I think I'm an aspie, please help!

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I am an almost 40 year old woman, trying to work out if I'm have Aspergers. And I keep running across this questionnaire (sometimes called autism spectrum quotient) which is infuriating me. The first time I tried I spent ages trying to figure out if I slightly agreed or definately agreed with each question, and then I saw it again somewhere else and it said you get the same number of points for having "slightly" or "definately" answers. So what is the point of having to make me agonise over these decisions, it's just cruel! Also, some of the questions don't make sense to me. Like, "I usually focus on the whole picture rather than on the small details." Is this asking about an actual picture that you look at, or how we view life situations or something else? And "I enjoy social occassions." Yes, I do if I'm with people who understand that I'm a weirdo and accept me anyway. But I don't when I'm in the staff room at work or at an extended family gathering or somewhere where I don't really know people. So I answer some of the questions slightly differently each time, and I'm scoring between 30-38.

I'm looking into finding somewhere I might be able to get a diagnosis privately so that I don't have to see the doctor for a referral and go on a long waiting list.

Also, am I bit aspergers just for obsessing over the fact that I might be aspergers?

Any help, advice, or suggestions for other useful websites or books would be much appreciated. Thanks!

Thinking about the weather right now in your location is not the whole picture. Thinking about global climate is the whole picture. Just the fact that the first thought in your head is about a literal picture is an indication of Aspergers.

Dr. Tony Attwood - About Aspergers

Aspienwomen: Moving towards an adult female profile of Autism/Asperger Syndrome

Thank you for your reply.
I really liked the aspien woman page. I have copied it to my email and highlighted all the bits that I think describe me. I think it was at least half!
I think I first suspected when I worked at a college for teenagers with aspergers, and they just seemed normal to me. With that and my work in schools, I have a fairly good understanding of the traditional description, but I am fascinated by what I read about how women's experience can be so different, so your link was really helpful.
I have found a place I like for an assessment and they got back to me really quickly with answers to my questions, so I might just go for it.

You should try your GP anyway, they'll probably know, or be able to find out, if there is anywhere local to you where you could get a private diagnosis as it varies from area to area.

I empathize with your frustration (funny, for someone who doesn't empathize much at all . I read tests very closely and struggled with some of the same instructions, which seemed vague and inaccurate to me. As pointed out, part of my Asperger's. You didn't mention if you tried the Aspie quiz? Formal diagnosis can be challenging to come by but it has been very good for me (I'm in the US, however, and if you read through the forums it seems like experience with the NHS has been varied...). There's another book that is good, "I think I may be autistic."

with everything that is out there, you can probably come up with a pretty decent idea if you might meet the criteria. But if you have other diagnoses (anxiety, depression, ADHD, OCD, etc) this can muddy the waters and make "self diagnosis" more problematic.

These forums are a great help.