it is baggy. I still have that issue and my clothes are usually a size too big for me. In high school when everyone dressed to be cute, I dressed for comfort.
I definitely had the high vocabulary associated with Asperger's and memory skills. My parents always said I had a photographic memory and I still can memorize things quite easily. I don't remember as a young child being afraid to talk to people instead everyone said I was a motor mouth because I talked nonstop. I also was very literal. My dad told me his feet smelled like lilacs so probably until I was 10 or so I thought lilacs were some type of feet. I did have friends but I always sought out more outsiders. One of the girls I spent time with consistently on the playground was a girl with Spina Bifida. I definitely got teased and had a hard time because I never and still have a hard time responding.
My friends have always thought I was quirky because I have strange routines. My husband accepts that I like to watch the same movie every night or that I have to watch Roseanne before I go to bed so I am lucky that way. I did try obtaining a diagnosis but the psychiatrist refused to do any evaluations and said I was to animated to have Asperger's and because I direct a dance program I am too social. I have been dancing since I was 15 which I know is atypical but I really was awful and uncoordinated when I started. I guess became obsessed with it and worked really hard. I do pretty well now but I do have struggles with some forms of dance because of the coordination issues and I have hard time following the many directions the ballet teachers rattle off.
I want a diagnosis for peace of mind and because I want to help people because I understand how frustrating this can be. I just am looking for support and maybe someone who can direct in a way to be diagnosed. I am sorry I went on so long but I am just frustrated. I also want a diagnosis so I can find an appropriate job. I majored in English and Film and was told by that psychiatrist that people with Asperger's don't major in Enlglish and Film, they major in Science. I really like working with the kids I work with because I feel compassion for them and how difficult things are for them. I do have a hard time with the people I work with because I don't understand why people act the way they do. If you say you are going to do something do it. Many people are lazy. Why be a special ed. teacher if you really don't care about kids? I'm sorry I'm just trying to find answers.

Good grief, get a second opinion. 3/4 of the people staffing mental health don't know their ..... from a hole in the ground. I had an examiner sit to my face and spout off one of the leading myths about Aspergers... that if I were Aspergers, supposedly "I'd be absent of human empathy and not care if I hurt people's feelings". (paraphrasing the lie she picked up on the internet) and later it was admitted to me, the extent of her knowledge, was asked to "brush up on Autism" just before I went to the eval. So, she didn't even know what the symptoms of Aspergers were... but attempting to make a diagnosis.

You should really ask exactly what he meant by "too animated". I guess all Aspergers people are low functioning, and sit in a corner and never have a word to say... or WHAT did your examiner possibly mean?
Gary Numan is a teacher of pilots... Bill Gates, founder of Microsoft with bookoos of employees... (and many more could be named) I suppose that makes them non-Asperger.



How?? My kids love riding bikes.... my oldest daughter was signed up in dance classes.. she's on the choir, and she's positive for Aspergers.

I know that kind of ignorance you dealt with (just having your time wasted) is enough to really annoy an Aspie.



Second opinion definately!



STEVEN SPIELBERG WRITER AND FILM DIRECTOR.
As an adult, Spielberg was diagnosed with Asperger's syndrome, explaining in part ... Steven Spielberg won Best Director and Best Picture Oscars that year. ...
- solarnavigator.net/films_movies.../steven_spielberg.htm

The quack needs to reimburse you, for wasting your time.

Welcome to WP

First off: Welcome to Wrong Planet!!

Second: that "professional" sounds like a total quack, not to mention a jerk.

Welcome to WrongPlanet, and welcome to my time warp.

are you even sure that this "professional" ever realy took an indepth study in psycology?

That professional holds a degree, you can guarantee it. And there are many Quacks out there like that. I'm sure the OP left their office that day, dazed and confused... and angry. They are called "Educated Idiots" and are a complete waste of money.

"Hello," WalkingDoctor - welcome aboard the Wrong Planet.

Thank you for the support!

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

To WrongPlanet!! !

Thank you! I'm happy to meet all of you!