Has anything actually 'worked'?

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Has any form of treatment, therapy, self-learning, medications, drugs, or anything at all, helped anyone overcome the negative effects of Asperger's? If so, what is it, and what did you do, and try to explain why it works.

Yes....roughly about 3 years ago, I learned about Aspergers and how I had it. Learning about it really helped me a lot, in knowing I was not alone, and that what I have has a name. I started going to a Social Skills program here in New Jersey under the supervision of Jed Baker. I have to say I have improved big time. When I began...i was not on an anti-depressant, I could not drive, and i wasn't employed. Today I am on Zoloft, I have been driving for a year, and I actually work in a job i enjoy ( ironically working for a state agency for disabilities). I think the thing I really learned is that at the end of the day the only one who can make the change is yourself..no one else is going to do it for you, and other people can only show you the path. Having someone to talk to and get issues off your chest is important.

What actually do they teach in the social skills training sessions? Also how does the Zoloft affect you?

Social Skills training sessions are just like a therapy session....teaching you how to handle situations that arise in your everyday life....anger management, conflict resolution...how to make small talk, keep a discussion going. etc.....Zoloft works well for me, making me less depressed...

Sounds like the social skills training etc would come in handy. How basic or advanced is it; are there videos of any of these classes?

Does the Zoloft do anything except for depression?

Basic or advanced? its therapy. You obviously start off with getting to know discussions..I would look into it if your interested. I would probably contact a therapist who works with Autism related disorders and set up an appointment. I don't think their are videos on individual therapy sessions out there. Zoloft is primarily an anti-depressant. That is its purpose.

Okay. Have any reading materials helped as well? I'm not sure if they run those kinds of sessions locally where I am, but definitely think it's worth looking into.

Also can stimulant medication like dexedrine (dextroamphetamine) help improve the social behavior of an aspie? It's normally used to treat ADHD but I've heard of cases where normally awkward people have become more sociable and alert to others as well. Has anyone had experience in that area?

I know for me, the few times I have taken dexedrine it brings my normally camoflauged stimming behavior to the forefront, and does not help anything, other than making me more likely to talk at people, not to them.

I have had times when I sat there and rubbed my tongue over and over the roof of my mouth when on dexedrine for hours on end unconciously to the point that I ended up with a blister on the top of my mouth, and also my stimming that normally isn't noticeable gets turned up 10 notches to the point it is a problem.

I'm not saying that it doesn't help people, but for me and my autistic traits, its a detriment and increases my problem behaviors tenfold. People want to hold a conversation, not be talked at maniacally by an ultra stimming intense nutjob, and thats what it turns me into LOL.

Does nail biting (along with the skin around the edges) count as a stimming behavior?

I find meditation very helpful, and science is beginning to cotton on. There's lots of stuff in my blog on the subject.

If you've money to invest, I would look into neurofeedback for autism and ADHD treatment.

I do that. Yes, It is a kind of stimming.

If its repetitive, and is something you do to "comfort" yourself when thinking, worrying, trying to cope with difficult stressful situations, etc then yeah it does IMO.

My first thing I can remember doing along these lines was "worrying" my thumb's knuckle, and my thumbs cuticle with my pointer finger & nail on the same hand, to the point that I had a sizable callus on the knuckle and a torn up and red cuticle. Did this for years when I was really young, and it never really occurred to me what the behavior meant until just recently.

Proper nutrition (balanced diet of primarily whole foods)
Regular exercise (a solid training program)
Enough sleep and rest time
Social time and time with people balanced in my life
Living alone on 40-acres (plently of time with Mother Nature)
BALANCED time with my special interests
Working in a job I love
Being aware of the "co-morbids" (depression/anxiety) and treating them ASAP
Always seeking to help others (AKA: thinking outside of "me")

It takes careful planning/dillegence to keep my issues "in check"

In addition to all these things that I manage, I have recently started social skills training as well. I am keeping detailed log of what this means. I believe it isn't possible to do via video training to this level.

http://www.wrongplanet.net/postp3478011 ... t=#3478011

That said, there is a world of information on communication, body Language, etc that you can find if you just do a search in Youtube even.

Surfing

I hear the waves are great in western new york

Unfortenately the best treatment options are for very young kids, since young brains are more adaptable. I would say 5 and under is when that stuff is the most impactful, Since AS's average diagnosis is 8, even the typically diagnosed kid is too late for early intervention (and that's assuming they are severely affected enoughh to even be accepted into these programs).

I was diagnosed at 22 and my psychologist suggested social skills training. Unfortenately she was leavin the practice and her new one didn't accept my mom's insurance and she was the only ASD expert so it kind of fell apart and I never had a chance to see it if would have helped me.