Hi new here, do I have AS? :D

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Hi everyone

I am 26 and my name is Paulo

As you must have realized by now I'm not from an English speaking country, but I thought this was a great place to get more information about this condition and possibly an non-official diagnosis. I was never diagnosed by a professional like many here but I am pretty sure I have AS. There are a few symptoms which match the AS criteria and some which make me a non-aspie (like being good at sports, but then again Lionel Messi is autistic and probably the best football player ever). So please, your opinion would be great.

I have always been "shy" around people and very awkward in social situations. Sometimes my parents would receive visits and I would just go into my room and hide there playing or reading until their friends, or sometimes even family, were gone.

At school in my childhood I always found it difficult to keep eye contact, especially with adults. Focusing when someone was talking was always a problem too, after a while my mind just wanders off. Normally someone has to address me clearly otherwise I will just not record what they said.

I was an easy target for bullies because of my shyness. My attendance was very bad, I would miss most classes because I just didn't like being inside a classroom with so many people I didn't know personally. At some point my parents arranged for me to have a session with the school's psychologist, I was around 12. I remember it well, she told me to seat and made a few questions, I answered in monotone and she told me if I wasn't comfortable I could leave at any time and come back whenever I felt more comfortable. I walked right out and never came back. Now I kind of regret it.

Right now I am employed and have been in the same job for a few years. And it might be surprising but I work as a waiter. When I first started it was horrible, it was incredibly difficult for me to make eye contact and usually I'd make at least 1 mistake per day. Luckily my boss liked me and kept me, even joking about it "you're gonna cost me so much money". I decided to stay because it was the only way I could make myself socialize. After a while I got used to it, although I still can't be in front of a till if there is a queue, it's gotta be a 1-on-1 situation where I feel like I have control over things.

I have also attended Uni, although never graduated. The course I was doing was Graphic Design, got to the third year but it was a big struggle all the way through. They prioritize group work and presentations, yes you can guess how it went.. On my final year presentation I chocked in the rehearsal, that's right I felt nervous in the rehearsal, the presentation was catastrophic. I've always been creative and a good drawer but apparently Graphic Design is a job where you need very good interpersonal skills.

I play 11aside and 5aside football, I try to have some interaction with people as often as possible, otherwise I just feel depressed, although like so many of you I need time for myself too. I enjoy walking, I walk to work and to the gym, or even to football. I just put my headphones on voila. I still don't have a driving license and live with my parents.

I think overall I can cover the AS very well, but I am still called immature many times, cold and weirdo. My parents probably still don't have a clue I am somewhere in the autism spectrum, which has caused my dad to call me Alien once. My mum has also told me a few times that "If I was dying you wound't move a finger to help". Lovely. I probably would too if I had a son that can go all day without saying a word.

Some extra info. When someone is very dramatic it really angers me, I am not sure why. I have very sensitive touch (hugging kind of annoys me), hearing and sense of smell. I really need quite so that I can focus on someone talking to me, to many people talkign at once confuses me and I can't keep track of everything. I can't sleep at night unless the room is in total darkness and there is absolutely no noise and even sometimes from time to time I skip a night's sleep. I am obsessed with statistics, and there were particular subjects at school that were simply to easy for me, like biology, geology or physics. Which were a big contrast to others where I was incredibly bad at. Usually I am told I speak to fast and mumble.

There is more but I think I've bored you all enough that cared to read to the end.

Thank you

Welcome to Wrong Planet!

Hi!

I?m new to Wrong Planet too, just joined, but I can relate to a lot of the things you talk about. Seeing as this is my first post I?m not really qualified to give my opinion on whether or not you would fit the diagnostic criteria, but I?m sure there will be plenty of astute Wrong Planet members who can help you ascertain what exactly the likelihood of your having AS is. Hopefully you'll find the forum useful!

And your post definitely wasn?t boring!

Welcome to Wrong Planet!

Thanks everyone

It seems like I really have AS.

Although I have a few doubts about HFA and AS, I think I am more inclined to HFA?
What are the key differences?