Can Asperger Syndrome be mild?

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Mild Asperger’s is still autism. If autistic symptoms are perceptible, then it is also likely to be disabling. So the distinction between mild, moderate and severe does not imply the lack of impairment but gives distinction instead to the severity of the condition. A mildly autistic person can function within society to some limited extent but a severely autistic person cannot to any degree. If you can read and respond to this thread, then you are almost certainly mildly autistic if you are autistic at all. The problem with being impaired but not obviously so is the endless challenge that we at wrongplant.net grapple with. There does not seem to be anything wrong with us and yet we cannot hold down a job or form meaningful relationships.

The doctor said to me that I have "mild Asperger Syndrome". In your post above you talk about mild autism. Do you think thats what the doctor meant. That I have mild autism? I thought he was saying that AS can be put in mild or severe etc. I didn't think he was saying autism. But I would accept if he said Aspergers is mild autism. But not accept him saying I have mild aspergers.

I have to go back to my GP and report about the phsyciatrist meeting. I will tell her what he said and also say that I think it is wrong for him to say I have mild AS. And that nobody should think that Asperger syndrome can be mild or severe. And he didn't really assess me in great depth. He gave me no tests to fill in and only asked a few typical questions. And especially as the session with him only lasted 45 mins and was the first time I had seen him. How can he conclude that my Aspergers syndrome is mild? He didnt even ask me about the relationship and how it was. And he didn't ask about the problems I have at work.

Yes, in the sense that in some cases one can grow up without being socially disabled by the condition.

ruveyn

Professionals SHOULD be held accountable for the diagnoses they give. And you are taking things in the right direction by telling them that. Again, the NEUROLOGY of Asperger's is the determination - not the LAS!

... So basically to sum up the forum topic, symptoms and characteristics of aspergers can be a matter of opinion? I'm too confused. Oh well..

I can justify this entirely. When I spoke about it to my friends, they told me I was full of it because I didn't exhibit any of the symptoms. But did they not consider they're just used to me? Out of the small group I spend time with, I'm considered the most "Sheldon-esque". Shouldn't that be a sign? I even brought it up Sheldon to someone new the other night, and he instantly spouts "Yeah! That's who you remind me of!"

Granted I'm not nearly as much of a tightwad as the character, haha. If anything, I'm Sheldon 'light'.

I think I can feel the symptoms as strongly as everyone else, but I've come from a very battered background where showing any weakness could get me hurt badly. So in my self-defensive tactic of keeping a stiff upper lip and a sense of humor to mask the pain, nobody really takes me seriously about it. My family doctor even told me "Hey, everyone has it on some level. Don't worry about it."

Well, what the heck do you think I did after that? > <''

My mom says no one will ever guess I have a disability but as a child kids could tell so that's why I was a perfect target to get picked on and take advantage of. Now as an adult she says no one will ever guess.

I still think people can tell if they know me long enough. Even aspies who have it worse than me, people wouldn't guess they have it too. They might think we are just stupid or something or rude or lack common sense or a jerk. That's why they call it a hidden disability.

Thanks for your suggestions about helping my son. I will send you a pm when I can get online without my son being beside me, insisting I get offline.

Yeah, pretty lousy and pretty superficial.

Yeah, it sounds rather Aspie to me. Now, good friends will like you specifically for the areas you are different.

So-so friends and mean people using me as some kind of mascot will do something similar, and I have had trouble telling the two apart, the real friendship where someone wants you to succeed and wants you to do good things and who stands with you in solidarity during bad times, and pretend friends.

Now, one thing that has surprisingly helped is poker, and realizing that there is not one uber 'read' (or only seldom so) but generally just staying with the general flow and being open to the overall pattern. (I highly recommend poker for social skills. I do not recommend it as an attempt to make money.)

^^^^

Ditto for Bid Whist! Excellent for social skills!

I was diagnosed with AS about 10 years ago. I frequently get labelled as 'mild', and most people I meet are genuinely surprised when I tell them I have AS; but I still have the same characteristic AS difficulties (I just manage to mostly mask the visible ones).
In terms of diagnosis, honestly, either you have it or you don't. Those AS traits just show up more noticeably in some than in others.

And I bet Whist is cheaper, too! (cheaper than poker)

You know, I think it's learning social skills in a semi-formal structure.

A book I recommend is Karl Greenfeld's book BOY ALONE.
http://www.amazon.com/Boy-Alone-Karl-Ta ... 317&sr=8-1

He talks about growing up with his younger brother Noah who has autism. But please be warned, at the end Karl goes on a flight of fancy in which Noah goes through a rapid growth period. This then comes crashing back to earth when he includes the formal reports that his brother is actually institutionalized as an adult.

This book was one of the things which convinced me that we should be open to doing more for our less communicative auties and aspies.

Asperger light..

So they told me too, having a partner a son and a fulltime job.
So yes, when I am feeling good and healthy, you could name it light.

Add some stress, grieve or some other sudden shocking news and see what happens.
What light there is, is my aspie-light shining bright on all six DSM-IV points needed to be an aspie.
I turn into a burden for those around me and and myself and do everythingto withdraw and search for solitude.
Nobody waits for my psychotic, depressed and chaotic behavior.
So yes, when life is good and pleasant (wich it rarely is), I am aspie-light.