Is it possible that I've been misdiagnosed?
03 Jun 2016, 6:22 pm
League_Girl wrote:
Ganondox wrote:
Doomsday3000 wrote:
Ganondox wrote:
Doomsday3000 wrote:
Symptoms of Aspergers I don't have
1. Alright so this is my problem. A lot of people with aspergers are not able to read peoples faces or their body language and miss sarcasm. I once saw a video for helping children with aspergers which showed pictures of people smiling and frowning and glaring and just the bare basic emotions and asking them to identify them correctly as "sad", "mad", and "happy". Yeah, needless to say I can recognize these and most if not all of the basic facial emotions and can do so quite easily. I can understand sarcasm, and I think I can understand body language pretty well. I don't know if I can read deeper more complex body language or facial expressions but I think I can. I also have empathy not in the sense that I can put myself in another shoes easily (because I literally can't) but I can feel sorry for someone who's had a bad time. I know that breakups are hard, I know that losing ones' job is bad, I know cancer is horrible and I feel very bad for the other person. I have empathy I can sense many social cues, and I can read faces and body language... these are very big and standard symptoms for autism spectrum disorder, they're probably in the top five. I also am not a stickler to routines. While I do prefer to eat the same thing at a restaurant or sit in the same place at a school I really don't care about routine and actually do enjoy doing spontaneous things as long as they're rational to do.
If this is all you lack (you can read some nonverbal ques and like doing some spontaneous things), then there is absolytely no reason to assume you don't have aspergers. Lacking empathy as you describe it is NOT a trait of aspergers.
Right, so the other reason that I have some doubts about my diagnosis is that many of the traits listed above have improved significantly. I blame it on the medications I take Risperidone, Mirtazipine, and Fluvoxamine (I'm spelling these wrong I know) and maybe the fact that I've left high school, but I feel pretty normal now all things considered.
My Psychiatrist didn't really take the claims of autism seriously until my parents filmed me doing that weird pacing thing without my knowledge and showed it to the psychiatrist in which time he immediately gave me my diagnosis.
I guess my concern is my lack of some very common traits for aspergers plus my improving symptoms as i've aged. There is no doubt that there is something wrong with me though of that I'm not denying, and I believe that autism spectrum disorder is as good of a diagnosis as any. I simply wish for some other's opinions of the matter.
Traits getting better with age is EXPECTED to happen, as coping mechanisms are learned which make things less severe. Also, highschool is a particularly stressful environment, and traits are always worse in high stress environments. If it's the result of the medication, than that's what's not in line with Aspergers, but things are complicated.
My mom believes I was trying to be Asperger's when I was in high school when in fact I was having more anxiety. Part of it is true though because I was using it as an excuse and not even trying anymore to control myself when upset. Then I was trying to have ODD to get my way because I had found a short cut to my problem but it backfired.
In high school and middle school I had this problem where I wouldn't speak to anyone for half of the year but then when someone spoke to me I would get so excited by speaking to people that I socialized in a very inappropriate hyperactive manner which annoyed the crap out of my peers and mate them hate me. It wasn't just my hyperactivity but also the fact that what I was saying was apparently inappropriate and weird and I would make jokes at others expense without realizing that it hurt their feelings. Until about four years ago in fact I literally didn't know people wanted me to be nice to them. I know it sounds strange but I watched how people were in general complete jerks to one another and how they found it funny when someone else was in pain and I said some apparently mean things to get a laugh without realizing I was hurting peoples feelings very badly. I just thought that that was how people interacted. I also was apparently extremely hyperactive, like going to Disneyland on crack hyperactive and apparently I made some very weird jokes and interacted in an weird abnormal way.
I was always getting in trouble in middle and elementary school for having huge tantrums and outright outbursts toward my fellow students and teachers. I one time almost went to jail because I broke a ruler in half and tried to stab a kid with the sharp end. I don't know if any of this is in line with aspergers but this was basically my school life.
03 Jun 2016, 11:56 pm
Doomsday3000 wrote:
League_Girl wrote:
Ganondox wrote:
Doomsday3000 wrote:
Ganondox wrote:
Doomsday3000 wrote:
Symptoms of Aspergers I don't have
1. Alright so this is my problem. A lot of people with aspergers are not able to read peoples faces or their body language and miss sarcasm. I once saw a video for helping children with aspergers which showed pictures of people smiling and frowning and glaring and just the bare basic emotions and asking them to identify them correctly as "sad", "mad", and "happy". Yeah, needless to say I can recognize these and most if not all of the basic facial emotions and can do so quite easily. I can understand sarcasm, and I think I can understand body language pretty well. I don't know if I can read deeper more complex body language or facial expressions but I think I can. I also have empathy not in the sense that I can put myself in another shoes easily (because I literally can't) but I can feel sorry for someone who's had a bad time. I know that breakups are hard, I know that losing ones' job is bad, I know cancer is horrible and I feel very bad for the other person. I have empathy I can sense many social cues, and I can read faces and body language... these are very big and standard symptoms for autism spectrum disorder, they're probably in the top five. I also am not a stickler to routines. While I do prefer to eat the same thing at a restaurant or sit in the same place at a school I really don't care about routine and actually do enjoy doing spontaneous things as long as they're rational to do.
If this is all you lack (you can read some nonverbal ques and like doing some spontaneous things), then there is absolytely no reason to assume you don't have aspergers. Lacking empathy as you describe it is NOT a trait of aspergers.
Right, so the other reason that I have some doubts about my diagnosis is that many of the traits listed above have improved significantly. I blame it on the medications I take Risperidone, Mirtazipine, and Fluvoxamine (I'm spelling these wrong I know) and maybe the fact that I've left high school, but I feel pretty normal now all things considered.
My Psychiatrist didn't really take the claims of autism seriously until my parents filmed me doing that weird pacing thing without my knowledge and showed it to the psychiatrist in which time he immediately gave me my diagnosis.
I guess my concern is my lack of some very common traits for aspergers plus my improving symptoms as i've aged. There is no doubt that there is something wrong with me though of that I'm not denying, and I believe that autism spectrum disorder is as good of a diagnosis as any. I simply wish for some other's opinions of the matter.
Traits getting better with age is EXPECTED to happen, as coping mechanisms are learned which make things less severe. Also, highschool is a particularly stressful environment, and traits are always worse in high stress environments. If it's the result of the medication, than that's what's not in line with Aspergers, but things are complicated.
My mom believes I was trying to be Asperger's when I was in high school when in fact I was having more anxiety. Part of it is true though because I was using it as an excuse and not even trying anymore to control myself when upset. Then I was trying to have ODD to get my way because I had found a short cut to my problem but it backfired.
In high school and middle school I had this problem where I wouldn't speak to anyone for half of the year but then when someone spoke to me I would get so excited by speaking to people that I socialized in a very inappropriate hyperactive manner which annoyed the crap out of my peers and mate them hate me. It wasn't just my hyperactivity but also the fact that what I was saying was apparently inappropriate and weird and I would make jokes at others expense without realizing that it hurt their feelings. Until about four years ago in fact I literally didn't know people wanted me to be nice to them. I know it sounds strange but I watched how people were in general complete jerks to one another and how they found it funny when someone else was in pain and I said some apparently mean things to get a laugh without realizing I was hurting peoples feelings very badly. I just thought that that was how people interacted. I also was apparently extremely hyperactive, like going to Disneyland on crack hyperactive and apparently I made some very weird jokes and interacted in an weird abnormal way.
I was always getting in trouble in middle and elementary school for having huge tantrums and outright outbursts toward my fellow students and teachers. I one time almost went to jail because I broke a ruler in half and tried to stab a kid with the sharp end. I don't know if any of this is in line with aspergers but this was basically my school life.
You misread the social cues. Those kids who were being mean to each other know when it's okay to do it. They do it in a joking way. That is common in Asperger's to misread the cues. Plus some kids are just mean to they pick on others, it doesn't mean what they do is right. As for the last part, it sounds anxiety related which is also common in autism.
_________________
Son: Diagnosed w/anxiety and ADHD. Also academic delayed and ASD lv 1.
Daughter: NT, no diagnoses. Possibly OCD. Is very private about herself.
04 Jun 2016, 1:21 am
I think you're right about misreading social cues League Girl. I remember that a lot of my problems were caused by me reading friendly social cues in a hostile manner. I was picked on so much that when I didn't know what someone was trying to convey to me (which was often) I always interpreted it in a hostile manner.
I also had problems with basic social literacy. When I was interested in girls in a non platonic fashion I would just stare at them in every opportunity I got. I thought that that was how you let them know you were interested. Needless to say I got the reputation around the school as a "creeper." I don't do that anymore.
I also apparently had no grasp of chivalry. I thought girls and guys were equal in every respect and I treated them equal in every respect. If a woman were to slap me in the face for example I would have no qualms about slapping them right back though apparently that was a big no no.
Also what apparently caused big talks around the school was the fact that I would talk and monologue to myself out loud and seemingly to me under my breath but everyone could hear me. I've always had a really strong inner monologue that was so great in its quantity that I have really had to learn not to talk to myself.
Overall looking at this I think that the diagnosis of Aspergers and OCD do come the closest to what I suffer, I just think that I may be higher functioning on some levels than most and have different comorbidities than most. I can look someone in the eye with no problem, read basic facial expressions, body language, and lack any sensory issues that I'm aware of but still suffer many weird and debilitating quirks.
I think that I inherited many of these traits from my father who scores about a 42 on the AQ test (I tested him) and can be spotted by a psychologist and from his many quirky body be assumed to have autism. The fact that we have both been diagnosed with the same disorder by different psychiatrists both trained in abnormal psychology speaks volumes as well. My doubts stemed from the fact that I lack many of the qualities stereo-typically associated with Aspergers and that many of my symptoms have lessened overtime. However I read on the diagnostic criteria that traits can be shown either by present or by history for which the latter I have plenty of.
04 Jun 2016, 2:16 am
Found the diagnostic Criteria for the DSM V online and this is how i stack up.
Quote:
Diagnostic Criteria
A. Persistent deficits in social communication and social interaction across multiple contexts, as manifested by the following, currently or by history (examples are illustrative, not exhaustive, see text):
1. Deficits in social-emotional reciprocity, ranging, for example, from abnormal social approach and failure of normal back-and-forth conversation; to reduced sharing of interests, emotions, or affect; to failure to initiate or respond to social interactions.
In this I barely qualify as I read that examples of deficits in social reciprocity include failure to take place in social games, failure to initiate social interactions, and preferring solitary activity. Though I must have more trouble in it than I think if people find me creepy, weird, or ret*d.
2. Deficits in nonverbal communicative behaviors used for social interaction, ranging, for example, from poorly integrated verbal and nonverbal communication; to abnormalities in eye contact and body language or deficits in understanding and use of gestures; to a total lack of facial expressions and nonverbal communication.
Of this I cannot be completely sure. I simply cannot gauge this in myself.
3. Deficits in developing, maintaining, and understanding relationships, ranging, for example, from difficulties adjusting behavior to suit various social contexts; to difficulties in sharing imaginative play or in making friends; to absence of interest in peers.
Yes except for the imaginative play this is a solid extreme yes.
Specify current severity:
Severity is based on social communication impairments and restricted repetitive patterns of behavior (see Table 2).
B. Restricted, repetitive patterns of behavior, interests, or activities, as manifested by at least two of the following, currently or by history (examples are illustrative, not exhaustive; see text):
1. Stereotyped or repetitive motor movements, use of objects, or speech (e.g., simple motor stereotypies, lining up toys or flipping objects, echolalia, idiosyncratic phrases).
Yes
2. Insistence on sameness, inflexible adherence to routines, or ritualized patterns or verbal nonverbal behavior (e.g., extreme distress at small changes, difficulties with transitions, rigid thinking patterns, greeting rituals, need to take same route or eat food every day).
Rigid thinking patterns, and a slight tendency for sameness.
3. Highly restricted, fixated interests that are abnormal in intensity or focus (e.g, strong attachment to or preoccupation with unusual objects, excessively circumscribed or perseverative interest).
Yes, to the extreme.
4. Hyper- or hyporeactivity to sensory input or unusual interests in sensory aspects of the environment (e.g., apparent indifference to pain/temperature, adverse response to specific sounds or textures, excessive smelling or touching of objects, visual fascination with lights or movement).
Maybe, if chewing and eating everything not because of the way it tastes but because of how it feels in my mouth counts.
Specify current severity:
Severity is based on social communication impairments and restricted, repetitive patterns of behavior (see Table 2).
C. Symptoms must be present in the early developmental period (but may not become fully manifest until social demands exceed limited capacities, or may be masked by learned strategies in later life).
Yes.
D. Symptoms cause clinically significant impairment in social, occupational, or other important areas of current functioning.
Yes, I would say so.
E. These disturbances are not better explained by intellectual disability (intellectual developmental disorder) or global developmental delay. Intellectual disability and autism spectrum disorder frequently co-occur; to make comorbid diagnoses of autism spectrum disorder and intellectual disability, social communication should be below that expected for general developmental level.
I have no developmental delay.
A. Persistent deficits in social communication and social interaction across multiple contexts, as manifested by the following, currently or by history (examples are illustrative, not exhaustive, see text):
1. Deficits in social-emotional reciprocity, ranging, for example, from abnormal social approach and failure of normal back-and-forth conversation; to reduced sharing of interests, emotions, or affect; to failure to initiate or respond to social interactions.
In this I barely qualify as I read that examples of deficits in social reciprocity include failure to take place in social games, failure to initiate social interactions, and preferring solitary activity. Though I must have more trouble in it than I think if people find me creepy, weird, or ret*d.
2. Deficits in nonverbal communicative behaviors used for social interaction, ranging, for example, from poorly integrated verbal and nonverbal communication; to abnormalities in eye contact and body language or deficits in understanding and use of gestures; to a total lack of facial expressions and nonverbal communication.
Of this I cannot be completely sure. I simply cannot gauge this in myself.
3. Deficits in developing, maintaining, and understanding relationships, ranging, for example, from difficulties adjusting behavior to suit various social contexts; to difficulties in sharing imaginative play or in making friends; to absence of interest in peers.
Yes except for the imaginative play this is a solid extreme yes.
Specify current severity:
Severity is based on social communication impairments and restricted repetitive patterns of behavior (see Table 2).
B. Restricted, repetitive patterns of behavior, interests, or activities, as manifested by at least two of the following, currently or by history (examples are illustrative, not exhaustive; see text):
1. Stereotyped or repetitive motor movements, use of objects, or speech (e.g., simple motor stereotypies, lining up toys or flipping objects, echolalia, idiosyncratic phrases).
Yes
2. Insistence on sameness, inflexible adherence to routines, or ritualized patterns or verbal nonverbal behavior (e.g., extreme distress at small changes, difficulties with transitions, rigid thinking patterns, greeting rituals, need to take same route or eat food every day).
Rigid thinking patterns, and a slight tendency for sameness.
3. Highly restricted, fixated interests that are abnormal in intensity or focus (e.g, strong attachment to or preoccupation with unusual objects, excessively circumscribed or perseverative interest).
Yes, to the extreme.
4. Hyper- or hyporeactivity to sensory input or unusual interests in sensory aspects of the environment (e.g., apparent indifference to pain/temperature, adverse response to specific sounds or textures, excessive smelling or touching of objects, visual fascination with lights or movement).
Maybe, if chewing and eating everything not because of the way it tastes but because of how it feels in my mouth counts.
Specify current severity:
Severity is based on social communication impairments and restricted, repetitive patterns of behavior (see Table 2).
C. Symptoms must be present in the early developmental period (but may not become fully manifest until social demands exceed limited capacities, or may be masked by learned strategies in later life).
Yes.
D. Symptoms cause clinically significant impairment in social, occupational, or other important areas of current functioning.
Yes, I would say so.
E. These disturbances are not better explained by intellectual disability (intellectual developmental disorder) or global developmental delay. Intellectual disability and autism spectrum disorder frequently co-occur; to make comorbid diagnoses of autism spectrum disorder and intellectual disability, social communication should be below that expected for general developmental level.
I have no developmental delay.
04 Jun 2016, 5:43 pm
Doomsday3000 wrote:
League_Girl wrote:
Ganondox wrote:
Doomsday3000 wrote:
Ganondox wrote:
Doomsday3000 wrote:
Symptoms of Aspergers I don't have
1. Alright so this is my problem. A lot of people with aspergers are not able to read peoples faces or their body language and miss sarcasm. I once saw a video for helping children with aspergers which showed pictures of people smiling and frowning and glaring and just the bare basic emotions and asking them to identify them correctly as "sad", "mad", and "happy". Yeah, needless to say I can recognize these and most if not all of the basic facial emotions and can do so quite easily. I can understand sarcasm, and I think I can understand body language pretty well. I don't know if I can read deeper more complex body language or facial expressions but I think I can. I also have empathy not in the sense that I can put myself in another shoes easily (because I literally can't) but I can feel sorry for someone who's had a bad time. I know that breakups are hard, I know that losing ones' job is bad, I know cancer is horrible and I feel very bad for the other person. I have empathy I can sense many social cues, and I can read faces and body language... these are very big and standard symptoms for autism spectrum disorder, they're probably in the top five. I also am not a stickler to routines. While I do prefer to eat the same thing at a restaurant or sit in the same place at a school I really don't care about routine and actually do enjoy doing spontaneous things as long as they're rational to do.
If this is all you lack (you can read some nonverbal ques and like doing some spontaneous things), then there is absolytely no reason to assume you don't have aspergers. Lacking empathy as you describe it is NOT a trait of aspergers.
Right, so the other reason that I have some doubts about my diagnosis is that many of the traits listed above have improved significantly. I blame it on the medications I take Risperidone, Mirtazipine, and Fluvoxamine (I'm spelling these wrong I know) and maybe the fact that I've left high school, but I feel pretty normal now all things considered.
My Psychiatrist didn't really take the claims of autism seriously until my parents filmed me doing that weird pacing thing without my knowledge and showed it to the psychiatrist in which time he immediately gave me my diagnosis.
I guess my concern is my lack of some very common traits for aspergers plus my improving symptoms as i've aged. There is no doubt that there is something wrong with me though of that I'm not denying, and I believe that autism spectrum disorder is as good of a diagnosis as any. I simply wish for some other's opinions of the matter.
Traits getting better with age is EXPECTED to happen, as coping mechanisms are learned which make things less severe. Also, highschool is a particularly stressful environment, and traits are always worse in high stress environments. If it's the result of the medication, than that's what's not in line with Aspergers, but things are complicated.
My mom believes I was trying to be Asperger's when I was in high school when in fact I was having more anxiety. Part of it is true though because I was using it as an excuse and not even trying anymore to control myself when upset. Then I was trying to have ODD to get my way because I had found a short cut to my problem but it backfired.
In high school and middle school I had this problem where I wouldn't speak to anyone for half of the year but then when someone spoke to me I would get so excited by speaking to people that I socialized in a very inappropriate hyperactive manner which annoyed the crap out of my peers and mate them hate me. It wasn't just my hyperactivity but also the fact that what I was saying was apparently inappropriate and weird and I would make jokes at others expense without realizing that it hurt their feelings. Until about four years ago in fact I literally didn't know people wanted me to be nice to them. I know it sounds strange but I watched how people were in general complete jerks to one another and how they found it funny when someone else was in pain and I said some apparently mean things to get a laugh without realizing I was hurting peoples feelings very badly. I just thought that that was how people interacted. I also was apparently extremely hyperactive, like going to Disneyland on crack hyperactive and apparently I made some very weird jokes and interacted in an weird abnormal way.
I was always getting in trouble in middle and elementary school for having huge tantrums and outright outbursts toward my fellow students and teachers. I one time almost went to jail because I broke a ruler in half and tried to stab a kid with the sharp end. I don't know if any of this is in line with aspergers but this was basically my school life.
Yeah, you're definitely autistic, this is a very typical story of boys on the spectrum.
_________________
Cinnamon and sugary
Softly Spoken lies
You never know just how you look
Through other people's eyes
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