Do I have Asperger's?

Post Reply New Topic

I would say what you report is typical of those who self describe as "undiagnosed AS". Remember, AS is a set of symptoms. Diagnosing it is a judgment call. I suppose it's possible for the same person to be diagnosed as "AS" and "not AS" by different clinicians at different times.

The one area in which some people might challenge your self-diagnosis has to do with sensory overload. I suggest searching YouTube for "sensory overload". There are those who will say that if you don't recognize your own experience in one of those videos, then you're not really on the spectrum. And others will disagree.

Try to consider whether a formal diagnosis will benefit you. There's no real treatment, although many Aspies get medication for depression, anxiety, etc. Depression and anxiety, unlike AS, have more clearly defined definitions and are directly treatable. Unless you hope to use an AS diagnosis to get government benefits, you show probably think twice about getting formally diagnosed, as AS is generally associated with traits that are usually seen as making a person less employable. There is a big difference between simply having poor social communication skills (that can be "worked on") and having Asperger's syndrome. My personal recommendation is to fly under the radar if you can.

But don't hesitate to join in on the discussions at WP!