Do you think...

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an Aspie could become a psychologist?

I've had an interest in psychology since high school, but not to the point where it's an obsession of mine. I've never taken any classes in it. My high school didn't offer any. I could have taken some classes in college, but I always felt I wouldn't be smart enough to handle it, so I just took random classes, and didn't take them very seriously.

But, since getting diagnosed and with my therapy, I've found that I am intelligent, I just need to apply myself. I want to put my intelligence to good use. I feel like I've wasted a lot of time bullsh**ing around, so I want to put my life on a good path.

However, here are my concerns about studying this:

1. I don't understand people, although I guess that's what the extensive study and research is for.
2. I don't have good communication skills (but that's why I go to therapy).
3. Don't you need to empathize with people? I don't think that's something I can learn by reading a book.
4. I'll be 23 in November. I feel like the time might have passed to start studying something like this.
5. I don't know if the amount of work will overwhelm me.

Also, it's a little weird that I want to become a psychologist, yet I'm in therapy right now. I just find that amsuing.

Do you find yourself interested in the workings of people? You've already had some experience in the field, and you might make an excellent psychologist. Personally I'd think psychology would be a sweet gig for an aspie.. who better to relate to people and get people to relate back than someone who takes a fervent interest in studying human relationships? Meaning, if you are not good at relating/communicating, studying psychology will be a great learning endeavor. It's like learning the rules to the game of life..

See postsecret:



As for your concern about empathy.. are you saying you literally do not understand when another person is in pain/expressing emotion, or you do not know how to respond? For me it's the latter, not the former.. I usually know when someone is upset but I don't know what to DO with it. Some looking into the matter and observation has led me to realize that it's not about doing anything with their emotions.. it's about acknowledging that they exist and that you understand them. If you can learn how to do that people will be a lot more comfortable with you.

That said, you could probably become a therapist, but remember that there are some therapists out there that are downright awful.. so you, having experience with therapy, can look at this and decide what you do and do not want to incorporate into your practice.

For example, were I to become a therapist, I would not want to be the one that would pry into people's pasts and seek symptoms to label them with diagnosis. I would work on fostering meaningful multilayered conversations..

I have a bachelors of science in psychology and know I could finish a PHD in it but I would probably make the worst therapist in the world. I'm honestly like Gregory House from that show House M.D., now can you imagine someone like us trying to be a therapist? I would not recommend aspies get degrees in psychology because they don't have much empathy. I really liked some of the topics in psychology like brain chemistry and how neurons work etc.... how alzheimers gunks up neurons with plaques... it's all very fascinating to know how things work but I should have become an engineer. Maybe a brain surgeon lol.

Yes, that's true. Studying it will help me understand relating and communicating better. For the empathy, like you said, I don't know what to do, plus I sometimes have a hard time knowing when a person is upset, etc.

Is empathy required to be a psychologist? I don't see why an Aspie couldn't be a psychologist. The tendancy to look more closely at the details others miss would be a benefit I think.

Hi there
I recently went through a lot of similar soul-searching before becoming a student nurse. There are those who believe that autistic people do not experience empathy. There are other people who believe that we experience an overload of empathy, a rush of other people's emotions, and that often our reactions to this overload are what cause us problems in society.

I have always been drawn to caring roles in my own life, and now I am in my first year of my nursing degree, it's going really well, and I am very happy. I also spent years in therapy (lol). It has paid off, and I feel I'm pretty good at dealing with the stress that being in this new job throws up.

A lot of people who have therapy develop an interest in therapy/psychology as a result, and I think that if it interests you, then find out more about it! After all, we are experts in research...

Good luck with your career hunting!
Callie

There used to be a clinical psychologist who carried out diagnosis of aspies in the manchester area who also had an asperger diagnosis himself. He buggered off with his Finnish wife back to her home country then dirvorced and he's still living out there now.

He diagnosed my ex before he buggered off to Finland, true story. Think he lurks on here sometimes as well

It is not impossible to be a psychologist with AS; but I would suggest a branch other than clinical psychology. Research/experimental psych could be right up your alley.

Yes, possible.
I have great interest in the subject, in fact, and have even considered something along that career path myself. However, as far as clinical psychology goes, I became frustrated with the clinical psychologists (one imbecile had parakeets flying around while pestering me with questions; one landed on my head. This was when I was 10 and was just diagnosed.) So, as Callista said, I'd recommend staying away from that branch.