Hello,
My username is Shiyin, which means "recluse in the marketplace" (according to the book 'Three Thousand Years of Chinese Painting' by Yang Xing et al) -- which I've chosen because it seems apt on the web ("marketplace") generally and in our contemporary commercialized society, and because it conveys the idea of aloneness despite possibly being among many people.
I am here because although I have many of the symptoms of Aspergers, I have not been diagnosed, and I'm not yet sure that I can do so myself, if I should seek a diagnosis, and if so, why. It would be helpful to explain aspects of myself (such as my need for / enjoyment of particular intense interests, motor skills development, and my social weaknesses).
I know that medical and psychology students can tend to think they have the conditions they learn about, so I'm trying to be cautious to avoid the same mistake in diagnosing myself. It's frustrating that there's different diagnosis criteria, and too much ambiguity in those, but I do have the core symptoms I've read about to a significant degree; my "cognitive style" certainly is on or towards the Aspergers side of the continuum.
Any help or advice please?
09 Sep 2009, 5:02 pm
