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Morning. I'm new here. I'm a 33-year-old female based in Scotland. To cut a long story short I believe I have Asperger's.

I contacted the Local Autism/Asperger's Charity. They tested me, advised I had Asperger's.

I was also tested via the NHS with negative result. I was prompted throughout not to analyse the questions. I was to provide a yes or no answer. There were far too many variables. I highlighted each one. The ladies testing me acted liked I was a freak. I thought: Who are you to be pulling faces at me and each other? You are meant to be Professionals who treat Patients with dignity and respect. You ought to have chosen your path based on empathy towards others not disdain. Have you never thought to question aspects of this test yourself? Can you really not see the validity of the points I am making? Does my inability to simply say yes or no despite your repeated lectures not indicate something? How did you pass your exams? Why have I put myself through this? Am I missing something? Am I thick? Why will I not complain with a view to stopping this twos double act?

I've utilised many on-line IQ tests and scored very highly. I don't understand how they can measure intelligence? I believe there are many aspects of the brain and we have varying degrees of intelligence in each. Human beings baffle me. I have a contradictory view of my own abilities. On one hand, I don't consider myself intelligent. On the other, I am regularly left astounded by the stupidity of seemingly intelligent people. Don't even get me started on the comments left by the general population in response to newspaper articles. However, I am human and have been known to come out with some belter's myself.

The bottom line is, I don't know where to go from here? Before the 'diagnosis' I was me. Now I'm me and I have a label which has shaped the personality I thought of as my own creation. How unique are we really? How much control do we really have over ourselves? Should I be doing something to tackle the Asperger's traits I have?

Any response would be greatly appreciate.

Hi there, and welcome. I just read your post and you sound kind of similar to me, especially the contradictory view of your abilities part. I loved what you said about news article comments, it made me chuckle.

The problem with being tested on the NHS is (from my experience), much of the time, unless you don't fit their exact criteria for a diagnosis then they won't diagnose you. Is the test you did the AQ test? Because I agree that it's a little dodgy. You've got to remember that a lot of people are pretty clueless when it comes to AS. Most of them have got it into their heads that we're robots who do maths all day. And unfortunately, a lot of healthcare professionals these days don't really choose their career paths based of empathy towards others, but simply as a way to make money. The fact you need a degree to become a nurse now, instead of a genuine desire to help people, kind of proves this.

The fact is, we're all different. Yes, there are certain traits that we share with other people with ASDs but we are still all individuals, and despite what many doctors think, it is very possible to have Asperger's and not be some cold-hearted robot. If you thought of your personality as your own, then it is most likely your own. We only have as much control over ourselves as the rest of the population. Can most of the UK's population control their desire to listen to terrible, repetitive and generic music? Probably not. The charts prove it. As you said, you're only human. In regards to tackling the Asperger's traits, I would only try and tackle them if you feel they'll be problematic to you. Otherwise, I say let your Aspie side out!

Welcome. Hear you loud and clear. As far as I am concerned, having Aspergers is as much a part of me as the fact that green is my favorite color. There is no way to separate your aspie-ness from your you-ness. It as much who you are as it is what you are. All a diagnosis does for you is give you a better vocabulary for self understanding. It has nothing to do with anybody else. My late stage diagnosis has simply enabled me to make more active choices in how I want to exist in the world and to be me with less self abuse.

Embrace it and let your freak flag fly with pride!

Welcome!

I can relate to what you were saying about contradicting your own abilities and questioning those of others. I am slowly realizing what I consider to be "Common Sense" isn't so to NTs and definnitely what NTs consider to be "Common Sense" isn't to me which adds to the alienation. Than there's the times that I forget that most people don't consider ancient history as common knowledge, so I would feel NTs to be dumber than me, when the whole time they felt the the same because I can't handle social interaction for very long.

Welcome to Wrong Planet!

Apologies for not responding at the time of post. I assumed I'd get email notification and no-one had replied. I've PM'd everyone for their kind words. I have abandoned trying to use this site on my mobile phone as it's a nightmare. I hope the PM's went through as it was hard to tell. Give me 5 and I'll be cursing this wonky laptop

Hey TheMilkman welcome.

Thanks. Time for me to say ciao to denial and pull my head out the sand.

Not sure if this is an Aspergers thing but I have difficulty following stories and have never used forums as I can't remember what information is assigned to each person. I'm hoping I get to know some people and read about their journeys but I'm a bit anxious of coming across as rude and selfish. I'm tempted to keep a mind map log but it seems rude taking notes on people. Can't decide whether I should embrace a written record or my inability to remember personal details.