Do i have Aspergers

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I think I have Aspergers but can't afford and don't necessarily want a diagnosis.
Do you think I have it?

*Trouble in social situations - it takes me a while to think what i should say

*Can't speak to two people at once - I usually have to ignore one or the other

*Developed a lot of anxiety speaking on the phone and find myself not knowing what or when to say something - I have to practice for about 15mins to know what I'm going to say, but even then I still get tongue-tied

*Mild sensitivity to some fabrics (i used to think everyone was like this)

*Sensitivity to some sounds like velcro or coins being scratched on other metal (i used to think everyone had this too)

*Good at math and problem solving

*Hopeless at Literature (in school, tests) but i'm still good in practical life

*Have developed strong interests in fitness & french culture (trying to get money to join their foreign legion(military))

*Don't know anyone that shares my interests or even anyone that has attractive qualities - but i live in a small town (20,000 people)

*physically clumsy but not when i'm focused e.g. playing sport

*Constantly daydream and tell myself stories every day

I hope I've listed all the necessary traits.
I also got 156 neurodiverse and 59 neurotypical on an aspie quiz (by sacha baren cohen i think).
I just want to know an aspie's point of view.

There's a few traits that CAN indicate aspergers or ASD but it doesn't mean that it is for sure ASD. There's a large group of things that it COULD be.

A good rule of thumb when self diagnosing psychological and neurological disorders is to identify what IS a symptom and what ISNT using MUDA

MUDA stands for Maladaptive, Unjustifiable, Disturbing and Atypical.

If it doesn't meet the MUDA criteria then it's not relevant.

For example; a person who prefers to be alone, enjoys building model planes, watching documentary on planes and dislikes the sound of Velcro Is completely fine, doesn't make him autistic. A person who cannot make conversation with anyone they talk to or just makes everyone they talk to comfortable, cannot leave the house without a toy plane, and freaks out when hearing the sound of Velcro, probably does have an issue.

It's just an example in the extremes though.

Ps. I really really REALLY don't condone a self diagnoses (unless you ARE in fact a educated psychologist with a full PH.D. Or M.D, in which case go for it but a full assessment by a specialist, doctor, psychologist or psychiatrist ( or all four) will be the only ones really worth getting a diagnoses from.

ASD is NOT a fancy "label", or a trend, a personality type, a identification of any kind it is a DISABILITY. People with ASD of any kind are not just 'quirky' and 'different' or 'special snowflake' it is seriously disabling for some and a serious issue for others.

I'm gonna say it right now; self diagnoses are really really stupid.

The Aspie Quiz is by a computer programmer with a special interest in neurology. It's one of my top two favorite self-diagnostic tests. The other one I like is the RAADS-R. The reason a lot of us are wary of Simon Baron-Cohen and his team is because his findings have since been "disproved" (in my field we're not supposed to use the word "prove" but whatever) by subsequent tests. However, the subsequent tests needed those early tests by Baron-Cohen to work off of. So the real problem is that some people like to pick out scientific tests that show what they like, and ignore later ones that show different things.

I would say that if you score as neurodiverse or autistic, basically, on the Aspie Quiz, if you also get a strong score on the RAADS-R, AND if you think that the description of autistic people seems to be a description of you, then you are probably on the autism spectrum. I would say that the last item is more important than the first two. You can take tests all day and if it doesn't resound with you, it's probably not right.

Not everyone has the $ for a DX.

I agree with you though on the trendiness aspect.

It can be very disabling to have ASD.

I think a lot of people who "self-diagnose" are aware that it doesn't necessarily carry the same weight as a professional diagnosis, but lack a better term to express what they mean with concision. They're reasonably sure they're on the spectrum but are aware that they could still be wrong. Obviously, I'm not speaking for everyone.

Also, as has been mentioned countless times already, not everyone is able to afford an assessment or live in an area where they can get one for free.

Self-diagnosis isn't always stupid, but it certainly Can be.

To respond to the OP, what you've written doesn't really suggest autism to me, but I'm absolutely not a professional in any way.

To be honest, I don't see much about your list which particularly shouts "Asperger's" to me. Plenty of people have difficulty thinking of things to say in social situations. You may just be introverted or shy. The phone thing goes along with this; I know plenty of NTs who hate the phone as well.

Is clothing sensitivity your only sensory problem? Does it dictate what you can wear, objects or people you can interact with, etc.? Do you have any trouble with sound, light, smell, food/taste, or people touching you? Do you find high impact proprioceptive input (squeezing, hugging, pressure) to be disturbing or unusually comforting?

The maths thing is mostly a stereotype. I don't know a single aspie IRL who is good at maths, myself included.

How strong are your interests? Are they the only thing you have any real interest in studying and discussing with others? Do you have large "data storage vaults" of highly detailed information about those interests stored in your brain? Do you stay stuck on the same interest for months or years?

Concerning traits you didn't mention:

What are your receptive language skills like? Can you easily recognise sarcasm, humour, figures of speech and other non-literal language? What about expressive language? You say you sometimes have trouble thinking of things to say, but do you ever find yourself so stressed that you are unable to speak at all, and must use other methods like writing or signing to communicate?

Do you ever stim? That is, do you have repetitive movements or vocal tics that you use to make yourself feel better, less anxious, less stimulated, or when you're very excited? Things like rocking, flapping, bouncing, spinning, finger-flicking, humming, repeating words or phrases over and over, fiddling with objects, playing visually with light, etc.

How do you feel when your routines are changed suddenly or unexpectedly? Can you deal with it well, or do you panic or get upset or angry? Do people around you know that they have to warn you ahead of time when things change, or you won't be able to cope?

Do you ever get meltdowns or shutdowns? Do you ever get so upset or overwhelmed that you explode and lash out, throwing objects, injuring yourself, screaming/yelling, etc., or do you ever feel so overloaded that it's like your brain has switched itself off, and you've crawled into your own head and have a hard time moving, speaking, thinking, or interacting with the people around you?

These are all hallmark signs of autism, and if you have most or all of them to a degree that it's impairing your ability to live a normal and comfortable life, then it would suggest you have autism. If you have some of these traits but you don't find them debilitating, you might have BAP, or "broad autism phenotype" which is close to the spectrum, but still on the NT side of diagnosis. May I ask why you don't want to persue a diagnosis? Is it because it would impact your ability to get into the military (assuming it does, I only know what US laws are like), or do you not think one is necessary because you don't plan on seeking support or services?

*I am introverted

*I don't ever wear uncomfortable clothes now, but as a kid i was made to wear some scratchy fabrics that made me extremely agitated and couldn't stop moving

*As i said coins scratching and velcro tearing aring are my big ones but the sound of trains and motorcycles make me twitch and very alert

*i find hugging unusually comforting

*I'm constantly googling about various fitness, french & military questions that pop in my head - I've spent about 3 hours today on a forum about the french foreign legion

*all the info is tored in my brain - it wouldn't be worth learning something your passionate about to just start forgetting it

*I've been obsessed with fitness ever since i walked into a gym (~2 yrs ago)

*I've been mildly obsessed with french after watching "Goal of the Dead" (an odd reason i know)

*I can understand the meanings of sayings I remember like "can of worms" but the first time i hear it I'm totally confused - jokes often go over my head but i understand most comedy that i watch on tv

*I've never been completely mute, but when two people talk to me at once I'm either totally lost or i just ignore one and focus on the other

*I shake my head yes and no and mumble a lot - even when it's dark or noisy

*i pace when im on the phone, but only when I'm alone (but i think a lot of people do that)

*when i'm anxious i chew the side of my mouth or clench my jaw and either bounce my legs if I'm sitting or repetitively change my stance if I'm standing

*i hate it when my routine is changed but I'm learning to cope with this very well i think - it makes me just a little off edge

*I've had very few meltdowns, but when i did they were bad - i once banged my nose on the floor as hard as i could a couple of times... blood everywhere

*when i had depression (13-17 yrs - I turn 18 on 5/5) i was constantly having to shutdown for fear of having a meltdown - worse thing was no one in my life could understand that logic

*i think getting a diagnosis would stop me from joining the military but I've also heard many "professionals" have little understanding and often misdiagnose

I hope I've answered all of your questions.

Unless it's causing you problems, I don't see a reason to even self-diagnose.

ASD isn't about being weird, it's by definition a disability. So a person who is merely weird but not disabled by it won't meet the criteria anyway.

If you are having problems caused my these traits that are significantly interfering with your life, then you could self-diagnose and try to work on them. Otherwise, I don't see what the point is. Some people just have autistic traits but are fine otherwise, and never really had any problems.

I've struggled to make friends and have been (indirectly) fired from my last and only job because of what i now believe to be Asperger’s.
From researching this I've found out certain things i didn’t know before such as looking at people's mouths can make people feel awkward.

So after self-diagnosis, can i tell people i have aspergers rather than listing a bunch of traits to sort of explain why i am a certain way?

P.S. this isn't a trend or anything like that for me, I've never actually met someone who knows what aspergers is. I've met some people that have a small idea what autism is, but that's it.

You can do whatever you want, but it's not going to mean they believe you. It's also not going to mean that you actually do have autism. And an employer will likely not give you accommodations without a diagnosis.

When I told people what I thought about my symptoms before diagnosis, the people who know me well were very skeptical because they were used to my being weird, although they acknowledged that I was weird, and that I did have those traits. They also didn't know much about ASD. So I explained all of my symptoms, pointed out examples, and showed all of the online tests I took. I even had others take the same tests to show how different the results would be. And they were.

But nothing really convinced them until I was actually diagnosed. When my mother was questioned about my childhood behaviors, she was extremely surprised to find out that they were abnormal. She had no idea, and didn't believe that I was out of the ordinary. I think she was hoping that I wasn't.

If you are going to self-diagnose, you should make sure that you take as many tests as are available, do as much research as possible, and really think about it before you make the decision. Not everyone with autistic traits has autism.

I think it would be a good idea to try to change your habits that are causing you to have trouble getting along with people.

unless things have changed in NSW, it would not cost anything to be diagnosed, and it would also have been apparent from an early age that you had autistic characteristics, so your teachers would have been concerned and your parents informed and analysis performed.

that is how it happened with me. i was a limp baby and did not conform my body to how they held me, and they often dropped me. i did not look at their faces no matter how much they exaggerated their facial expressions to attract me. i was pinned for long periods of time in scrutiny about minute things that no one could determine.

it was inevitable that the questions surrounding my oddities were necessary to be answered, and so i was diagnosed as autistic from about the age of 1 year old.

i would not think it possible to go through childhood with asperger syndrome without coming to the exceptional attention of those that are consigned to steward us.

if no authority has ever required an unusual assessment of you, then it may be that if you have autism, it is not functionally detrimental to a degree that warrants concern.

I just want to add that I disagree about putting too much emphasis on professional diagnoses. I wouldn't feel too bad about it if you can't afford to look into that avenue, and you keep looking solely for a self-diagnosis.

I'm starting a PhD in sociology with a concentration in issues that concern autistic adults at work and the identity of autistic adults. I try to be very transparent here because I think it's important for autism advocacy.

I could easily get a certificate and thereby be able to "officially" diagnose people, using the same tools that many of us employ already- reading academic literature and studying diagnostic tools. What most "professionals" do is look over what you just said, make a snap decision, write something down, and then go back to thinking about their coffee. It's not a special process. There are a couple people here in this thread that gave better, well-thought out answers than you would get from a doctor or therapist, although they may not realize it.

I was told by the psychologist that even with the tools today, a diagnosis isn't 100%. That really bothered me. I like things to be certain.

With people who are more severely autistic, the diagnosis may be closer to 100% accurate, but there is still no test to determine for sure who is and isn't autistic. They can do fMRIs and EEGs to see differences, but even those aren't 100% accurate. I'm guessing that the reason is because ASD seems to have multiple causes, resulting in people with different symptoms and different brains. But I don't really know.

So they do tests like the ADOS, and they do interviews with the patient and the parents if possible. They try to get as much information as possible because the diagnosis is based on behaviors and reported symptoms.

I had to take the ADOS, along with an IQ test, tests for attention, and psychological tests. I was interviewed, and my behavior was also being observed during most of my tests. My mother was questioned as well.

Although I had figured out before I got evaluated that I likely had ASD, I didn't know for sure. I think that getting evaluated is important even without needing services. The reason I feel this way is because an outside observer is needed to give a good idea of how the person is coming across. There were quite a few things observed about my behavior that I didn't notice, even though I tend to be very observant. We can't really see how we appear to others.

A person with social anxiety and some mild sensory issues could mistakenly believe that he/she has ASD based upon symptoms. People with social anxiety may feel that they are socializing poorly when they are actually doing well.

So I think that having a professional spend a lot of time with the person, talking with him/her, and observing the behavior is really important. In my case the evaluator spent a lot of time with me, and didn't make a snap decision. A person cannot objectively observe one's own behavior nor administrator the ADOS to oneself, and so those things are missing in a self-diagnosis.

I'd just like to say again that no one i know knows what aspergers is and/or knows much about autism.
This includes teachers, family and friends, I went through 3-4 yrs of depression, attempted suicide twice, got addicted to various drugs including marijuana, tobacco and ADHD pills. I once took 500mg(7 pills) of ADHD pills and thought i was going to die, my heart was hurting, breathing hard, i was drenched in sweat and shaking - i kept hitting my knees on the table, AT SCHOOL, literally 2 metres away from the deputy principal - i just asked if i could run on the oval during class time because i drank "5 mothers"(energy drink).
My point is, just like this happened and no one found out - depression, anxiety, aspergers and most mental "conditions" go unnoticed by people, including P.E. teachers (one of my worst relationships with teachers was with my P.E. teacher and he had no clue as to why i wasn't motivated or doing the work, even though i burst into tears in front of him once (i was 14 but this was totally out of character).
And my dad just told me to get over it because i have a tv in my room and i should be grateful.

A professional diagnosis is only needed if you need accommodations or acknowledgment from others in your life, like an employer, family, friends etc. I believe if you are reasonably intelligent, given enough time and reading from various resources on Asperger's, formal and informal, you should be able to tell if the diagnosis fits you. This notion that an ordinary person cannot possibly arrive at the conclusion on their own whether or not Asperger's Syndrome fits them, and that you can only have Asperger's if Dr. God, in his divine authority, gives you his divine blessing that you are on the spectrum, is just baloney.