Questions, confusion - recent diagnosis

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Thanks...I do have deep, narrow interests, but the term "obsessions" doesn't seem right. When I went to the first counselor, she asked me if I was obsessive, and she described this as collecting bus tickets or knowing EVERYTHING about one thing (like train schedules or something). I hate having piles of paper lying around and nobody, certainly not me, knows EVERYTHING about one subject, so I said "Nope, no obsessions..."

Autism has a triad of impairments. If it doesn't impair then it's not autism. And you need traits across the board to get diagnosed. If you don't, then you're like any other person.

So having one trait, but not the others means you don't meet the criteria. So the OP does have good reason to think she doesn't have Asperger Syndrome.


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I saw more then one trait and pointed it out. Impaired? I can't say I don't know her. Even if you are doing well now but were impaired by autistic traits early in your life still have autism but have just learned to cope. I was told that by a specialist with 30 years experience.

Yes, but completely unimpaired?

I think the greatest impairment for me is in communication. It is difficult for me to talk, even when I DO have something to say (and I often don't). I don't always understand what the other person is saying to me, either; usually I think I do fine when the topic is light, but if it is more challenging I might only take in part of it and then I have to replay it in my mind over and over before I get the rest. I can come across as quiet but cheerful and professional with customers (I'm self-employed maintaining lawns and gardens), and then I feel confident that I'm doing well and I've improved, but in different situations my communication skills suddenly get a whole lot worse and I'm told that I need therapy (it doesn't matter that I was doing excellently that morning in another setting... ). Maybe that's Asperger's, maybe it's something else.

Also, I feel disconnected from other people; even when I have friends (and I have a few), I don't seem to understand what friendship means or what its supposed to feel like, and I tend to experience friendship in a one-sided way -- the friend is lonely and enjoys my company, I'm lonely and I don't enjoy theirs but I want to be generous and helpful if I can. If they want to be around me, I want to make them happy, yet I'm always wondering if we're really friends.

Sorry but nothing says you need every trait. Nothing says all of the traits have to impair either.

Something minor like bouncing your leg up and down while sitting could be an RBR. Sensory issues also don't need to be disabling, just noticeable.

One last try (maybe!)...

What does it mean to understand (or not) others? How does autism differ from existential loneliness, or introversion with social anxiety?