How do I know if I have Aspergers?

Post Reply New Topic

Ok, I found about Asperger Syndrome 2 years earlier, and it been on my mind since.

I have several things that I can associate with AS, but I am also missing several key traits of AS.

I don't think I have sensation overload problems. Don't like crowded area, but I been to crowded place without having any problem. Slightly uncomfortable, but I guess everyone would feel that way in crowded areas. Also I don't have a specific narrow interest (I do like to browse wikipedia for random stuff, but nothing specific). I read about AS having less than average mathematical skills, but math is really one my strong points. Its not genius level fast or anything, but I can understand math theory quick and when I was in school, Maths was one subject I know I can get an A without studying.

Then, there are things that I can relate.

I always avoid eye contact. My social skills are less than average, but to most people I just seem awkward. My closest friend notices it though and often have to tell what I do in certain social situation are wrong. I also do not like being involve in social situation with people that I don't know (this makes working life very terrible for me). I also like to follow routine, and missing them would make me stressed for no reason. Routines are comforting to me. I think I have conversation problem in the past (telling people things they are not interested in), but I think now I look for signs if their bored, and stop talking if they look bored. No conversation problems with close friends though.

I done those test on AS before, I get high marks, but sometimes not enough to reach the AS limit. My friends score were much more lower than mine, so my score is way higher than average, but not high enough to reach the AS limit.

I don't want to get diagnose by a professional, cause that would probably cost money, and I don't think it would be any helpful. I don't think being AS is negative, its more like trading off social skills for more IQ (at least that for me). But I been OK all this while without drugs, I don't think I need any help on getting by.

So am I just a geek/nerd being socially inept, do I have some sort of autism?

Oh for f*****g crying out loud, there's no point limit. No "ups, you scored 1 point low, you're not an aspie".
No tests is so accurate that they can say with a 100% certainty.
If you score high (but not high "enough") you're on the spectrum, but it don't means that you are an aspie, or it might mean that your Asperger is in a mild form.

If you really want to know, go to a specialist.

I've also read what Kalandra has about maths (in Attwood.) However, math skills are not part of the criteria.

Kalandra: If you think you don't quite meet the threshold in certain diagnostic criteria, and/or your traits are not causing significant impairment (as in the DSM IV), it's possible your traits could come under broad autistic phenotype. If you are struggling a lot or would like confirmation/self-knowledge, it might be worth getting a professional opinion. There are also atypical forms of autism (e.g., PDD-NOS) to consider and other conditions that can affect social communication.

@2ukenkerl

I done that test before. Don't remember the exact thing, but I remember I got into AS lower range. I also got ADD and OCD in that test. One of my friend got ADD and another got OCD, but neither of them got high in AS.

I think everyone focusing too much on me taking tests.

Generally, I don't care for a professional diagnosis right now, it probably gonna cost alot but not gonna help me. I am too old for therapy and I don't wanna take drugs. I just wanna learn about myself. I find my symptoms abit too severe just to dismiss as geeky/nerdy behaviour. I have nerdy friends, but they are still more socially capable than I am.

When I discovered AS, I was astounded at how it resembled me. I have a difficult time conceptualizing anyone who doesn't know whether they have it or not. It was just sohhh obvious for me.

Think back, all the way through to your earliest memories. Do any of your peculiarities fall under AS?

If you got health insurance, it shouldn't cost you money to be diagnosed. For me it was free. However, just because you have some traits of Aspergers and you don't have other traits, it doesn't mean you don't have it. Most people will not have every single symptom. I don't have much sensory overload at all, in fact I have almost none. I just have the poor social skills and very poor reading of social cues aspects. The bottom line is, if you have ANY form of social impairment, then you most likely have Aspergers(or other forms of Autism). The one thing everyone with Aspergers has is problems socializing.

Every criterion in the DSM-IV for Asperger's Syndrome is opinionated, so there is no way to ever decide based on objective facts.

I read a book a while ago, about an autistic guy, this was with school so we had to research autism aswell. And as I did this I noticed that I had alot of the traits of autism, so did a bit more, did a few online tests and the result was always "very high chance of being an Aspie" However my mother dosen't believe I do, but she just takes anything anybody does as a form of annoying her, so she's not a very good person to ask! Another reason I was suspicious was that nearly all my friends and acquaintances were Autistic to some degree and I never got on with the more " Normal " people.

I think whether or not to get a diagnosis is very much dependant on how important the information is to you. From the sound of it it's not too important. For me it changed my life because it explained so many things that had bothered and upset me for years. When I realised that I was not alone it was like someone had taken a huge weight off my shoulders.

One of the things I found really intersting was that prior to diagnosis I had always hated every photo of myself. I really thought I was ugly and hideous. Since diagnosis I can look at those same photos and I don't cringe and feel revolted. It's as if I am able to accept myself and be happy with who I am. Weird but true.