Greetings from my cave -- do I fit in?

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Howdy, folks,

I just recently (last Wednesday) thought to consider ASD as a possible explanation for my 57 years as a Stranger in a Strange World.

Since childhood, I have been plagued by never quite fitting in: I couldn't comprehend why it took me so long to understand the "rules" of social interplay that others seemed to already know; why things that I found amazing and fascinating to discover (mostly in the sciences and technology -- just the way things worked in the universe) were positively ignored by most folks, and my joy at discovery and attempts to share that thrill swatted down by teachers and "friends"; why I found dealing with people hard, but understanding machines and Nature MUCH easier.
I was sent to Shrinks (MD & PhD), who never seemed to agree as to what to do with me.
I was labeled as "ret*d", "lazy", "selfish", "stubborn", among other epithets.
I was hospitalized as having Schizophrenic tendencies with Anxiety and Depression.
I was tested with I.Q of over 130, and MMPI with a strange "spike" (something like 97) on the PD scale.
I have thought I was ADHD, Dyslexic, Prosopagnosiac, etc. or a combination, but this almost felt like I was picking a bunch of random conditions, none which FIT perfectly.

I have always craved information, on ANY subject that caught my interest, I can remember minute detail of things read or heard from YEARS ago, but will forget names, faces, numbers, and such in a heartbeat. I crave order and precision, and seem compelled to correct spelling, punctuation, and grammar, usually unasked, and seeing misuse of language by educated or highly positioned persons as almost criminal negligence (like business letters from corporate officers w/ deplorable grammar and spelling). Public figures using such in speeches and interviews makes me wail and gnash my teeth, I tend to ramble at length and create convoluted sentences with many clauses [I'll bet no one figured THAT out yet... ]. Some acquaintances think these behaviors are showing-off or lording-over, but it is merely my desire for clarity and completeness.

Now, it seems, I have found an answer: Out of nowhere in particular - I began wondering about the criteria that apply to ASD (although I had been aware of the existence of the condition in general for 25 or 30 years, I had never really investigated what it entailed, beyond the most obvious and extreme manifestations portrayed on TV and film), and was startled (and, strangely, RELIEVED) to find that I fit the description in almost every detail!

I went on to take the "AQ" test, scoring 43 the first time and 45 on the second.
Today, on the "Aspie-Quiz", I scored 122 of 200, with NT of 76 of 200.

I think this means I am (have?) ASD of SOME sort, but am somewhat confused by the distinction between HFA and AS (the reading I've done so far seems to have few obvious differences I have noticed), so will you kind people let me know what you think?

Cheers,

Dave

Welcome to wrong planet. No matter the diagnosis I am quite confident you are welcome to stay

I however lack a fifth option in your poll: It could be ASD/HFA/Aspies, but I don't know and don't have the qualifications to point to a diagnosis, but Dave seems like a nice guy who should stick around

Aspies as a diagnosis was not recognised before 1992/1994, and there seems to be a lack of focus on anyone older than 15 when screening for Aspies. As it was said elsewhere on the community: There are plentey of shrinks with different opinions, and if you want the best guess about the you and the spectrum you should see someone who is really experienced in the field.

i think u are one of us!

One of us!

One of us!

One of us!

.... sorry lol

Forget about the shrinks. Some don't even know the difference between HFA and Asperger's. The labels they put on you are nothing but crap. Before they pushed me in the corner of autism, i was diagnosed as sociopath (around age 7), mentally ret*d, PDD, and so on.

Probably it is best if you can figure it out for yourself. However, there are many differences between people on the spectrum. Just read some of the posts here and you will agree.

Gabba Gabba Hey!

Yeah, I must have left that choice out... And thanks...



I had thought that The AQ Test was specifically for adults, but I may have misread the papers...
At this time, I can't afford professional consultation, and must rely on the wisdom of "insiders" such as are here for advice...



Thank you.(BTW, I like your enthusiasm)



Don't I know that!
As I have indicated, that thought was what led me to this forum, and I am becoming more convinced as I learn more...



I take that as an enthusiastic vote of confidence.
Thank you.

I am sorry if I put that the wrong way. I was trying to say that schools, social system etc. have generally not looked at whether adults should be diagnosed, they tend to focus on those who went to school in 1994 or later. The AQ test, to the best of my knowledge is an adult test, but to me the Aspie test made a lot more sense, and seemed more accurate. Then again, hopefully I have the priviledge that I can be tested by a professional if I really want it, so the tests are less important to me. For debates on tests, and links to a bunch of them see this debate: http://www.wrongplanet.net/postt113459.html

Welcome to WP from a fellow Texan!

OK, I see your point - I misinterpreted your words "lack of focus on anyone older than 15 when screening for" to mean that testing wasn't available for those over 15 -- my bad.

Thanks.

No worries
Best of luck with all them other tests. To me the Aspies test, was all I really needed.

You sound a lot like me, and I'm very close to sure I have Asperger's--the female version, but there are many similarities with the men. Still, I'm new to the idea and have a lot to learn.

I saw that you wrote "prosopagnosic"--Do you have a problem remembering people you met, remembering the faces? I do. It's embarrassing. For me, I think it's because of the lack of eye contact, which means I'm not looking at people's faces much, so how COULD I remember what they look like? I'm trying to look at people more, but staring into someone's eyes just feels wrong, like a challenge or maybe an invasion of privacy.

You said you don't like for people to misuse the language; I bet it bugs you too when you hear someone say things like "ath-a-lete" or "diabeetus" or write something like "Your all right." I think we're going to have to get used to it, though. It's not THAT bad as long as the meaning is clear (not that I'm lecturing you).

I wonder if other Asperger's people reread messages before they post them in order to make sure they're not being offensive.

Welcome!

I'm very new, too, and have much to learn -- and I have seen many people expressing similar characteristics on this forum. Good luck with your quest for knowledge!


Yes, I meant exactly that -- I tend to avoid eye contact most of the time. Also I get confused between actors faces in films and public figures I have never seen close-up personally.

Yeah, There isn't much I can do to stop it, and I can usually decrypt the intended meaning, but it is still annoying to hear or read (I can almost hear my mental wheels screech when I hit a "bad spot"), and to have to figure out the puzzle just slows everything down.


I can't speak for others, but I proofread my posts intently; sometimes mistakes get by despite my best efforts. I often find myself apologizing preemptively, just in case someone was offended.

Welcome to Wrong Planet!

Welkome to WP!

Mick