Diagnosed AS people, Question about your perspective on life

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Hi, I was wondering for the people who were diagnosed with AS at older ages (20+):
Did you notice your AS symptoms before your realization/diagnosis? When?

I am 21; I am not diagnosed but a few people have suggested I might have AS (one from a "friend" who had AS). I dismissed it at first but looking back at my life, it feels like some twist ending to a movie; all these memories are like puzzle pieces and I see a lot of moments of my life which everything seemed normal but in retrospect, I realized I did do A LOT things that suggest my AS. My brother's always arguing with my mom about how she treats me like a baby, I realized I never really had any real friends or a best friend, the friends I did have were doing it out of pity, I still have trouble with eye contact, I can't sustain conversations, I've always had one-sided conversations as a kid with no regard to whether the other person was interested.

I'm planning on seeing a psychiatrist to finally settle whether or not I have AS. I really don't mind having it since I've been coping with it for a year now. But it still bugs me that I don't know what's different about me.

Last edited by Intrepid_Squirrel on 15 Apr 2012, 3:32 am, edited 3 times in total.

Did you have a question?

Sorry, ya I did. Was just wondering if people didn't really notice their AS symptoms until they realized they had AS. I feel like I'm a mentally challenged person who didn't know I was challenged for 20 years.

I know most AS people realize they're different as they grow up but I just seemed to not pick up on that I was different (as if my brain was ignoring it). An example is that I hardly had any friends (some quarters, I'd eat alone at lunch) but I didn't even realize that was an issue.

I spent my life believing everyone else was just like me, except that they weren't...

Now, I have aspergers. Next year, I may be just autistic (dsm v permitting). Either way, I'm still stuck in a world with a single person in it.

How can you notice symptoms when you're normal?

That's kind of how it was for me, prior to my being diagnosed in my twenties. I did realise that I had social problems (being constantly called a ‘social ret*d’ at school and at home brought this to my attention). I just thought that all people had to consciously learn social skills, and that my skills were noticeably lacking because I was a lot dumber than most people.

I had always just thought I was weird prior to the suggestion of AS and subsequent autism diagnosis. When I found out I was on the spectrum, it was like the theme from the "Saw" films spontaneously played out in the background of my life, like some twisted evil puzzle that was my existence suddenly made sense.

I am NOT officially diagnosed, though am working with a professional who thinks I have AS, no plans to officially diagnose though.
I have always felt different and was aware of my problems but did not understand them or link them with AS. I didnt see having no freinds as a problem as I did not want friends and was happy without relationships with people. Now that I am spending time breaking down the huge problem that was my life into lots of big and heaps of little problems I see how AS plays a part.

Last edited by Cogs on 15 Apr 2012, 5:17 am, edited 1 time in total.

I was an oddball from the beginning. I found out why when I found WrongPlanet. Once I had it figured out, then I could do something about it. Life is better now.

I always had problems but didn't know that they were down to autism. It was only as my daughter (aged 15) was going through the diagnostic process that I began to understand what autism was and realised I was answering in the same way as she was. I was diagnosed at 38.

I've always known in a vague way that I was different to most people but I tend to live in my own world so most of the time it didn't really concern me. Of course, now that I know about autism, a lot of my history makes sense and I have a much better understanding of myself.

I knew I was different from an early age. I used to wonder why everyone's behaviour was a lot different to mine and I did not understand some of the stuff others did such as wanting to rebel and be naughty in class. I always felt like I was on a different wavelength having unique hobbies and interests and always interpreting things slightly differently. I got a diagnosis of ASD in my teens which made everything clear, I always thought I was different!

I always thought I was unlucky to be constantly meeting people who seemed to confuse me. I kept thinking that one day I will meet the right group of people. Then I got fed up and decided everyone was too difficult for me so kept myself to myself, focused on my career. But it was through work I realized something is a miss and that I cannot keep blaming others. So I sought help and got a diagnosis.

As a big fan of physcological thriller/dramas movies with twist endings i can totally relate the feeling of being in one, the sudden realisation when the penny drops. Whooosh! All the scenes from my past that i just didnt quite get flash before me and it suddenly all fits together and makes sense. Very surreal feeling indeed

No, I didn't notice them.

School peers did now and again though.

Redacted

Last edited by nat4200 on 19 Apr 2012, 3:44 am, edited 1 time in total.

In high school, I started to notice some differences in me. Before that, I just assumed everyone was like me. Then I got diagnosed and realized that wasn't completely true.