new guy here with questions

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Here, take this quiz if you haven't: www.rdos.net/eng/Aspie-quiz.php

I'm not sure how good it would be with singling out autism from schizophrenia or social phobia though, but you might as well try it. Basically if it says Likely Aspie you still might want to consider autism.

"up till i was ~17 i was a totally normal person. had tons of friends, was always having a good time with friends every day, looked forward to weekends, etc etc."

That's as far as I made it. Didn't need to go any further. The above line, if it is accurate, pretty much excludes any possibility of Autism of any kind. Autism does not develop or suddenly appear. You either have it, or you don't. I think it's VERY safe to say you don't. I think it's also very safe to say something is going on, and I would be seeing somebody about it soon. It's just not Autism.

i've taken 3 or 4 of those quizzes today, didnt really get a straight answer.

however, they all stated i either had autism or 'something else', basically.

after reading up on paranoia/schizophrenia & social phobia, i'm starting to feel they describe me more accurately than autism.

some of the points i feel very accurately describe me:
-Staring, while in deep thought, with infrequent blinking
-Clumsy, inexact motor skills (only around people though).
-An awkward gait (how you walk). people make fun of how i walk all the time
-Unusual gestures or postures ( i always tend to have a wierd pose when i stand, kinda slumped, one foot in front of the other, elbows back. also i never quite know what to do with my hands. im trying to work on my posture). nobody has ever pointed it out to me though. everytime i see myself on like a gas station surveallance video i just think to myself 'wtf am i standing like that'.
-Movement is speeded up- i.e. constant pacing - ( i can be very impatient at times without realizing it. i'm working on that, and making slight progress).
-Hypersensitivity to criticism, insults, or hurt feelings ( i have always taken things way too personally, i've been working on that, and have actually made a good deal of improvement in that area)
-Inability to form or keep relationships. ( i 'can' make friends, but thats as good as it gets. i never get invited anywhere).
-Suicidal thoughts or suicidal ideation (very rare, but it happens. i never really consider it though)
-Inability to cope with minor problems ( at times, a simple task can kick my a**. i think it's because i overthink it. i've been working on that too. i'm unsure of any real progress.)
-Finding it difficult to deal with stressful situations ( i get way too stressed at work.)
-Increased withdrawal, spending most of the days alone

here are a couple that worry me due to how accurately they describe me:
---Replaying or rehearsing conversations out loud- i.e. talking to yourself (very common sign)
--Overpowering, intense feeling that people are talking about you, looking at you
^ i have no idea where to start, in dealing with those.

another thing that makes me think i'm paranoid; every time i see a cop, i always feel like he suspects me of something. always.

the rest of the symptoms seem to describe borderline insane people, i.e, aliens monitoring you, having hallucinations, hearing voices, thinking people are after you, etc etc. none of those apply to me, i'm a simple, down to earth, no-bs person who doesnt believe in anything that doesnt make sense. i am a catholic but thats a different story IMO.

the reason i was leaning towards autism describing me; is because i tend to rather want to be alone that with other people. but deep down i would rather socialize. but now i realize that symptom can point at a number of different disorders.

for example:
if i have a choice to either go out and party with friends on a friday night, or stay home, order a pizza and just chill, i will always go out and party. but once im there, i get discouraged quickly and just feel like going home. happens almost every time.

There is a kind of anxiety issue which neurotypicals (non Asperger's/Autistic issue) can get called "social anxiety". I only read the OP post so dont know if more was said but to me that post info sounded like social anxiety.

I suggest for you to see your doctor over it.. you may need some drug antianxiety treatment or to see a psychologist

i just saw your second post just above the one i just did.. so i'll comment on that one too

-Staring, while in deep thought, with infrequent blinking (ive no idea if that is a normal persons thing also or not.. i know many people stare while deep in thought.. Ive seen this symptom really standing out in one who was depressed.. they just stared at a wall unblinking in thought)

-Clumsy, inexact motor skills (only around people though). Clumsiness is an Asperger's thing.. BUT seeing you are only clumsy .around people it would be a symptom of ANXIETY and lack of ability to concentrate about people

-An awkward gait (how you walk). people make fun of how i walk all the time (that could indicate an issue like Asperger's)

-Unusual gestures or postures ( i always tend to have a wierd pose when i stand, kinda slumped, one foot in front of the other, elbows back. also i never quite know what to do with my hands. im trying to work on my posture). nobody has ever pointed it out to me though. everytime i see myself on like a gas station surveallance video i just think to myself 'wtf am i standing like that'. (could be just anxiety..seeing noone else has commented on it).

-Movement is speeded up- i.e. constant pacing - ( i can be very impatient at times without realizing it. i'm working on that, and making slight progress). (Anxiety symptom)

-Hypersensitivity to criticism, insults, or hurt feelings ( i have always taken things way too personally, i've been working on that, and have actually made a good deal of improvement in that area) (this is common in normal people.. depression makes this worst)

-Inability to form or keep relationships. ( i 'can' make friends, but thats as good as it gets. i never get invited anywhere). (Asperger's symptom)

-Suicidal thoughts or suicidal ideation (very rare, but it happens. i never really consider it though) (Depression)

-Inability to cope with minor problems ( at times, a simple task can kick my a**. i think it's because i overthink it. i've been working on that too. i'm unsure of any real progress.) (too many different problems may cause to comment on it .. possible depression?? In depression one feeling "overwhelmed" is a symptom)

-Finding it difficult to deal with stressful situations ( i get way too stressed at work.) (could be Anxiety... could be something else)

-Increased withdrawal, spending most of the days alone (Depression? Social Anxiety?)

---Replaying or rehearsing conversations out loud- i.e. talking to yourself (very common sign) (Asperger's symptom or Anxiety)

--Overpowering, intense feeling that people are talking about you, looking at you (Anxiety)

another thing that makes me think i'm paranoid; every time i see a cop, i always feel like he suspects me of something. always (Anxiety)
................

One thing which is obvious by your posts is that you do certainly have an issue with Anxiety (social anxiety but you may also have generalised anxiety too) and need to get some treatment of some kind for it and i think you "may" have an issue with Depression too. If i was a gambling on this.. I'd say anxiety and depression is your issue.

Hard to say if you have another disorder too eg Asperger's . (you thou dont mention many Asperger's things thou it is possible seeing there was two things I couldnt put down to anxiety or depression..so maybe here is something else going on as well.. but im a little doubtful as you dont seem to have many Asperger's things).

i appreciate you taking the time to read all that.

i definitely agree with you about the social anxiety.
my anxiety is what i'm struggling with the most.

i've also noticed that loud sudden noises scare the hell out of me. and people can make me flinch very easily.

if im not mistaken, that's another symptom of social anxiety.

As far as the track you are on, I think what you're reading up on now makes a bit more sense. Paranoia, Social Phobias and Schizophrenia are all things that can appear suddenly, or develop over time. Autism doesn't work that way. Autism is either there, or it isn't. It never suddenly appears, and doesn't develop over time. It can sometimes appear as if it does, but that's usually due to the fact that social situations that would cause them to be more pronounced may not present themselves until later. But, by "later" I mean during public school ages, not seventeen or in adulthood. Autistic signs are usually seen much earlier. And, though Autistic signs can be, and are often missed until adulthood, retrospect will usually reveal them. In my own case, I knew nothing about it until my forties, but looking backward while reading about it, I see over and over again, all the things I experienced as a child, a teenager, and an adult. If you aren't seeing this in retrospect, and from your post is seems you aren't, it is most likely NOT Autism.

I wouldn't say it's necessarily Schizophrenia or anything else in particular though either. I ruled all those out for myself pretty quickly, so I don't know as much about them as Autism. And, despite my current avatar, I'm not as brilliant as House. Though I can be as much of a jerk sometimes.

thanks for your insight.
i've felt a lot better these last few days after getting all this out in the open. i've just kept it bottled up and never told anyone.
time for me to get evaluated.

and House is awesome!! lol