Self diagnosed people here don't have aspergers

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and only superficial dweebs accept what anybody (including a doctor) says at face value...



since they're rewriting the criteria for autism ect... I PROCLAIM ALL CURRENT DXs NULL AND VOID!! !! !! !! !! !! !! !! !! !! !! !! !! !! !

there....

no nobody has autism or AS

This has been a long discussion and I thought of not adding to it but couldn't let it go...

For certain self-diagnosed adults like myself it's enough to have had the "Aha!" moment that pulled so many things together - habits, patterns, blind-spots, intensity of interest(s) and aversion(s), both those we'd known and those pointed out by others, often in not-so-kind or diplomatic ways.

Many of us who are 40+ experienced childhood socialization and etiquette/manners training from parents who demanded that we act in ways that did not deviate from their well-defined and pretty much universally defined standards of behavior. We learned what was expected of us not only from own parents but from other parents as well. Neighbors, for example, who didn't hesitate to correct us or at very least speak to our parents about behavior they'd observed. And our parents didn't defend us; instead, they believed the complaining adult, for the most part, and told us how we were expected to moderate our behavior accordingly. It was OK to be a little different, in any number of ways, but there was a HUGE stigma attached to seeking psychological or psychiatric advice. In the 1950's parents were still concerned about their kids dying from polio or having to wear heavy leather and steel leg braces because of it - being shy, socially awkward, having peculiar interests or aversions were insignificant in comparison.

Over the years we may have developed coping mechanisms sufficient for our purposes, personal &/or professional. We may have jobs/careers that satisfy us, working with people who at least accept us and at best enjoy us. Many of us HAVE Phds, often sought and earned precisely because of the depth of particular narrow interests, but that doesn't confer authority, talent or credibility outside of the Phd field. Many of us have developed/been blessed with caring friends, loving partners. Others have simply found their niches or accepted their isolation.

Some might want a diagnosis but lack the funds or insurance to make it possible. Public health departments in the U.S. employ many qualified people, but many who aren't as well... Some might not want a label.

I agree with those who say that WP is for all who feel they want or need to be here, for however long or short a time, officially or self-diagnosed.

Some things fit me, others don't.

Things that fit:

-Unusual interests, both in intensity and type
-Ability to organize and remember a great deal of information
-Tendency to be clumsy and do "dumb" stuff, despite being intelligent
-Mild prosopagnosia ("face blindness")-not bad, but enough to be embarrassing
-Uncomfortable in social situations and dislike of crowds and enclosed spaces

Things that don't fit:

-No monotone voice
-I don't think literally. I understand idioms. I couldn't have received a Master's in English without that knowledge. I also know the historical basis of common expressions. All idioms did have a literal, historical basis, so there is nothing wrong with this.
-No serious deficit in self-help skills (except for cooking and driving)

So I don't have asperger's right now, but if I ever decide to get an official diagnosis, I will magically have it? Cool!
Does this theory work for other things too, like diseases/illnesses/injuries/whatever? Because if it does, I'm never going to the doctor again! If I never let the doctors say there is anything wrong with me, then there isn't! I must say, I quite like this theory.
Man, if I'd have known this sooner, I could have saved myself a lot of visits to the emergency room too...

Since there's no cure (and I don't want to be "cured" anyway) I really don't see the point in actually getting diagnosed. From what I've read over the last couple years, I'm 99.9% sure I'm an aspie, but even if I'm not, who cares? It doesn't matter what you label someone, they will still be the same person that they've always been. It would just be yet another reason for people to alienate me.

I think I'm more qualified to "diagnose" myself than a "professional" would be. Even if I went to a doctor, they probably wouldn't get much more than "yes" or "no" answers from me (sad, but true), as I don't trust any kind of doctor. They wouldn't be able to get to know me enough to be able to reach any kind of conclusion about me or what's going on inside my head ("Garbage In, Garbage Out" applies to people too!) so it would be a waste of time for both of us (well, actually just for me. The doctor would still get paid regardless, and that's really all they care about anyway).

I'm not mad at the original poster or anything like some people seem to be. I just think it's kind of strange that they think of Asperger's as a club or something that you have to inducted into in order to join.

Aspergers is such a complicated disorder that only a doctor can tell you if you have it or not.

And I'm a roaring INTJ who LOVES complications.


Not everyone does everything to the book, this is why it is a spectrum disorder. Does it mean that if I do what AS tells me to I will have AS? So I guess if I just stop doing these things I do I'll be cured? WELL LOOKIE HERE! We have a cure folks! I cannot stand people who can't look beyond what law and rule tell them what is and what is not. Simple, aggravating, stupid. Look further, see more.


Personally, I'm not shy.
I don't like people. I don't understand a good amount of people. I can't communicate with people.
Its not a shy thing, for me getting 'help' is a massive step, I have to force it with realization that communication skills /are/ a necessity. From time to time sure, Id\'d like to talk to someone and than that just gets bad but I have one or two people that generally get what I'm saying.

Not everyone is 'shy' though, just to get this out there. Some of us can't communicate and for the most part damn well don't want to.

Last edited by agentcyclosarin on 28 Apr 2007, 6:26 am, edited 1 time in total.

First of all, I don't have a masters degree in English, or deficiencies in cooking. My only deficiency in driving is that I end up giving myself a wide berth. Other than that, you just described ME!

MY definition of monotone might be the same as yours, and apparently is NOT the same as many doctors. THEIR definition is a lack of EMOTIONAL tone. I used to have THAT! I STILL sometimes don't show it.

I ALSO used to think more literally. To a degree, I still do.

As for self help skills..... Aren't AS people supposed to LACK any clinically significant disabilities there?

Steve

You should say what you mean. Especially on a board for people with Asperger's Syndrome.

Long before I heard of Aspergers, People around me were saying I had it. I havent been dx by a dr. except by a dr. who hinted at it.

I can't be bothered reading 400 replies in this topic, so I'll respond to the original and say that he does have a point. It's not a great number, but a fair amount do jump the gun a little by declaring themselves Aspies.

I agree I thought I had a headache and I went to a doctor he told me I did not have a headache I just thought I did. My head still hurts but I offically do not have a headache.

I selfdiagnosed, went to a doctor, who agreed

I agree to both. Mitch8817's statement about SOME "jumping the gun", and TheMachine1's rather flippant reply.

BTW. I might not be the only one to see the irony in these posts. "Jump the gun"???? I don't know how that came to be(Maybe 9catmom can explain), but I learned it JUST like I learned "to be". I NEVER learned how to conjugate "to be". Not EVER! Nobody taught me, until I went to school, and then I figured WHY BOTHER. I just heard things like you are, she is, I am, and it stuck. To me, the fact that am,is,are,be are all the same word is just trivia. And the sarcasm/irony of themachines statement....

ANYWAY, I DO have problems with sarcasm/irony/etc... In the past, there have been times when I seemed to be the only one in a room that didn't get it. Still, it is FAR less obvious now, and I was never actually devoid of such understanding.

Steve

I don't mind if I'm called an AS or not; what I do care about is trying to improve behavioural issues that have made life hard and difficult for me and my loved ones.

I do not think one person is an Aspie and another isn't, but that some people may have more 'tilt' towards operating their brains in an AS way, and have gone that way, leading them into problems particularly in socialising.

However I also think people can un-learn the AS route - and I'm feeling really good about this; http://unlearningasperger.blogspot.com.

The point of sharing here I think should be to see if we can find ways out from under the rock.

All the best

What is it with this whole "pseudo-aspies, aspie poseur, you don't really have it but are just a social loser" thing here right now? If people are so keen on a pure "officially diagnosed" forum, maybe they should open up their own? Here at least the founder of the webpage decided that "undiagnosed" and "not sure"-people have a right to be here, too and I think it's mostly up to him to decide. And "undiagnosed" and especially "not sure" after all already clearly imply that one could have it or also could not have it but just feels (subjectively) close to it. So I don't really see the point of all those threads....

I live in the UK and most doctors don't want to diagnose people with Asperger syndrome.
I've asked my doctor if I could get a diagnosis to see whether I do have this condition since my traits, characteristics and problems associated well with this condition.

AS is often only diagnosed in children or adults that suffer greatly with this condition, fortunatly my conditon, although noticeable doesn't create problems that can seriously affect other people and form a solid boundary between myself and society.

Quite rightly.
They will attempt to cure treatable conditions such as depression, anxiety, OCD.
Anything further is a waste of their time.