Hello, I'm male 27, AS undiagnosed, chem engineer...

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I believe is the polite thing to do to introduce yourself to the community,
although i cant understand why. (half a joke)

So... hello.

I think i have AS because i met almost all criteria: socially awkward, out-of-the-box
thinking, obsesive in several ways, over-focused, VERY attached to my routine, over sensitive to light,
sound and touch....

One of my topics of interest is the mind, so I know since I was 10 that my brain was "not neurotypical",
but took me 8 years to find the right disorder. Even then, I prefer to consider myself as "gifted" and
"product of an overprotective enviroment" than believe what all the tests (and the common sense)
were shouting at me. And it took years to "embrace my inner self", as they say, and accept it.

Even now I refuse to go near any class of psychologist in case they land a diagnosis on me. This message
will either give great relieve or sunk me into (another) depression. But i have to accept what i am, because
the only few moments of my life that i feel euforia are the times when i stop questioning myself.

Dont get me wrong, im highly functional, i had girlfriends and i keep a handful of close friends. I have a good
time now and then, have social interactions and i can go to a new place and meet new people without anyone
noticing my handicaps. Most people consider i am simply rude, or shy (it depends of my mood)

But i never feel close to another person, and that is hard; nor know how to react to joy or sorrow in others,
and that is very awkward, and a little sad....

But, enough of me already. Look at me, rampling about feelings like the average neurotypical.

I came here in the search of opinion about AS, how to handle certain situations, tools for the day-to-day,
and some forum where find peers. Not that i think there is any, but anyways it could not hurt to search.

I will keep reading a lot and talking a few, as always thought that is the best way to learn.

But there is a time when you have to step up and say: i have AS and im different, no more, no less.

--------------------------------------------
Im new in the forum and in posting online, and english isn't my mother language,
so any suggestion/correction is welcomed.

I felt about the same until things came to a head at work over my 'customer service issues' in an employee evaluation; essentially I was being 100% honest with people (this is a bad idea because... I need more information to help you.. please listen to me this is bad for our database if we implement this/etc).
Until that point like you I saw no point in getting an official diagnosis but in my rebuttal which was also 100% honest I mentioned that I have AS. I got my official diagnosis 2 weeks ago (AS+ADHD). Did it change anything? Yes but not a lot.
It helped most at home since my wife now realizes that she was attributing to intent what was actually a genetic pre-disposition. We weren't doing bad before but we're doing better now
Good for you that you turned your AS into an asset like I did!

You sound exactly like me when I joined. Same age, engineer, undiagnosed but fit every symptom, lack of personal connection, etc.... You're a little farther ahead though. I sought strategies to get around my shortcomings before I came to your realization, but you've already realized your aspieness will never relent.

Welcome

Welcome to Wrong Planet!

I find it quite useful to translating back and forth to Neurotypical, just as you would another language. Just because we use the same words doesn't mean they have the same meaning! Or, its not what they literally said, but what they intended to say. Luckily I'm quick enough to do this and still have "normal" conversations.

Welkome to WrongPlanet.

The WP Kink

Hi and welcome. I am an undiagnosed aspie, becoming self aware at age 35 a few years after my 7 year old son was diagnosed with AS. It explain so many reasons why I reacted to situations and think like I do. Why it felt like I was "faking it" in life (trying to be NT when I was not). I am very successful in my career and I have my aspie brain to thank for that.

Welcome!

Welcome.

I didn't expect so many answers in one day, it kind of feels like home already....

Yesterday, after posting my introduction I was finally able to tell someone "I care for"
that I have AS. Not feeling sorry for myself, not excusing myself, only sharing it.
Time will tell, but now it feels the right thing.

So, even before the replies, you folk are already helping me! Thanks!


@BTDT: I do the same thing, translatating my thoughts into NT,
often abusing of quotes and set phrases to avoid using words
that doesn`t mean the same for everyone else. It was a hard work
to learn how to do it and it keeps tiring me a lot.

@JohnPaul: Related to above, the impression of faking is what kills me.
No matter how hard you try, is always gonna be an effort to talk to people; is one
of the reasons why I exit my ivory tower and came here. And Im very attached to my
Aspie Brain too, especially when it comes to reading, studying, and solve problems or
puzzles. Its the two sides of the coin: Between "overconfident and euforic" and "Deep Blue"