Do I have Aspergers syndrome?

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I know you've already read such question over and over again, by many people, but I really hope it's partially that's why WrongPlanet was founded, to help people determine it.

Today I read wikipedia article about Asperger's syndrome and found out (incorrectly?) that most of symptoms described there perfectly describes by (sometimes past) behavior.
I never felt need to meet new people, never really need anyone to play with when I was a child (spent most of my days playing with LEGO, computer games and a bit later (10) programming - school was easy enough to do all the homework during classes).
I never felt urge to do anything just because other people are doing it - when I was a kid I didn't even notice there might be such things. Made me kinda alienated, but I never felt bad about this. High school was just a little bit different, there were few people I could talk with about stuff that was interesting to me (developing computer games and games mechanics).

Now I'm a bit older, even made some friends. ;)
I can talk with them about some other stuff - beer, girls, games, cooking, society (not much). But again - those are things I'm immensely interested in, I'm no capable of some chit-chat about "weather".
I also have a lot of repetitive ticks, use metaphors only I understand (damn, a lot of them..) and say things in pedantic and verbose form and I often have to rephrase myself.

All of this made me think I have this syndrome, but I'm really confused whether it's true, or it's something I may "want" to be true.

My second question would be: if it's true I have this syndrome, will anything change? Should I make something in my life change?

Wow man, almost everything that you mentioned in this forum, is spot on with me! I would really like to find out for myself also, if I do in fact have Asperger Syndrome, or if I am just another Neurotypical person. This is truly odd, because the only difference between what you explained as yourself, and me, is that I am into Computer Sciences, and Computer Hardware.


Cool!

Bah, not even here we differ much - I was studying Computer Science for 4 years.

Anyway, there's one thing that I doubt.
I think I may not be that heavily committed to things that interest me. I can easily think of few examples where I forgot about the whole world just to read/gain knowledge about a particular topic, but it's not that often. Well, at least not anymore.
I considered it rather major indicator, so this confuses me even bit more.

Yet, I still wonder why I want to know whether I have this syndrome or not...

We can't offer a diagnosis, only a qualified therapist can do that.
But we do welcome you to this website, and if you'll read through the forums a bit, you'll have a pretty good idea of whether you're an ASpie or not.
(We don't particularly care, by the way, whether you have a diagnosis or not. Nice english too!!)

Sadly, in Poland I can't hope to meet qualified therapist. Also, I find it hard to listen to any doctor, seeing all mistakes they are doing (it's not only in health care, but as medical knowledge is still really vague, it's a major problem here).
I've already briefly read some parts of the forum and what I noticed was that there are many people truly open to each other, speaking about things many people would feel ashamed to admit. About problems many people face, about their habits from childhood... I find it refreshing.

This is also the reason I asked here instead of even considering visiting a psychologist/psychiatrist. I believe that people visiting this forum read enough about other people experiences that they can easily say if another case represents this syndrome or not.
I know it will be impossible for me to either admit or deny that I have this syndrome, simply because I can't trust in my own judgment, as I can only see myself from my own perspective.

Thank you for your greeting, it's much appreciated. I'm truly thankful.


It's not really about being diagnose, it's just I wish to know if that's the case, if I'm one of people affected with this syndrome.
When I was writing my first post, I had no idea why I want to know. But as for know, I have a guess already and it makes me want to read some people opinion even more.

Great Scott! You really describe yourself as I usually describe myself!
I live in Brazil, here we have a lot of problems about doctors, therapists et cetera... they are dumb: have a lot of work to do, don't earn enouth to care about patients, poor college formation... they make a lot of mistakes, so we can't trust their diagnostics.

trust your

and....

if anyone gets all "high & mighty" expert---y---ish...on you....

f**ck'em!! !

listen to your ....at all times


we know

it just fits..
and answers the question we have been seeking our whole lives

Hi welcome Ethnar, I hope some of this information helps you on your journey...

Quote: Being diagnosed for any difference, it's not about the label no one need know, it's about true identity. Alyson Bradley

Most of us are self diagnosed at first and then its finding a professional who understands and can diagnose us. So before being diagnosed, write down as much information as you can will really help, back to when you were a child. As we get older we learn to change and adapt, does not mean we do not still have those differences, but often have to keep or learn to conceal them..

Making Sense - http://asplanet.info/index.php?option=c ... ent&task=v iew&id=83&Itemid=129
Raising Awareness of Aspergers Syndrome:
http://asplanet.info/index.php?option=c ... ent&task=v iew&id=32&Itemid=67..

This lists may help for a start:
My list of Characteristics of Children to Adolescences AS symptoms
http://asplanet.info/forum/index.php?topic=161.0
Great test to do:
The Official Aspergers AQ TEST - Could you be on the spectrum !
http://asplanet.info/forum/index.php?topic=77.0
and others things ton read which may help:
AS Symtoms (Full Official Criteria):
http://asplanet.info/index.php?option=c ... ent&task=v iew&id=29&Itemid=63

I know only too well when first diagnosed even if you feel you know, it can be a bit of a shock, its a little like losing who you thought you were and having to find the real you all over again. It can seem quite a lonely journey at first, but happy to answer and be here for you. So if you do get diagnosed be easy on yourself for awhile, as often with acceptance comes a grieving period - but what follows is a new wonderful understanding, it really was at this point a revelation to me as every think made sense all at once.

It really is the not knowing or understanding that does cause us so much unnecessary pain and misunderstood problems. Understanding allows you to be who you always should of been

Uhm... hi? I never told that my name is Scott and it's not true anyway. You got me confused here.

I find it very easy to believe in. Huge percentage of doctors aren't doing any good, all around the world.


I'm sorry, simply I can't. I rarely let myself be driven by emotions and even then I don't find it a good thing in these few situations. I'm always looking for proof, for some kind of evidence.


I'm reading through this information right as I speak. Already taken the test (that was second aspie quiz I took) and got score of 34. The other test gave me an answer that "I'm very likely an Aspie". I can't really trust myself on such quiz since (as I tested it) I could manipulate answers and get results of 42 and 4 when I was trying to pretend to be an aspie and to be NT.
One could say I may have some sort of paranoia, that I can and will manipulate the answers to get "desired" result, that's why I'm not convinced yet.

I'm glad there's still some reading to do, thanks.

Uhm... hi? I never told that my name is Scott and it's not true anyway. You got me confused here.
[quote="ericksonlk"]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Scott
"One of the better-known contemporary uses was as the catchphrase of Doctor Emmett Brown in the Back to the Future film trilogy. Christopher Lloyd, who portrayed Brown in the films, used the expression in TV ads during 2006-2007 which refer back to this role ("Great Scott! I forgot to tell Marty about DirecTV!")"

Sorry man, I always do this kinda things... (repeat movies and books dialogues) Howdy Doody time?

Sadly, I was watching this movie dubbed, so it's not really surprising for me that I missed that (even thou I love this movie).
Thanks for explaining this to me.

I feel like you are describing my current situation. When I first read about AS I thought that it would explain so many things, all the difficulties I had in my life. On the other hand I could think of things I've done that does not fit into the typical AS image(at least in my mind). I've read so much different descriptions and seen many interviews with Aspies and the more I read about AS the more confused I am. In the past 6 months I felt like I was monitoring my own behavior trying to be as normal as I can (telling myself that I AM NT and I CAN act like an NT) and of course I often failed. Maybe it was a side effect of the really overwhelming self analysis. I noticed a lot of unusual non-NT things but in those moments I always thought of the possibility that my subconscious mind is playing with me and I really wouldn't be that bad If I had never heard of AS. On the other hand I am not sure I did not act like that in the past. I knew I don't act like other people but I didn't see it as a negative thing before, at times I even thought that everyone else is stupid and many things they do is pointless/doesn't make sense. The worst thing is that I don't really know what I want. I surely don't want an official diagnose because I like my job (I am a software designer) and I don't want to lose it because I (might) have autism. On the other hand I would like to know if I simply suck at social relationships or I am just really inexperienced or I really was born with a different mind. I wouldn't have to punish myself for being so lame at times and I could accept easier when I screw up something.

I have similar experiences with AS tests, I cannot choose an answer without thinking of its possible effect on the final result. I can answer a test to be the most autistic person on earth and I can answer it to be a normal NT person. I feel like I cannot be honest with myself. I think a good way of solving this problem would be a test for friends and relatives, they have a much more accurate picture of me (at least I think so). Of course even if such a test existed I wouldn't dare to ask someone to do it, so it is only a dream solution. Oh well, I am going to stop now, I don't want to hijack Ethnar's thread.

p.s.: God bless Firefox's spellchecker and sorry if somewhere my english does not make sense

Ethnar wrote:

I'm glad you reiterated what I said, because that gives me a chance to be more specific about my meaning. I have a tendency to have a different meaning for words.....sorry..

anyway - when I say trust your heart - I don't experience that as only "raw emotion"....it's more like the culmination of years of experience having all of the aspie traits and not knowing - and suffering a lot of problems... - also - the culmination of "researching" "listening" "questioning" "comparing" "idenifying" etc.... until it all "clicked" - when it clicked it was such a "big click" (complete without a doubt) that I will ignore any expert who "misdiagnoses me....(p.s. I've had three different diagnoses by p-docs....- and they all were in a big hurry to prescribe meds..)..
when I said - "trust your heart" I was trying to sum-up the long-winded crap I just spewed!

p.s. - the researching, questioning, etc...is just what you are doing...and that's - and then maybe one day it will "click"...
I know that when it did for me - it brought me some "peace"...

Damn, I feel the same thing...


I think you are perfectly right with this one, that's an essence of why one would like to know if he's an aspie or not. I myself no longer chase "ordinary person model" (like I used to, and I felt bad when it didn't work) and I'm much happier now.


I'm glad you've come by.


Thank you for clearing that up. That's exactly what I did recently and well...

As one could guess by reading my previous statements in this post I have Asperger syndrome (self-diagnosed).

I just came back from a family trip to England. It was a good shot to ask my parents about Asperger (even thou they are skeptical to such scientific theories). It turned out that when I was a kid, there was even more symptoms than I remember. Like when I was two, I could wake up, play with rattle for some time and then go back to sleep. They told me, that kids usually start crying until someone comes to them and at that time they felt it was a bit weird that I don't. Also, when I went to school I was completely blind to other people intentions (like this one time (being 6) my mother had to explain to me that other kids may be mean and may lie to me to take advantage of me... -.-).

Anyway, I have no doubts anymore. Thanks for your input and for your support.
Ethnar

PS My dad is 90% an aspie.

Ethnar I'm Polish too and I can tell you that I no longer believe that I will ever meet a competent psych in this country. met a bunch of them and they all sucked and didn't know the first thing about ASDs. or any other disorders apart from depression as far as I have seen.

Thanks for assuring me I'm not totally paranoid on this topic. Each time I'm talking with any of my friends they are amused how mistrustful I am toward any medical specialists...

Thanks for stopping by and see you around,
Ethnar