When did you first think about AS?

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I have a good friend who I think has Aspeger's, but I don't and I'm not sure how I should bring it up with her. I'm wondering if anyone else who does have it could tell me what made you first think about it and when you found out that you had it. If someone else brought it up with you, how did they do it? Is there anything that someone said to you that helped? Do you have any tips for asking my friend about it? Thanks!

I was doing self research and I was wondering why can I put myself so easily in the mind of Albert Einstein or Isaac Newton. they had one thing in common, Asperger.

after reading more about, it really felt like explanation to my life.

going to get diagnosed this week hopefully if they just give me time for a psychiatrist.

Why not just simply ask her "do you know what Aspergers is?" and see her response if she says yes tell you have it and see what happens and if she says no just say "forget about it"

I don't think this is good at all. Whether not she knows what it is, she needs to be told she very fragilely that she MAY have it (the keyword here) and that she should see a doctor.

Someone sent me a link to a webarticle on AS, with the header 'Read This, It Sounds Like You' - and it did. A lot. Actually, a lot doesn't even describe it, I felt like someone had been secretly videotaping me and studying my life for years.

However, you don't live in her head, so if she says 'No, that's not me', don't make a thing of it, because if it isn't causing your friend serious problems in dealing with everyday life, then they don't need a disability label. I mean if the traits you think you see are not a handicap for her, then why do you feel she needs to be branded Autistic? Call it to her attention if you genuinely think you're helping, but once that's done, let it go. If she needs more information, she'll seek it out.

Adding onto this and my previous statement, suggesting she sees a doctor if she wants to find out seems wise also.

Depends on where she is, in the states only a psychologist can DX AS, and most general practitioners are not terribly well educated on Autism, since you can't fix it with a prescription.

I was first professionally diagnosed by a Psychiatrist and I live in the US.

Its been noted frequently in these forums that Psychiatrists, like doctors, generally seem more likely to treat symptoms with their prescription pad rather than diagnose an untreatable disorder, so while technically they can, a psychiatrist wouldn't be my first choice in seeking a DX. It could very easily impede the diagnostic process and waste significant amounts of money.

Thank you to all of you who have offered me your advice. Any other input would be welcome.

My sister had a child who was diagnosed with AS. She was telling me about it and mentioned that she thought it came from our side of the family because my older brother shows a lot of AS symptoms. In her family, there was some guilt and arguing going on about who was to blame for the kid's condition and she was basically trying to put the blame on my brother because they don't get along. But as I thought about the characteristics she described in my brother, it struck me that I had all those symptoms, far more and far worse. A light bulb went on for me, she is still blaming my brother.

I think you need to be real cautious about how you approach this, maybe just bring up that you were reading an article about it somewhere and found it interesting, I would not try to tell your friend you think she has it. Just toss it out there as a topic of conversation and let it go.

When I first read about it in my local paper, back in 1996.

I've suspected it since about 1996 or 97, when it first came into common recognition...I work in the health care field and I recognized immediately that it accurately described me, since I was very young. I was diagnosed by someone other than myself this past summer when I began seeing a psychologist for something else.

As for your friend, I'd give her some info and if she is curious she'll pursue it and if not, let it go.

~Kate