Is Asperger's only an umbrella diagnosis?

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I'm coming to that conclusion too. I think it's better that I start saying my problem is with ToM as a result of Asperger's, rather than say that I have Asperger's and let people draw their own assumptions about my ToM, my sensory issues, etc.

"Social problems" doesn't mean anything either, as social problems can be caused by sensory issues, by stims, by shyness, by need for isolation, by executive functioning, etc. etc. etc. - of which severe impairment in ToM is only ONE of the possibilities.

And nobody's even sure if AS is part of Autism or not, either.

I imagine that there are different neurological make-ups that fall under the same ASD label. The neurobiology of AS might probably be different from that of many other people with the same diagnosis of AS because my development that does not seem to be a direct result of my abilities is uncommon for AS. Then there are differences in the developmental course of all those other people with AS too of which I wonder some among others that are stronger influenced by environmental factors may be strongly connected with their neurological make-up too.

It's an umbrella diagnosis in several aspects, one such aspect is that there are might be several different causes and make-ups of what Asperger's describes.

Maybe it goes as far as that in the whole population of people with AS there are people that have nothing in common except the label and except looking a bit alike in some of their behaviour? It would certainly explain the experience of not being able to relate to each other about it at all, I think.

Ya I think thats a good idea, the adverage jo probably doesn't have a clue what aspergers really is, and what it means for you. So to draw attention to ur specific problems from the outset can be really helpfull. I should have dont that today, I said I was dyslexic. I should have said, I have short term memory imparment and it effects me in this way, bla bla bla. I will next time.

Indeed, it makes a world of a difference to me, reading your post. If you tell me the latter, it's all very clear and understandable and elicits my proactive attitude to bridge the gap between us. It's concrete and tangible. If you say "dyslexia", I'm left thinking I've no idea how to cope with this, or what it affects in a person, so I won't even try.

Some people assume Autism means classic Kanner type Autistic Disorder, but actually Autism refers to the presence of core traits that define what Autism is. These core traits are currently referred to as the “triad of impairments”. Conditions that necessarily require impairment in each of the triad of domains, are by definition Autistic, and by definition, forms of Autism. Such a condition is Asperger’s Syndrome, so by definition, Asperger’s Syndrome is Autism, regardless of its specific relationship (or lack thereof) to any other condition (such as classic Kanner type Autistic Disorder).

Categories are only useful for seeing generalised trends. But as each person is an individual, each expression of Asperger's Syndrome is individual.

I've been talking about the ToM thing with my partner, mom, and friends, none of whom have heard of the Theory of Mind. When I give them my simple (and aspie biased) description, they have ALL reacted, with something like "of course I have a 'feel' for what someone is like just from seeing them".

I explain how I make inferences from the details, but that it takes a lot of information before any sort of accuracy is possible. They say "oh, come, with those shoes, they must be ...". Then I ask how accurate their intuitive guesses are, and look at me like I'm crazy. The question has no meaning to them. I think it's because their model automatically adjusts, so they never have the feeling they are changing their opinion.

I think I'm missing something. For people I know, my insights and predictions are at least as good as my NT partner's, and for strangers, it's unverifiable. But the delusion of knowledge provides a powerful sense of self-confidence.

Or maybe shoes really ARE that important ! !

That reminds me of a post I saw ... "Don't compliment her on her shoes, she'll think you're gay".

That'd be something like putting people in boxes according to cliches or personal experience. I do have this ability, but then again my siblings had something as children that I don't even have now, which I call ToM and it's the ability to instinctively know, for example, when someone is saying one thing and meaning another. I think they're born with their communication antennae pointed outwards to the observation of humans, while Aspies like me are born with the antennae pointed inwards. I do hear broadcasts from outside of me, but the volume is so weak and the wave so distorted, the reception so bad, that I can't trust much my perceptions and I miss most of what's going on outside. They, in turn, have a similar problem towards their insides - the volume is very low, they don't hear much.

And yet we're the ones who (it's said) can't easily identify our feelings, while they're supposed to be much better in tune with their emotional selves. Though I've read that Aspies might not even have the usual range of emotions, so maybe the best internal radar in the world is only going to show what's there. I wish whoever started the rumour (about Aspie emotions not being the same as NT emotions) had itemised the differences. I can't recall the source, but I do remember they accepted that Aspies can nonetheless have very strong feelings about things.