Truthfully....stress in social situations does not an Aspergian make. I believe many NT's undergo social stress--but, somehow, because of their need to fit in, they go through the motions--and it does feel like "going through the motions" to them, even though they are NT.
It doesn't necessarily mean you have Asperger's, I believe. I know it's frustrating, though, having to recover from social situations. It's frustrating for me as well---I tend to avoid them. I definitely have a history which indicates autism/Asperger's--and I have some symptoms--but I'm still not sure if I have autism/Asperger's at present.
It is unfortunate that the emphasis on being "social" frequently sublimates "higher" intellectual interests as one gets older. I've known many case of people who were quite accomplished in school--but who forgot what they learned because they felt like they had to "fit in." They "couda been a contendah"--but they wound up a secretary.
Who knows? You might have Asperger's. Don't be disappointed, though, if it is found that you don't. Maybe you're an example of variations in "normal" human behavior. There are "normal" shy people with social anxiety. There are normal "hyper" people who are extroverted socially. It does not mean they have an ASD, or that they are bipolar.
31 Mar 2014, 9:33 am
