Not Autistic Enough?

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Hi, this is my first post here on WrongPlanet. I discovered Autism Spectrum Disorder while researching ADHD (I suspect I have it but haven't been diagnosed yet) as of last month and I felt that I could relate with many of the symptoms. I looked through the DSM-V and found myself highlighting a lot of the criteria, and I've also taken the Aspie Quiz (144/200 ND, 58/200 NT) and compared them to my friends score (58/200 ND, 169 NT) to make sure I wasn't losing my mind. I was supposed to go visit my GP this week for a referral but they cancelled and moved it (again). I've noticed I don't really fit or show a lot of the more common behaviors, like arm flapping when happy (I flap but it's not my first instinct when I'm happy), no meltdowns (I think I have experienced shutdowns though), and I usually do okay with sarcasm, idioms, and metaphors, but with idioms and metaphor I usually have to think about it for a moment before understanding it or I imagine it very literally in my head before I get it (and there are just some that don't quite click). I struggled a little growing up understanding socializing and taking things literally, but I just assumed that's how a lot of little kids are. I also don't follow any strict routines or schedules (I have certain ways I like to do things but I don't get overly upset if they change). I've always been bad at math but was very gifted at reading, and was apart of many advanced programs growing up. I do fairly okay with social cues, but I can get confused or have the need to process them through sometimes. I just don't feel like I struggle "enough" with it to qualify as Autism, but I almost want to get diagnosed with it because it would give me an easy explaination why I've been so weird throughout my life. Sorry for the rambling, but I have been going insane over this and now I have to wait another month just to get a referral.

The cancellation may not have anything to do with you. It may be a result of the budget cutting in many parts of the world. You may have heard and forgot about the Veteran's Administration scandal in which needy veterans couldn't get appointments. Or their appointments vanished.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Veterans_ ... al_of_2014

It's interesting - in many ways I'm feeling the same as you. In my case, I got my diagnostic results a week ago confirming that I do have Aspergers, and now I'm finding that I'm doubting the results and still wondering whether I have it, even though it's basically been confirmed that I do.

Make sure you research how autism presents in females. It is in many ways different than the standard presentation e.g. Less hand flapping and usually less need for routine. Don't get discouraged with diagnosis, many people, myself included, receive a number of diagnosis before people are willing to see and accept their autism. I'll be 17 soon and am going on 4 years of trying to get diagnosed. I've literally been told "you don't want that stigma" and "just tell people you have some traits" by a psychologist. I know the feeling of not being "autistic enough" I've be told I'm "too aware of my problems to be autistic" Ridiculous if you ask me! Temple Grandin seems plenty aware of hers. Also welcome to WP!

Female with mild autism here.
Have very rarely done hand-flapping,
and if I recall, it was a gesture I probably did only once or twice
on receiving good news,
and I was probably alone and in private.
Don't believe I did this as a child,
or at least it wasn't a noticeable habit,
or one of my parents or grandparents would have brought it to my attention.

A diagnosis is not an explanation of anything; it is a formal recognition of clinically significant symptoms.

If you have the symptoms, they are the explanation for your "weirdness," regardless of whether they are clinically significant (assuming no other cause of your "weirdness").

What I'm saying is that an evaluation will not necessarily confirm your suspicions about your eccentricity (even if your suspicions are accurate) because diagnoses are intended for very troubled people, not just weird people: you may be setting yourself up for disappointment.

You are still early in your research and understanding. You likely don't know or recognize all the symptoms yet. Based on what you've said, I would lean toward autism.

I think because my sons symptoms are so mild that people that don't know him so well think nothing is wrong. But there are some very clear issues, and he has the formal diagnosis. Because the range is wide and varied, it's hard to know where you stand. After some time you will see yourself more clearly. Keep reading about it. Stay here with us and you will learn about autism very well.

I don't do any hand flapping or obvious stimming of any kind. Maybe I move my feet around and tap them a lot even when I'm sitting down, but I don't know. Are people with mild forms of autism like Asperger's just not as likely to stim or as much?

When I was around 11 or 12, however, I would twitch my face and blink a lot. My facial muscles felt very uncomfortable and I was either wrinkling my nose or moving my eyebrows. The wonderful kids in my class started imitating me, and my brother kept asking me why I kept doing it, and I didn't know at all, and he seemed to think I did it on purpose just to annoy him. When I was a little older they got less severe but then I was put on psychiatric medication for the first time I started twitching my face and blinking a lot again but the doctor eventually reduced the dosage because she noticed my facial tics. I don't get tics anymore.

I can have a difficult time adjusting to possibly minor changes, but needing to follow a routine/strict schedule or else risk a meltdown- is not me.

I was only diagnosed with Asperger's as an adult and when I was nearly 30. One of the reasons it took so long was that I've never done any hand flapping, rocking, or other types of stereotypical stimming. My parents did have me switch second grade teachers because the first teacher thought that her kids should be statues in class, and while I wasn't flapping my hands or rocking, I wasn't sitting perfectly still. After my parents had me switch teachers, there were no more complaints about my fidgeting by any other teacher. My stims are similar to what NT's often do such as playing with a pen or tapping my foot.