Unquestionably Aspie?

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Just wondering how many others around here think they are unquestionably Aspie?

I've had just about all the issues that Aspies talk about--fortunately I'm gifted enough to have somehow managed to make adaptions so I that I can drive and do quite well at a full time job that pays well.

But, I figure there is no possible way to fake the various savant type skills I have--I learned early on that teachers don't appreciate having a savant in the classroom.

My wife is quite bright and gifted herself, but she doesn't like me flipping through any books she brings home before she gets a chance to read it...

Anyone else?

--Been There, Done That

You know, a clinical psychologist diagnosed me as being on the spectrum. Years ago, when I was in a psych hospital, they temporarily placed me with the mentally ret*d & low functioning autistics population because they thought that was where I belonged. I've taken several aspie tests online and they say I am very likely an aspie. You know what my miniscule doubt is about? I don't look or behave like Adam, Snow Cake, Sheldon Cooper, Spencer Reid or any other Hollywood stereotype. I also got to thinking that, because of my history of abuses and being an immigrant, maybe my subsequent behavior resembled someone with Asperger's. Then I turn around and get extremely fixated on one subject, then another, then another, absorbing everything about it like a sponge. Couple that with my poor social skills, lack of friends, odd speech patterns and not being on the same level as those my age, and you get aspie.

I'm not sure what you mean by 'unquestionably Aspie'.

In my case, I have an official diagnosis, and I have significant executive dysfunction that I can't compensate for effectively. But I'm really mild in terms of social issues, so I keep wondering whether I actually have enough social impairment to be considered autistic. But if I'm not autistic, I don't know what I am. I definitely have a disability.

Sometimes I'd like to get an fMRI. I tend to identify a lot with people with frontal lobe damage, and it really makes me wonder if something's wrong with my frontal lobes.

Yes, an official diagnosis isn't enough to be "unquestionably Aspie"--there are many cases in which the diagnosis is just the best fit--rather than an exact fit.

In my case, the opinion among family, friends, and professionals is unanimous--and quite obvious to anyone who visits my hobby room--which is filled with numerous examples of stuff that I have designed and built. But, most importantly, I agree with the diagnosis as well.

Among my family my being an Aspie was not unanimous, however that was due to a lack of knowledge and understanding. In my eyes as soon as I learned of the existance of Asperger's I was nearly certain that I was on the spectrum and, apparently my psychologist knew almost immediately the day she met me; something about the way I walked and my avoidance of eye contact.

I've yet to be officially diagnosed, but when I imagine a psychologist telling me I'm not autistic, it just doesn't seem to fit. I've always been too different in too many ways to classify as neurotypical, so aspie or not, there's definitely something different about me. I've studied abnormal psychology for a while now and this is by far the diagnosis that comes closest to matching my symptoms, and I've looked at introversion, shyness and high sensitivity before now; none of them fit as well as autism does. That being said though, I think I'm pretty mild, about the equivalent of Dr. Reid I would say, in terms of social skills. I can function fairly well most of the time, but set me off on a special interest and I'm gone, and I don't have the benefit of Hotch to tell me to stop!

I heard it suggested many times I was an Aspie but I am not a nerd, Star Trek fan, computer geek or engineer (although my brother and father certainly are). Once I actually researched it thinking my brother had it I was shocked to find out I was absolutely 100% an Aspie. My year here at WP only further cements what I already know.... I couldn't be more Aspie if I tried especially in my teenage years!