Have I "grown out" of my asperger's?

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I just took this test over here: http://rdos.net/eng/Aspie-quiz.php
This was my result.

Your Aspie score: 15 of 200
Your neurotypical (non-autistic) score: 179 of 200
You are very likely neurotypical

Now I know that online tests aren't as reliable as real diagnoses, but the place where I got diagnosed for having asperger's syndrome was so full of amateurs, they thought I had PDD-NOS at first. Around three years later they came up with me having asperger's syndrome and that's where all the doubting started. I can safely say that I have succesfully immersed myself in social situations, I have absolutely no trouble anymore with just about anything, the only exception is romantic situations but that's that's not an indication of having autism.

I used to have autistic behaviour when I was younger, around the age of 10.
I would do weird things sometimes, like hiding under a table because someone was looking for me in class.
I honestly can't believe I did those things and my personality took a complete different direction when I got older.
One of my current teachers at my school used to work with autistic people and she had NO IDEA I had asperger's syndrome until I told it to her myself. There was absolutely NO indication of me having it, take this into account with the amount of time she has been my teacher (two years) and you know something's not right.

For the past three years I have searched for information on this matter and the syndrome itself, I know that I was diagnosed for a reason but almost none of it applies to me anymore. I realise that "growing out" of asperger's syndrome is considered to be impossible, I just don't have any other explanation of how this could happen?

Any thoughts? Feedback? Please do so because I have no idea if I should keep considering myself as an aspie or just forget all about it.

Is likely that you should never have gotten the diagnosis in the first place. I know that I'm high functioning enough, so much so that I often question my own diagnosis. For example, I lack a lot a symptoms common to AS. My voice is not only not monotone, but I've been told I have a storytellers voice. I can read my non-verbal communication pretty well if I bother to pay attention, and I have excellent theory of mind, even better than most NT's. My emotional control is also better than most. Pretty much all of my symptoms are based on my general non-sociability and minor sensory issues.

I score about half and half on that online test, but the majority of my AS points come on the traits related to sociability, and my low sociability can easily be explained by my personality alone. I get along with people really well when we actually have something to talk about, but I generally don't have too much in common with those I happen to be around. Personally, I'm thinking about possibly getting tested again to see if the diagnosis would stand. I'm not sure if you can do that, but if you can, you should look into it.

As for whether you should call yourself an aspie, I'm not sure if the label really matters all that much. You're certainly welcome around here regardless of your actual condition.

If Asperger syndrome was the correct diagnosis then this is something you will always have. However a defining feature of aspergers is the potential ability to adapt your behaviors, to learn to act more neurotypical, which you develop greater prowess at as you approach adulthood. Not that all Aspergians do develop such compensatory skills, but many may. That is why early diagnosis of Aspergers is considered crucial, because as an adult you may have developed adaptations to many of the struggles you may have had in childhood. If you are very observant and analytical you may be able to notice differences in the way you perceive social situations in contrast to neurotypicals, though you are able to react appropriately.

Another possibility though is that Aspergers was a misdiagnosis for you. There are a myriad of differential diagnosis that produce behaviors similar to Aspergers, including some medical conditions that create certain cognitive dysfunction as a hormonal byproduct, such as a thyroid disorder. Not sure if hormonal imbalances would normally correct themselves on their own, but I cant imagine it would be impossible. Furthermore a hormonal imbalance may go into remission only to resurface at a later time.

Hi Zeromancer:
This is what I like to hear. One who has simply outgrown a lot of symptoms of AS and it is an inspiration for others as well. A lot of it has to do with who you have in your life influencing and mentoring you.

Anyway, I was also diagnosed as PDD and NOS when I was 11.


I acted different during Jr high and did such things as hide under tables if I felt humiliated but not often though. I also used to bounce down the halls when I got super excited. Other things would be clicking my fingers.

I was about 20 before I even encountered the words, "Asperger's Syndrome," by another teacher. They said, "I don't think you have Autism at all. You have Asperger's Syndrome." It took me a while to remember the funny word too.

I started outgrowing my ASD about the age of 23 and beyond. I am actually in my 30's now and I am still making great progress. I am even able to sit somewhere and hold a conversation with an NT.

AS isn't something people can 'grow out' of. It affects people no matter their age, and even if you get treatment to get better, the AS is still there lingering on, and no treatment can make it fully gone, only decreased in intensity, and even then with all the treatment you can get AS will still be a very big factor in your lives.

Your case could be a misdiagnosis. What caused you to be diagnosed with AS? And you are correct, online tests aren't that reliable, but they are good as an indicator. I recommend you consult a psychiatrist and explain your situation in detail. Then ask him/her whether she thinks you have AS or not. If no, try to find ut what you actually have (i.e. explain what causes the misdiagnosis and what disorders should you be diagnosed for, if any)

I don't think anyone actually "grows out of" a neurological disorder. All you do is learn how to deal with situations, so it becomes easier. I used to be pretty bad as a kid, but today, at 32, I've developed quite a good BS detector, and have made conscious attempts at consideration over the years that it boggles my mind how people do not have any. I'm still quite affected, though. I couldn't possibly work with the public without blowing up on a co-worker or a customer, and my short term memory is crap, and sometimes I say things that sounded fine in the moment, but then a minute later I realise just how rude it sounded. So, it doesn't go away.

Nope, I haven't grown out of it! The graphic at the end showed a big blob at the right hemisphere by the word "Aspie"
I'm only 26 so it may take a few more decades? I have noticed that I am improving social skills and maybe going through a late adolescence (brain maturity, vs puberty body maturity).
That was such a poorly written quiz with typos and bad grammar and all sorts of other problems....

It's the self training I do that makes me feel like I outgrew it. I still have a lot of anxiety issues I need to work on and some social etiquette but for the most part I have my aspie behaviors under control. Just takes practice sometimes a lot of it, it's good to be a critical thinker too.

It's lifelong, one can't change it.
But what really matters, is how you cope with the social world and life in general, not your brain configuration.

According to Wikipedia, only 20 percent of aspies outgrow the aspie criteria by the time they are adults. That is the minority while the majority continue to suffer with it in their adulthood. People argue rather those 20 percent had it in the first place or not but how do you explain their impairments then they had? Some have even outgrown their classic autism despite being low functioning and getting early intervention so how do you explain their impairments they had? Some have even gone from being autistic to Asperger's.


OP did you have an intervention or any therapy or were you self taught?

with NT scores that high i highly doubt that Aspergers was the proper diagnosis in the first place.. i have people who scratch their head when i tell them i am an aspie and i score 183 of 200 and have a formal diagnosis.. to me it sounds like a misdiagnosis

It's possible you were misdiagnosed, or that you were one of the lucky ones to grow out of it, or that you were able to learn the skills needed to overcome it.

I often think in some ways, the borderline AS people are the least well served. I know for myself, I was very borderline, I am liked at work, I volunteer ungodly hours as an emergency services worker, I can take care of myself, i easily handle allegories, metaphors, abstract language but I struggle at meeting women, really struggle.

I feel the same way, now that I have worked my butt off to get to where I am, I scored 131 of 200 for Neuro-Typical and I feel I have lost a lot of traits I think if I took the test again I wouldn't be as bad.

My Main advice is to keep taking your medication, because it will help you get there. I have had to increase my dose by one tablet a day and I'm reaping the benefits from it.