Am I considered Neurotypical?

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How do you know?

If they objectively are, a psycho or psychic can give you a PDD-NOS label, probably Atypical Asperger's due to its late age of onset.

You could have a parent or guardian call around for you and ask if anyone is knowledgeable with ASDs (not just "autism"), or perhaps there's a specialised clinic near you?

I don't know what I have, then. Because I have been weird all my life, and my mother can testify to that, and personality disorders usually don't start until early adulthood. Perhaps I have an Atypical case of personality disorder?

Okay, so I assume that Aspeger's, or something similar is close to what you think you have; I remember you said that you were excluded from such a diagnosis for you weren't the same younger as you are now. However, if you have Asperger's now, in symptoms, severity of, and the outward physical appearance of such, one can still get a PDD-NOS label.

I wouldn't discount the severity and reality of personality disorders (I assume you didn't meet Schizoid for you're interested in social interaction, you just have problems with such).

What you are is "unique" - as are we all!

I am (apparently) "a bit of everything", i.e. I have some symptoms of AS, ADHD, OCD & Dyspraxia, but do not fit obviously into any of their little boxes.

That does not make me an NT, because I definitely have some type of NDD - all it means is that their system of boxes is too narrow & rigid to accommodate me!

Have you done the Aspie Quiz online, or any of the other online tests? Your results would give you much more of an idea if you are likely to be NT or not.

I agree with the previous poster who said that NT's are neurologically normal, i.e. they process social cues etc. properly, but may still have psychological issues, i.e. PD's, that cause them to behave like someone with AS.

However, I completely understand why you find the "PD" description derogatory. Long before I had come across AS, a former boss of mine said I could never be promoted because I had a "personality defect" - which I'm sure you'll agree is an even worse d-word than "disorder"!

I found this really hard to deal with - although the evidence was all there that he was right, I had been in total & utter denial, and it was a huge shock for me, as I have posted about elsewhere.

Mw99 wrote:
"Besides, the person who diagnosed me said that "based on the answers you gave us, it appears that you have a personality disorder not specified." That doesn't mean a thing."

Actually to me, that means quite a lot. It means that you have not got one of the recognised personality disorders - but that at the same time, you are presenting with symptoms, which he is at a loss as to how to categorise.

You haven't said whether or not this person was competent to diagnose AS, but from the tone of your posts I am assuming he was not.

Thus, someone familiar with PD's but not AS would be very likely to describe an aspie in the way he described you - i.e. "not a PD I'm familiar with, so it must be a new kind of PD".

Spokane_Girl was only answering your question, so why does it offend you?



Asking questions about early development, friendships etc. IS what a psychologist does as well as observing the individual's behaviour and responses.

I am sure the psychologist(s) whom you've see are competent, if you don't think so then go for a second opinion.

I'm sorry, but I find it rather worrying to be offended by a personality disorder. I would be very sorry if my friend had to read this!

I don't think my friend should feel offended when she is told she has a personality disorder. And she isn't. Why should she? I feel that personality disorder shouldn't be seen as worse than an autism spectrum disorder. Nobody can choose either.

Maybe it's different in different countries, but people here and in some other places I know have more understanding and respect for personality disorders than for autism. Or Down's. Or any other from-birth thing. Even AD(H)D is still partly a no-no. Anorexia has the better public image.

If one is seen as worse by a society than the other, then the thing to go for is positive and/or objective presentation.

I am sorry to be rude but I have found a lot of what you have said very insulting.

Up until recently I was diagnosed with BPD, Borderline Personality Disorder and I never felt bad or ashamed to have that label and never world have until you said that, I know more people with PDs and mental health problems than all my 'friends' put together and not one of them is ashamed of who they are or what they are going through.
Suffering from a personality disorder or any form of mental illness is no different (not literally) than having Autism, Aspergers, Cerebral Palsy or Downs its not something you choose and its not anything to be embarrassed about.
Personality Disorders may not have the best names, but explore them and they make sense, BPD simply means your emotions are more intense than they should be, don't insult and degrade a whole group of people just because you don't like the term, haven't done enough research or are angry at what you were told.

I don't mean this in a bad way but it really sounds like your too eager for a diagnosis, its true that some people have a straight diagnosis but it might be that you're a mixture of lots of things or that they don't have a name for it yet. Labels aren't always important, if you've been for the diagnosis already then there's not much more to do. I've just started because I have to and if I don't get a straight diagnosis I don't care, because I know now that Aspergers is the closest I have come to seeing myself written down.

Im diagnosed AVPD and i must say i find some of the things you say insulting too. I dont feel ashamed of my diagnosis (although ive recently discovered some things which led me to believe there might be more severe problems going on with me) cause its just something stating why i am a certain way. I certainly wont feel more special or better if i end up getting an aspergers diagnosis. PDs are better in a way cause most of them can be treated, AS cant.

So if i was to wish for something, id hope to god i have a PD.

Schizoids don't care about social interactions. They also are said not to care about praise or criticism. I care about social interactions to the extent that they are a mean to an end, and I can be quite unreceptive to either praise or criticism, if I sense platitudes and condescension or an unfair attack against my character.

MW99 I have skimmed some of your threads and it seems to me that you think that you are aspergers. Why not get another diagnosis? There are plenty of fools in the medical profession.

do you mean to say there is a fool out there who'll diagnose me with AS?

No, no no! I think that few doctors have an understanding of aspergers. I KNOW that few teachers do! Yet they set themselves up as experts with cruel outcomes for the aspies.

Doh! Just saw your wink.

Some on this board, like Danielismyname, take a scietific view about diagnosis. Others have said that if you think you are aspergers, you probably are. That's my view too ..but I am NT.

I think daniel relies mostly on arbitrary definitions of Asperger's .

Why are you picking on Daniel?

No, he relies on the DSM-IV- y'know, the manual for diagnosing?