I'm a newcomer to WP and I am curious as to whether or not I may have Aspergers. I will list a few things that I have noticed or basically dealt with my whole 28 years of living. I would like to know if the things I list a part of being on the spectrum. There is a lot that I have listed.
* I have always been a moody person. My mother says as a child, I took everything so seriously, STILL DO ACTUALLY, and even a preschool photo consisted of a tight lipped serious look.
* I WAS a terrible sleeper as a child, and would constantly wake my mother up 6-8 times a night, even when I was 12 or 13. It wasn't until I was about 17 that I actually appreciated sleeping. I can remember being in High School and had to be up at a certain time and catch the bus, and that I just wouldn't accept a car lift to school, it had to be the bus, even if it rained.
* When I woke up as a child, preferably after a nap, I would scream, kick and cry and wouldn't let anyone touch me. My mother said this started at about 2 and ended at 4- 4 1/2 and it would go on for about 3-4 hours after my nap in the afternoon.
* Potty Trained well.
* Mum said she can recall me speaking sentences and clearly at around 18 months.
* I had severe seperation anxiety when my mother dropped me off at Preschool. This went on for 2 years at Preschool and 6 months into Kindergarten. I can clearly remember that feeling knowing that my mother was dropping me off and I would not be near her. I felt, as a child, that I couldn't cope without her. Mum said the Preschool/School would state to my mother, that a few minutes after drop off, I would be fine and not upset and continue to play until she picked me up.
* I HAD to say good bye to my dad each morning before work. I would walk out and stand next to him on his motorbike and watch him drive away. If I woke up, and he had already left for work, I would be rather upset. This went on from about 7-9 years of age, until I stopped doing this.
* I wasn't very smart at school, but I can recall being very smart at English and I use to read novels at 6 or 7. My mother said I always use to love to read and I'm sure that I taught myself.
* I was hopeless at school and I can remember if the teacher explained how to do something, I JUST DIDN'T GET IT, so I would secretly watch other classmates visually and then I got what I had to and it came to me. I was never one to know how to do things step by step by audio, only visual. I guess you can say I am a visual learner. I'm not one for reading instructions and putting something together, as I get frustrated.
* I'm not patient. I like to cut to the chase, so to speak. I get frustrated when people beat around the bush.
* I take things literally and people have told me to "settle petal, I was joking" and I have not picked up on the sarcasm, yet I can be sarcastic myself, on my terms.
* I"m extremely routine orientated. I have a diary, which I have to read 3-4 times a day, even though I have read it already. If I don't write down my daily activities, money for bills, etc etc, i get irritated. (Stim maybe?)
* I am highly anxious, and I have been diagnosed with depression and a generalized anxiety disorder. I have always been a very anxious nervous person.
* I have a highly noticeable essential benign tremor. I have had this tremor since I was born and I even had it checked when I was 3, as they thought it was quite serious and noticeable. It has not affected me in my every day life until this day, but I couldn't perform a job that involves fine motor skills. If I get nervous, my shaking is terrible. (I've heard that this specific tremor has been related to Aspergers, not sure though).
* I am not a highly sexual person, which affects my 4 year relationship with my partner. He loves sex, yet I don't care for it, only if I feel like it.
* I am not an affectionate person AT ALL, if my boyfriend comes up behind me and puts his arms around me for a hug or a kiss, I cringe and I tell him to not do that. I don't like romantic touching, as I am not affectionate. Occasionally I will give him a hug, but they are few and far between. I don't understand why I am not affectionate. I love my boyfriend and my world would be crumbled without him, so I love him with all my heart, but I can't be affectionate and it does affect him, he questions if I still want to be with him, which I do. ( Is this common with Aspergers?)
* Back to routines, If I have a set routine for example, wake up, drive my son to daycare, grocery shopping. If something comes up and distracts my routine, I get very cheesed off and my whole day is ruined.
* I can't leave my house without checking power is off to hair dryer, hair straightener, oven, windows locked, electric blanket off, fans off, you name it, the list goes on and on and on. If I leave and it comes to mind that I didn't check, I have to turn the car around and drive home and check. If I am with someone else in their car, and I forget, this thought bothers me, until I come home and see for myself, after the fact. (I am thinking this is more OCD, than Aspergers?)
* I only have a select few friends, as I don't like drama and I find, in my opinion, a lot of friends = a lot of drama.
* I find eye contact uncomfortable with people I don't know, example, the bank teller trying to have a conversation, or a doctor, or just strangers in general. I find if they are staring at me, whilst conversating, I have to fleet my eye contact to a clock on the wall or look around at other customers. I can't stand eye contact with strangers, for more than a 30 seconds.
* If I talk to my friends, I have a habit of only talking about what has been interesting me and never ask about them or how they have been, until I have hung up the phone, I realize that I wasn't potentially being rude, but I just didn't think.
* I also have a habit of butting in people's conversations and putting in my opinion or changing the subject, for example I will be at my in-laws and we will be talking about Christmas Dinner and I will interrupt and totally change the subject and say something like "That is such a nice green colour you painted your wall" and only afterwards do I realize how incredibly rude I was and I notice I get looks like "Wow, how rude is she?" but I am not intentionally being rude, and I realize they get the impression that I am not interested in their conversation, but that isn't the case, well sometimes they can be boring.
* I have hardly any empathy for people and I find it hard to see it from their point of view. I don't get that sad, gut, teary feeling people get, only if I experience something that involves me or my family, that I can feel empathy. Example, if I see a someone that I know and they tell me about their sister / brother having a baby, I have to put on a happy congratulating smile, but really I'm bored and I don't care.
* I worry about a lot of daily things. I look at the future and think that the same problem will affect me, when in reality a year down the track that same problem a year ago, has passed, but at the time I think it will affect me in future years.
* I love my computer, and I spend a lot of time on it. I have always had an obsession with computers and have taught myself over the years how to fix certain things, reformating, etc etc.
* I don't like loud music, especially in the car. It irritates me, also if my boyfriend plays the music up really loud. I always have to tell him to turn it off, or turn it down.
This is what I can think of at the moment to which I feel could be related to Aspergers, but not sure. I look forward to reading what other forum users think.
~Leanne.
13 Jan 2013, 12:50 am
I am teasing you 
