Did it occur to you maybe you're Schizoid and not an Aspie?

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No.

In my research in finding what was wrong or different [depending on one's view] with Daniel, I neglected looking at personality disorders for the simple reason that they usually aren't severe enough to affect me how whatever it is I had affected me. I mean, I have OCD (definite diagnosis), and whatever it was affecting my ability to work/study was far in excess of that. The only pointer I had from professionals was one psychiatrist at the mental hospital who told me it wasn't "normal" that I avoided eating in the cafe with everyone else at food time due to there being too much noise for me--queue social anxiety label (I took the food back to my room).

Found the AQ test when looking for something, scored high ('...that's interesting.' Daniel thought). Short story shorter, I now have accumulated two more super duper labels [from two different institutions]; one for autistic disorder (DSM-IV-TR), the other for Asperger's disorder (Gillberg's criteria); both are right, and both explain the same thing: autism.

I don't know what I am, nor do I really care; calling myself human is just a label, and I sure don't feel human [since I lack an emotional and empathetic connection to the species as a whole], nor do I feel alien. I feel like Daniel.

So you don't feel empathy for other aspies?

I do.

I can relate to what Daniel said (though perhaps not to the same extent as what he wrote). When my mother was dying, my sister was at her wit's end. I was more reflective. I can't say that I ever actually mourned her death - even though I miss her sometimes.

I have not had someone I am extremely close to die yet, but I have known a lot of people who died.

I react weird to it so far.

I feel like they're still alive, I just never see them.

I have real trouble with the concept of "gone forever".

And I also feel like they are still alive, just in the past not the present, if I do get it into my head that they're gone in the present. It's like I see time differently than most. "Yes that's here, it's just here 10 minutes ago instead of right now."

I don't think so, only austistic people flap.

I think i tend toward more AS then the others disorder's mentioned.

Off-Topic ( kinda)

As for the whole psychiatry good or bad thing. IMO its human nature to isolate that which is perceived as different. Countless times in history humankind has demonstrated a fear of what is different. All things like the DSM and ICD are are a collection of observed behaviors that are perceived as deviating from a theoretical "norm". Its not neccessarly hostile, just a gathering of information.

Its the reason why a lot of people get bullied ( bully sees target as abnormal and fears it)

Humans are naturally xenophobic. From an evoloutionary standpoint, this is probly to promote saafty via perserving the status quo.

I just don't see the point in getting all worked up over something that is fundamentally ingrained in all of us.

The following comes from a Ph.D. dissertation on autism. I will post the URL after the quotation. It makes a good read:

Schizoid personality disorder in childhood

Wolff (1995) identifies a substantial overlap between children who are ‘loners’ in childhood, described by her as schizoid, and the children described by Asperger in his original paper. The children she describes are not as impaired as children with autism. They are socially isolated, lack empathic concern for others while being personally very sensitive, have an extremely active fantasy life, can be introverted or extroverted, have special interests and often have specific developmental delays. The outcome for these children is more positive than for the generality of children with autism, some being particularly gifted.

The cluster A personality disorders of adulthood in DSM-IV - schizoid, schizotypal and paranoid - are those that are associated with schizophrenia, that is they have been found to be more common in people who go on to develop schizophrenia and in their relatives. The relationship is not obligatory however; the majority of people with these personality types do not become ill. The schizoid disorder of childhood occurs when these same personality features are displayed in childhood. Of the children studied by Wolff, a minority did go on to develop schizophrenia (4%) which is elevated, compared to under 1% of the general population developing schizophrenia by the age of follow up. Wolff also found that IQ was a protective factor for children with schizoid personalities and that those with higher IQs were less likely to become ill. However, the relationship between IQ and the prodromal states is not clear-cut and a depression of IQ may be part of the schizophrenic illness prodrome.

http://www.era.lib.ed.ac.uk/bitstream/1842/1846/1/Catherine+Best+thesis.pdf

Schizoid could very well be "mild", "mild" autism (ha).

I just got that book which you mentioned (if I remember correctly), Neurobehavioral Disorders of Childhood. Part of their thesis is that schizoid personality disorder (the one mentioned in the DSM, not the childhood condition), OCD, autism, Asperger's, semantic-pragmatic disorder, nonverbal learning disability, right-hemisphere learning disability, Tourettes, and ADHD are all different degrees of the same neurological spectrum.

I have considered it. AS fits better.

I experience a good deal of emotional detachment.


Very much so.


Yes.


Definitely a lack of close friends, although not a complete absence. My desire/lack of desire for close relationships is somewhat complicated, I do want to spend SOME time with people, but I want an exchange of thoughts and ideas rather than any sort of emotional closeness.


No.


Definitely not.


Not complete indifference, but I'm not as tied up in them as most people seem to be.


Yes.



Definitely not.

That's 3 definite, plus another 2 maybe.

I am a socially awkward, obsessive, clumsy, stimming Aspie.

aspergers is more related to NVLD i think

I'm not sure what I am exactly. I am sort of a mixed bag when it comes to these conditions.

My Dad: Schizophrenia. He also shows signs of ADHD, Bi-Polar and Schizoid. Don't know for sure, as he won't allow anyone to view his medical records.

Mom: Don't know for sure what problems she has, and I haven't really discussed this with her, but she shows signs of Paranoid, Avoidant, and Schizotypical PD's.

Me: No diagnosis yet. I would say ADD (Inattentive), OCD, and Dependant PD for sure, with several Schizoid and AS symptoms ( a lot fewer now that I am older).

LOL! That doesnt make you schizoid! I far prefer friends on the spectrum or neurodiverse friends, they are so much easier to relate to.

Wasn't me. I can see how that conclusion could be made; varying degrees of damage done (no matter the causative agent) in the same portion of the brain will cause varying degrees of symptomology. A greater magnitude of damage can expand the number of symptoms (no matter the cause of the damage); this is the current theory of schizophrenia [I think], a whole heap of disorders under the one heading.

Brain imaging will catch up to the external manifestations of the varying disorders in time (accurate diagnoses).

My disconnect from humanity isn't attached to many of my emotions, I feel grief and sadness to the loss of life I care for; I won't feel a thing for a grandparent dying for example (I have no connection), nor if a whole continent died overnight. I don't feel alien for the simple reason that I know myself; everyone else [I don't care for] feels "unreal" to me, they're no different to a mechanical automaton with no emotions (worth no more than a mechanical object). This I assume is my lack of empathy showing itself.

That's sick.

I was suspended from school once because of a psych evaluation, which was half lies.

Most school psychologists, though they mean well, are distinctly unqualified to diagnose that kind of thing. You need a psychiatrist. Never let what anyone tells you bother you. Also, please don't read the DSM and take it as the end all and be all of diagnosis. It is what the profession calls a "coding" manual. It takse a good deal of study and experience to make any diagnosis, and "schitzoid" doesn't mean that much anymore. Also, the lists they put in there are not for diagnostic purposes. It's very complicated to explain, but there are several very thick books you are required to read (as a working psychiatrist) before you get certified to make the kinds of diagnosis you're talking about. Read the DSM if you must, but don't use it to "self-diagnos." The chances that you'll be wrong are astronomical.

Good luck.

Btdt