Asperger Signs?

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As I have been wondering about my own diagnosis (I am going in for testing on May 17), I looking back over my life and seeing some interesting things.

I remember when I was about nine or ten and I was an usher at church. In African American churches, being an usher has a lot of rules. You have different signals for different situations. When the pastor began to pray, we were to cross our arms and bow our heads as we stood in the sanctuary. If I were praying, while ushering, I would do as told and then I would start rocking to the left and then to the right, again and again. I don't know why I did it, I just did. It actually made me felt good. I must have been a sight in the sanctuary. At some point, one of the adult supervisors came and placed hands on me to stop me from rocking.

Another thing I still do to this day is that every morning as I put on my underwear or socks, I will sniff them before I place them on. Again, I do it without thinking. My partner thinks its endearing.

There are others and I will probably share them with the psychologist next month.

Dennis
Minneapolis, MN

Who is doing your testing? IMO, a psychologist is the best way to go. I have found that going to a psychiatrist is frustrating, because nowadays they seem only hellbent on pushing certain disorders in order to push certain meds.

(BTW, I do the rocking back and forth on my feet thing.

Hey i just wanted to say i love your avatar! I love blue! loool I wish i could watch foster home more often but i dont watch much tv these days!

From just that no. I mean more information would help. Sniffing socks before you put them on isn't much I know many people that like the smell of clean clothes or to check if they are indeed clean. The rocking is something but you could just be someone who rocks, instead of other fidgiting. If you did it when you were much older there would be a clearer link. I don't know many 9-10 year old who can stand/sit/kneel still during church, if you meet one give him a cookie

Well, these aren't all the signs, just two at the top of my head.

Dennis
Minneapolis, MN

hopefully not before church... *WEG*

Hi Dennis, I'm a fellow minnapolisite...welcome to WP.

I think you mentioned in another post that you had several relatives with autism and AS...i think that is a very strong indicator as I believe there is a very strong genetic component. If you are loking for someone to DX you who is familiar with adult DXing...I went to a Mark Foster at the Associated Clinic of Psychology. I am glad to PM you the phone # if you need it. He is near the lake of the isles (uptown).


I see a lot of people swaying and rocking in church . I thought that was normal in that context. Maybe you were just at the wrong church? I personaly find it a little spooky when I see a whole church doing it but I tend to find church a bit spooky in general.

Thanks. I'm acutally going to see Mark Foster on May 17th.
As far as I know, I don't think anyone else in my family has AS or autism. As to the rocking in church, this isn't the usual rocking like being in a Pentecostal church. It's hard to explain.

Thanks for the welcome!

Dennis
Minneapolis, MN

That's cool. He seems like a nice guy. I think I may have hurt his feelings when I chose not to continue to see him after the DX but I don't like to leave the house much and even $20 co-pay is a lot to me. I went to try and find help with getting a job that didn't make me feel like screaming, crying or running away and "they don't do that kind of help".

Just to forewarn you about the hardest part for me....He asks you questions related to AS traits based not just on you at present but how you were through out your life. I found that very difficult as I have memory gaps,especially when put on the spot. It helped me to write some of these things out in advance and give it to him. I also asked my mom if she remembered thing about my childhood and she recalled things I had totally forgotten. It might have helped if she could have come in but my folks live in AZ and don't believe in all this "psychology mumbo-jumbo"...they are Christian Scientist and believe that any "problems" are do to erroneous thought that you just need to pray to change...(I guess they weren't praying hard enough for me because I still feel pretty...not fixed )

I think that will be helpful. I've been thinking a lot about things I did in my past and I've asked my Mom about a few things. Thanks for the heads up!

Dennis
Minneapolis, MN

Haha my dad was the same. He was going to get me an evaluation to make sure I don't have it! It was terrible there.

agreed