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Hi, my name is Andrew (not really but it's my handle on here).

I have not had the opportunity to be medically diagnosed, but I fit the criteria so strongly for adult Asperger's that my wife and I are confident in our self-diagnosis.

I don't know anything about this site yet so I'll keep this brief. I joined because I imagine that I will find people here who can relate to my behaviors and to whose behaviors I can relate. Thank you and I look forward to interacting with you all.

I'm not sure I'd refer to my early medical diagnosis as beneficial, but you're welcome. In my view, you likely dodged a few bullets by not having schools consider you disabled.

Welcome!

Hello cberg. I'm not sure how I implied it was beneficial. And I wouldn't call it early given that I'm cruising towards 40.

As far as being considered disabled, my particular "location" on the spectrum is such that I appear relatively normal in most aspects, except for the fact that I do possess higher-than-average intelligence. My problems are mostly emotional, especially trying to process the randomness of typical social situations, both work and play. I manifest a quick temper when others cannot see the "obvious logic" of my conclusions (that's how I view it at the time anyway). To be honest, that's how I usually view it later as well; the difference is, later I realize that I didn't need to have overreacted like that. But at the time, it absolutely maddens me to the nth degree that people can seem to be so oblivious to the simplest logical processes and can instead respond (react?) to situations in seemingly bizarre and nonsensical ways when (in my mind) the solution is so obvious.

This ongoing perpetual experience, compounded over many years and varieties of situations, has given rise to a tendency towards substance abuse. (I've got it under control at this time, I'm just sharing about myself.) However, realizing that I am not alone in this way of viewing the world is in-and-of-itself encouraging, and I have begun trying to understand why I am how I am and why I act like I do instead of simply reacting to it in self-destructive ways.

Let me put it bluntly: I guess I would love to find out that I'm not the only one in the world who can be a p*%$k because of thinking that s/he is smarter than everyone else.

Well?

Last edited by andrewTheAndroid on 10 Apr 2013, 5:02 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Welcome to Wrong Planet!

Welcome

I try not to think in terms of intelligence, but rather capability. I'm a software geek, and I have friends across vastly differing professions (school, tech, medical, clinical, nightlife, horticulture, just to name a few). Never in a million years could I fill their shoes, despite the insistence of everyone I know on how smart I am. Truthfully it's the bulk of all the alienation I've ever felt, being told I'm across an intellectual divide from practically everyone I know, and that I'm powerless to bring people about to my way of seeing. Not only do NTs insult themselves, aggrandizing AS mental abilities, they intensify said divide by believing they can't access the same nascent ability, thereby eliminating most of their chances at lucrative, sometimes earth-shaking collaborations with those on the autism spectrum.

Wow!! !

Now I know I'm on the right planet.

The biggest problem I have always had is not so much the absence of individuals capable of comprehending me intellectually and returning in kind as the individuals who criticize me for being too analytical and over-thinking everything, as if being intelligent is somehow uncool.

First of all, welcome to Wrong Planet.
Second of all, self-diagnosis is somewhat more important than a regular medical diagnosis - you know, sometimes I might question some diagnoses, as if they didn't correspond to the objective situation of people in the time span that they're inserted. With this, being convicted that you're an Aspie and you don't pay too much attention to it(not taking it as an outrage).

Finally:
You seem like a very open-minded and mentally perceptive, friend.

Like cberg said, you shouldn't consider medical diagnosis as beneficial just to foment your ego - it won't have any effect, really. It's just a diagnosis.

Have a good day mate.

Hi Andrew . We could most certainly relate if you share my affinity for science and maths. I can already relate with you the criticised for being intelligent since most people dont read books while I annotate them voluntarily And welcome to wrong planet!

@BeautifulTechno:

LOL, that's the second time I've heard the word 'beneficial' used in relation to self-diagnosing as an Aspie, as if I said anything of the sort. I'm not offended, more just confused as to what I said that implied that I thought that.

I will admit that in the sense that it gives me a frame of reference, a context in which my thoughts and behaviors make sense, then yes, it is beneficial. It provides a method to the madness, an understanding of how seemingly random and inexplicable behaviors suddenly fit together like pieces in a puzzle.

For instance, I've noticed that I have the tendency to obsess about things that I become interested in. But up until yesterday I didn't realize just how bad the negative side effects were. Seeing it from the context of Asperger's causes it to make a whole lot of sense where it didn't before.

And yes, I am most definitely into the maths and sciences.

I guess if it gets too repetitive it gets inane, right? Not on this case, it seems. Do you feel the need for an official diagnosis though? Actually, you didn't say anything of the sort but we tried to tell(at least, I did) that self-diagnosis are great and they are pretty uncommon - people always want an official diagnosis but then I ask "What for?"

So, there are pros and cons in self-diagnosis? Just interested, what are they for you?

I'm into Science too here.

I always feel like not having an official diagnosis will make most people think I'm making it up or using it as an excuse or something. Although, having an official diagnosis might help with neurotypical people who can't quite grasp that we think in a different way to them. I think my dad still thinks I'm socially averse by choice.

I guess that's the only benefit that you can get from the official diagnosis - actually, you can even consider to be no beneficial at all. What if you wanted to hide from Autism, pretty much rejecting the idea that you might be on the spectrum? I know there's people like this, they do not want to feel different in the group that they live in. It doesn't require much intellect to understand this issue - again, you've made a good point and I'm opened for discussion here.
So, he admits that you're not autistic?

@TackyShirt: As to your question about opposite day, I guess that depends how far into infinite regression you are willing to journey

@BT and Jainz: Right now I simply don't have healthcare coverage, but even once I do, I personally don't care about getting an official diagnosis. If that is bad or irresponsible or whatever then so be it. The Army's behavioral health people didn't have any luck helping me understand my problems and I'm not going to waste any more time trying to get someone else to validate what I can see plainly is true. In fact, I don't really care about labels at all; the only thing I'm concerned about is understanding why I act the way I do enough to be able to make better decisions and to know how to handle things in a way that makes sense to me. The doctor can tell me I'm an alien for all I care, as long as within that diagnosis is an understanding of how aliens can better cope with life amongst humans. In fact, sometimes I wonder how far that is from the truth...

@andrewTheAndroid
Yes, I do agree with you - it's just a matter of labels. It seems that you have to get impervious to what other people might think and that's a great step to understand yourself: pretty much, caring about non-sense won't lead you anywhere and self-acknowledgement is needed. I support you here, buddy.

By the way, have you made any progress?