Hi all - Am I an aspie?

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Hi all,

I'm a female writer (wordish), late thirties, in Melbourne, Australia.

I've been reading about aspergers and it's like that's me! I don't know if I have autism/aspergers but here are the reasons I could have it: -

I find it incredibly difficult/stressful to communicate verbally - If I drink milk or caffeine my voice won't work properly
It feels hard to speak and when I do I can't explain myself properly or organise it
When people speak to me I can't seem to take it in alot of the time unless its something I'm really interested in
People end up patronising me because I can't speak properly!

Writing can be torture. I find it easier to work with factual data - I'm also in IT - because I know what the correct answer is and don't torture myself with getting it wrong as I do for writing. So I don't actually understand why I have to be a writer, but something drives me to do it a - weird I know!

I seem to have meltdowns especially at work - quiet for days then suddenly cry or angry. I've just resigned from another job today and have gotten to the point where I don't think I can work - well not with people and not in an office!

People drive me nuts. Not all people but most people. I feel exhausted after being with them. They definitely think I'm a freak. It's easier if they are writer's too.
I've always been different. Never fitted in at school. More easily at uni - when I could speak properly, but still hard
Difficulty making and maintaining friendships
Social anxiety my whole life which I've found ways to manage better as I've gotten older
Bullied and taken advantage of when I was younger
I don't gossip, don't b***h

I seem to be inconsistent in results at work and study - one moment it's 'brilliant', next it's what? How stupid/weird.
I think very differently from other people. Very detailed. Always factually see all sides, not just one which I think people interpret as lack of empathy.
Synaesthetic writing (read somewhere that synaesthesia was a trait for some aspie people)
Very philosophical when I was a kid (Tony Attwood in his book said this is trait of Aspie girls)


Food sensitivities especially casein, gluten and caffeine. One cup of anything with caffeine just kills me.
Find it hard to concentrate alot of the time. Fluorescent light affects my concentration. I work better near a window at work.
A bit obsessive - see this post!



Why I may not be an aspie?
I think I do have empathy for people (though suspect aspie's do have empathy, they just go about it differently). Have lost empathy as I've gotten older as I haven't received much empathy myself - sorry sounds angry, but is just factual.
I'm interested in lots of things - not just one interest - though overwhelmingly driven to write.
I managed to overcome some of my social anxiety by backpacking to really out of the way places though it's mostly been solo.
Don 't mind change though depends what it is and if I can control it.
I get jokes easily, though don't always find them funny. I prefer the one's that play with the literal meanings of words - but I don't take things literally all the time

Sorry for the long post. I've never told anyone this stuff before other than a friend last week. I'm kind of at my wits end and offloading. Don't know what to do about work. I'm thinking of going up to Queensland where I can be assessed by Tony Attwood or people associated with him because he has written about female aspies and I can't seem to get anything here in Melbourne.

Anyway - hope I've found a place here where I can chat/fit in. It's a great site. I wish it was around when I was a kid!

Welcome to WP!

welcome. In response to your statement about empathy, I don't think there is any research that indicates that all people with Asperger's necessarily have a lack of empathy.

Whether you are or not, Welcome to these boards ! !!

Look around a bit, read some posts, then do jump in, and let us know what you think, or feel, or whatever. Hope you enjoy it here...

Welcome Wordish, judging from your post you could quite possibly have a mild form of Asperger's, but obviously I don't have nearly enough data to say anything for sure.
Having a rather mild case of AS myself I never had much of a problem with jokes, change or empathy (I'm not perfect, but I am yet to meet a NT who is)
I have a myriad of intrests and I have always been able to overcome discomfort in social settings by means of willpower.

On a lighter note, have you written anything we might have heard of?

Nice to meet you, Wordish.

Welcome Wordish!

I have the same trouble when it comes to speaking. I can never get the order of words correctly out and have trouble showing interests even though I have many. Anyway, welcome.

To WrongPlanet!! !

welcome

Thanks for the welcoming!

In reply to AnderstheAspie. I do content and technical writing, have had a travel article published and have a number of short stories, plays and a book I am working on. I just have to finish the darn things! So I guess the creative writing side of things is in its beginnings but I'm very determined to get something out there no matter how long it takes. I think my deadline's 2050, the way it's going. Oh dear, I'll be eighty then.

Hi wordish. I also have done a bit of writing. I have 3 rubbish books on Amazon right now (oh well it offsets the bills.) I guess it's like an apprenticeship - you've got to write a rubbish one or two before you can write something worthwhile! One of my books is a Physics book, I hope to build on that book and write something much better though aimed at College students. I'm currently reading and developing the areas where I feel the text needs the work and development. Such a lonely life is the writers life! Oh and the pay is lousy! Still it has its perks and freedoms! Keep writing!

Welcome to Wrong Planet!