mild aspergers..... Is there such a thing?

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hey_there
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29 Oct 2012, 10:06 pm

Sorry this is long and I kinda already posted a thread a couple months ago listing all my symptoms, but I found a website that lists pretty much all (I assume) of the symptoms of aspergers so this time I decided to list those here in addition to a couple more things that I have added on to the list and mark the ones I know I have with an arrow pointing to it. I understand that no one here can diagnose me, even if you are a doctor. I just wanted again to share the traits that I have. How many of these symptoms do you guys have?.....

Poor communication such as:

Speech and language peculiarities

Overformal speech

:arrow: Taking everything literally

Word repetition (echolalia)

Long monologues

:arrow: Inappropriate remarks (because I don't always know what's appropriate and what's not)

:arrow: Inability to take turns talking (huge issue)

Inability to listen to others

Speaking without any pitch or tone

:arrow: Unable to recognize figure of speech or sarcasm

:arrow: Difficulty initiating conversation

:arrow: Flat, cheerless demeanor (only a little bit occasionally)

Loud voice

Doesn’t respond to name very well


Non-verbal communication problems such as:

Inability to pick up facial expressions

Not able to notice body language

:arrow: Does not pick up subtle changes in someones tone of voice (only when change in tone of voice indicates sarcasm)

:arrow: Avoid eye contact while communicating (This has improved a bit)

:arrow: Unaware of personal space, invading it! (only sometimes)

Few facial expressions

:arrow: Unaware of unwritten rules



Impaired social interaction such as:

:arrow: Social withdrawal

:arrow: Lack of interest in other people

:?: Eccentric personality (not sure how to answer)

Preoccupied with their own agenda

:arrow: Socially non-adapted personality

:arrow: Urge to correct people in their speech or behavior

Limited interests

Unusual preoccupations

Need for sameness

Repetitive routines or rituals

Engages in highly repetitive play

Excellent rote memory

:arrow: Lack of empathy

Single-mindedness

:arrow: Aloof

Inflexible thinking

Lack of imagination

:arrow: Indifferent

:arrow: Rigid thinking (not ALL the time though)

:?: Lack of make-believe or imitative play (can't really answer because I'm 18 now and don't really remember that much about when I was a kid)

Fear of changes (depends on what the change is)


Poor motor skills such as: None of these at all

Poor coordination

Clumsiness

Uncoordinated motor movements

Hand flapping

Head swiveling

Mirroring

Stilted Doesn’t have a strong response to pain

Extreme dislike of certain noises, textures or situations

Easily over stimulated by sounds, crowds or lights


Extras:

:arrow: No motivation for personal hygiene (If you asked me I'd say I don't feel dirty enough yet)

:arrow: Can be very impatient at times

:arrow: Always want to know the reason for everything

:arrow: Tend to focus on the details rather than the big picture


And these...(which are likely not aspie traits, but I thought I'd put them anyway)

:arrow: When I'm angry or in a very foul mood I tend to be verbally abusive, curse, and sometimes may even throw things or hit people

:arrow: Absolutely hate having to do any kind of work. (be it chores or other kinds of work)

:arrow: Am not a hard worker and when something is too hard for me, if given the option, I will just quit and give up (funny, neither my parents nor grand parents were like this but I am) :shrug:

I got my looks from my dad but instead of his personality or my mom's personality, I seem to have gotten a lot of aspie traits. Too bad... their personalities are WAY better than mine in my opinion and would have loved to get either one of them! :(


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I only have a few traits of AS and don't meet the diagnostic criteria.


JRR
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29 Oct 2012, 10:29 pm

You're about where I'm at, which I have been diagnosed as "medium". Mild, I think would be much less. But, know, for sure, you can have asperger's without having all symptoms. That's what the spectrum is about. We vary in degree and characteristics.



MrStewart
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29 Oct 2012, 11:42 pm

There is such a thing as 'mild' for any disorder in the DSM. The DSM is written in such a way that it requires a certain level of disability to qualify as a diagnosable disorder. It is absolutely possible to be right on the borderline of diagnostic criteria. It's up to physicians to decide where that line is and diagnose with that in mind on a consistent basis.

I'm not sure if that answers your question? Hope i interpreted that correctly.



Tuttle
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30 Oct 2012, 12:40 am

What I have of those:

Poor communication such as:

:arrow: Speech and language peculiarities

:arrow: Overformal speech

:arrow: Taking everything literally

:arrow: Word repetition (echolalia)

:arrow: Long monologues

Inappropriate remarks

:arrow: Inability to take turns talking

Inability to listen to others

:arrow: Speaking without any pitch or tone

:idea: Unable to recognize figure of speech or sarcasm (Can do figures of speech, can't do sarcasm well)

:arrow: Difficulty initiating conversation

:arrow: Flat, cheerless demeanor

:idea: Loud voice (Too quiet of voice instead)

Doesn’t respond to name very well


Non-verbal communication problems such as:

:arrow: Inability to pick up facial expressions

:arrow: Not able to notice body language

:arrow: Does not pick up subtle changes in someones tone of voice

:arrow: Avoid eye contact while communicating

Unaware of personal space, invading it!

:arrow: Few facial expressions

:arrow: Unaware of unwritten rules



Impaired social interaction such as:

:arrow: Social withdrawal

:arrow: Lack of interest in other people

:arrow: Eccentric personality

:arrow: Preoccupied with their own agenda (I try really hard not to be)

:arrow: Socially non-adapted personality

:arrow: Urge to correct people in their speech or behavior

:arrow: Limited interests

:arrow: Unusual preoccupations

:arrow: Need for sameness

:arrow: Repetitive routines or rituals

:arrow: Engages in highly repetitive play

:arrow: Excellent rote memory

Lack of empathy

:arrow: Single-mindedness

:arrow: Aloof

Inflexible thinking

:arrow: Lack of imagination

:arrow: Indifferent

:arrow: Rigid thinking

:arrow: Lack of make-believe or imitative play

:arrow: Fear of changes (depends on what the change is)


Poor motor skills such as:

:arrow: Poor coordination

:arrow: Clumsiness

:arrow: Uncoordinated motor movements

:arrow: Hand flapping

Head swiveling

Mirroring

Stilted Doesn’t have a strong response to pain

:arrow: Extreme dislike of certain noises, textures or situations

:arrow: Easily over stimulated by sounds, crowds or lights


Extras:

:arrow: No motivation for personal hygiene

Can be very impatient at times

:arrow: Always want to know the reason for everything

:arrow: Tend to focus on the details rather than the big picture


And these...(which are likely not aspie traits, but I thought I'd put them anyway)

When I'm angry or in a very foul mood I tend to be verbally abusive, curse, and sometimes may even throw things or hit people

Absolutely hate having to do any kind of work. (be it chores or other kinds of work)

Am not a hard worker and when something is too hard for me, if given the option, I will just quit and give up (funny, neither my parents nor grand parents were like this but I am) :shrug:

-----

As for your question. People will vary in how affected they are. You need to have more than a personality type to be diagnosed, you need it to be a disorder. It needs to be clinically significant. But you don't need all traits.



hey_there
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30 Oct 2012, 2:33 am

MrStewart wrote:
There is such a thing as 'mild' for any disorder in the DSM. The DSM is written in such a way that it requires a certain level of disability to qualify as a diagnosable disorder. It is absolutely possible to be right on the borderline of diagnostic criteria. It's up to physicians to decide where that line is and diagnose with that in mind on a consistent basis.

I'm not sure if that answers your question? Hope i interpreted that correctly.
Yeah, that helped thanks! I likely will not get a diagnosis with just the symptoms I have because the social/shyness issues are the severest and everything else doesn't make life significantly difficult for me. Luckily I don't even have any sensory issues, which I've heard can be tough to deal with. My symptoms can interfere at times, but they are not so significant that I'm saying "I NEED help, I can't take it anymore!" I am trying to improve everyday and have noticed that changes some changes have already happened on their own over time. I rarely make progress because it's hard but.... yeah, I try. In my sig you'll notice my score on the Aspie quiz.... I'm glad the Aspie score isn't any higher than it is. :D I realized I don't need a label to know I'm different! :)
wow.... in that case, I wonder why I even posted this thread haha


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I only have a few traits of AS and don't meet the diagnostic criteria.


MrStewart
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30 Oct 2012, 2:55 am

hey_there wrote:
My symptoms can interfere at times, but they are not so significant that I'm saying "I NEED help, I can't take it anymore!" I am trying to improve everyday and have noticed that changes some changes have already happened on their own over time. I rarely make progress because it's hard but.... yeah, I try.


That's a good attitude to have. Positive thinking can go a long way in keeping your head above water. If you notice the negative times are getting longer/harder to deal with don't hesitate to see your family doctor. Doctor can rule out anything physical that might be contributing to your mood. Can start you on meds if you think maybe you'd like to try them. Give you referral to psychiatrist if warranted. The whole idea is to smooth out the rough spots, whatever may be causing them.