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Kaedra
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08 Feb 2014, 12:39 pm

Hello everyone,
I am currently wondering whether or not I have Aspergers. I found out about it around a year ago, and I recognise many of the traits in myself, including: bad social skills (I think I may have social anxiety as well), problems with eye contact (I can do it but when I speak my eyes tend to dart everywhere), 'zoning out' (staring at a spot for ages when thinking, or losing interest in conversations. Can creep people out if they think I am staring at them), sensory issues (especially sounds, smells, tastes and textures/temperatures. e.g. Can't stand the smell of smoking or the smell of fish, and will only wear certain clothes.), speaking very softly or not at all, stimming, obsessions (generally last for a few months but can last for a few years. Including fairies, Pokemon, manga, gaming websites, Aspergers syndrome etc...), advanced reader, resistant to change (my house just got redone but what really upset me was a picture being swapped around on the wall... my dad thought it was amusing) gifted at certain subjects (e.g. I have a scholarship in mathematics), accquantances but no friends (I don't socialise at all outside of school). The only major symptom that I am not sure about is meltdowns, but my mother thinks that I had them when I was younger as I could have very violent outbursts. I think I might have more mild shutdowns but the other day I broke down crying in my room, which is rare as I normally bottle these reactions up. I also think that one of my little sisters and my dad have AS, they display lots of symptoms including my dad's sensory issues to sight and sound, and my little sister's meltdowns, lining up toy cars in colour order etc...
Also recently developed motor tic (6 months) with sometimes very violent 'shudders'... When I saw the neurologist they thought I was just gifted/not challenged enough but I am really stressed out and have not even begun GCSEs yet... should I mention Aspergers to her when I see her again in 6 months, or am I just introverted?

Sorry for the long post! I know you cannot do a diagnosis on here, but I am just wondering if I should get one.

P.S. If it helps: Your Aspie score: 166 of 200
Your neurotypical (non-autistic) score: 41 of 200
You are very likely an Aspie



cathylynn
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08 Feb 2014, 12:43 pm

sounds like it's worth looking into.



Aspendos
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08 Feb 2014, 12:47 pm

Sounds likely, get yourself evaluated.



Kaedra
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08 Feb 2014, 2:32 pm

Thank you, I will mention it to them when I have my next appointment in 6 months.



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08 Feb 2014, 2:37 pm

Yes, I agree; what you're describing are autistic traits. They could conceivably be due to a bunch of other things, but the only thing that causes them all together is autism, either subclinical (mild enough not to need a diagnosis) or diagnosable autism. Get them to check you for that.

Gifted autistics get that problem all the time; I know I did. They think you're just "not challenged enough", because you got a high score on an IQ test or you're particularly good at some academic subject, maybe an obsession or a talent. It's the fallacy that being gifted means you can't be disabled, you can't have deficits; of course that's not true. Some gifted people, me included, have a lot of trouble sustaining effort.

Make sure to explain to them, "Yes, I know I'm gifted; that's a good thing and it's going to help me; but gifted people can have problems with thinking and learning like anyone else can. I'm having problems. I'm getting exhausted. There are things that seem easy for everyone else, but that are nearly impossible for me. I want help so that I can use my talents properly."


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Kaedra
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08 Feb 2014, 3:06 pm

That sounds just like me. Because I do things well, people think I'm not challenged enough, when actually I'm completely overwhelmed by my workload and the last thing that I want are more "challenges". I need less work, not more because I feel like I'm unable to cope. I was crying for about half an hour last week until my mother found me. I'm also very quiet so most people don't notice anything strange about me other than that and my grades.



Acedia
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08 Feb 2014, 3:39 pm

Some of the things you list are really vague. Loads of people hate the smell of smoke and fish. Lots of people had tantrums as children. My sibling for example who's NT. Giftedness is entirely separate, but can exist alongside Aspergers.

Losing interest in conversations?? Too general.



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08 Feb 2014, 4:25 pm

You have good reason to suspect it. You have a lot of traits, family with traits, an indicative test scores.


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08 Feb 2014, 5:37 pm

a diagnoses isnt always necessary, even if you have all the symptoms, if you find you are being crippled by your symptoms, try and get a full out diagnoses

if you just want to find out for the sake of "identity" express your concerns to a licensed psychologist to find out if you at least fit the criteria.


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linatet
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08 Feb 2014, 6:49 pm

Acedia wrote:
Some of the things you list are really vague. Loads of people hate the smell of smoke and fish. Lots of people had tantrums as children. My sibling for example who's NT. Giftedness is entirely separate, but can exist alongside Aspergers.

Losing interest in conversations?? Too general.

I think so too.
Bad social skills, poor eye contact and not socializing much could be social anxiety. If you are an introvert than it's more probable to have social anxiety and sensory processing issues. It's worth checking out highly-sensitive person. Besides, advanced reader, sensory processing issues and special interests could be giftdness.
Also it's very vague, like "my house just got redone but what really upset me was a picture being swapped around on the wall". I bet lots of people would get upset if someone changed the place or threw away a picture they liked. Just like most people lose interest in conversations and have tantrums as children.
I don't think your characteristics sound like any kind of impairment, but being evaluated is always worth it! :wink:



Kaedra
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08 Feb 2014, 7:46 pm

They didn't get rid of a picture, they just swapped it around. But I still hated it because it was in the wrong place.

I'm sorry if I seem vague to anyone. I have however done a lot of research into Aspergers and would not be on this website unless I had some idea of what I was talking about. I was just trying to cram in lots of information in a small space :)



linatet
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08 Feb 2014, 8:09 pm

Kaedra wrote:
They didn't get rid of a picture, they just swapped it around. But I still hated it because it was in the wrong place.

I'm sorry if I seem vague to anyone. I have however done a lot of research into Aspergers and would not be on this website unless I had some idea of what I was talking about. I was just trying to cram in lots of information in a small space :)

communication issues: aspie trait :wink:
go for an evaluation then, if you did your research and feel described ! Try for a second opinion rather than your neurologist's words, few people can really recognize an aspie.
In the meanwhile, why don't you tell us a little bit more about yourself? Talk about your traits and give us some more examples ! :)



Kaedra
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09 Feb 2014, 9:59 am

Well:

-I can make eye contact when I focus, but it's not natural for me (when I was little I was told to look people in the eyes all the time! :) )
-I hate loud noises (for example I'm always turning down the music volume in the car)
-Very fussy eater (won't eat fish, mincemeat, crunchy foods such as raw carrots, desserts with fruit in them etc...also used to be very particular about foods touching on my plate)
-I think I used to get meltdowns but I rarely do anymore. I think I might have shutdowns now but I find it difficult to tell. I have periods of time where I have to force myself to do things, feel dazed and unable to think or just 'zone out' for a while. Sometimes I feel like I'm screaming in my head but I have taught myself not to act on it. Maybe that's why I'm so stressed...?
-I can't take teasing. I don't understand how other people don't mind it.
-I can't/won't lie, and I will also get very defensive when accused of lying.
-I don't really have any 'friends'. I had two when I was a bit younger but one left me after I became obessed with her, and the other one was not actually my friend and told me lots of lies because I always believed whatever she told me.
-I was bullied at school, and I never even realised it until recently. One time I was mobbed by my class and I locked myself in a toilet to hide from them.
-Dislike change.
-I ask a lot of questions which seem random to everyone else.
-Spend lots of time in my room, often because of obsessions.
-Stimming. When I visited the neurologist I kept wringing/twisting my hands and they asked me if I had OCD!
-Obsessions, I have strange interests for my age which I become completely obsessed with (right now, Aspergers! :D )

Also, I constantly analyse things. Although not officially tested most people seem to think my IQ is in the gifted range, so I am good at most subjects other than PE, but especially maths, science and art.

My neurologist has not said anything and I have not mentioned it to her. I see her again in 6 months and I am just wondering if I should.