Concerned sis very new to the idea of Aspergers

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Earlier this year my 39 year old brother completed an inpatient rehab program for internet addiction, spending addiction, and sex addiction. He is currently in recovery, and has been living with my family for the past 6 months. Although his recovery is going well, it is now even more obvious to me that he has difficulties that would appear to be unrelated to his addictions, and that he has struggled with his whole life. My mother saw a letter in an advice column about Asperger's and it would certainly make sense as a diagnosis for my brother. Two questions...
1. How should I broach this subject with my brother?

2. Do individuals with Asperger's have a higher than average tendency to struggle with addictions?

I will appreciate any input!

If I were in your shoes, I would start by finding famous people with Asperger syndrome. Though most lists of this on the Internet should be taken with a grain of salt, they should be fine for your purposes. Find people among them that your brother either relates to or admires, then mention them to him, adding only as an afterthought that they have AS. If he takes easily to the idea that their condition was enabling to them (which I believe ), he might not think of it as a bad thing, especially if you can draw similarities between him and them before laying the news on him. You don't need to mention only their positive characteristics; don't be afraid to attribute Joseph Heller's repetitious writing style or Steve Jobs's anger issues to AS. The whole point of this is to convince him that he can be accepted with this new label.

As a general approach to considering autistic characteristics, try not to put them on a scale from "worst" to "best." It is my opinion that a person with Asperger syndrome is not comparable with a neurotypical individual in this way, and that placement on a "worse" and "better" scale is actually a function of other things, such as personality or intelligence. In this case (with addictions), susceptibility to addictions varies unpredictably from person to person. On one hand, a salient deviation from neurotypical interests can make the person not at risk for a number of addictions. On the other hand, obsessive interests may be seen as, and may lead to, addiction. It can easily go in any direction.

Tell me if I can clarify anything, I did not want to be long-winded.

I have AS and am in recovery for addiction. (i have been clean and sober 12 years.)
Quite a number of AS people have addiction issues and this is because we have a tendency towards isolating and routined and repetitive behaviours.

If your brother is doing well in recovery, i would broach the issue of 'dual diagnosis" issues. This is a term commonly used in recovery circles and rehabs to describe those of us who have addiction issues AND another diagnosis. Often. these two issues become woven into a complex web of matters that require identification. clarification and sorting through. But be aware, it is a big step, and may require sensitivity and compassion on your part. Does he get on with you and our familly? who is the best person to broach the issue with him? Does he have friends, or is he very isolated? Is there the possibility of him discussing this also, with his counsellor or addiction psychologist? And also, regarding the latter - be aware that many addiction counsellors have only a rudimentary and outmoded idea of autism spectrum disorders, which is a great shame, given there is often a crossover between the two. I personally was lodged in the rehab system for many years and I only wish my drug and alcohol counsellors had been able to see that the particular expression of traits i exhibited not only indicated addiction but also oppositional defiance disorder and Asperger's Syndrome with sensory processing disorder.
THere is a lot to consider. YOu may also want to suggest he does some reading up on AS and the triad of impairments.

In considering AS in older people, it is always important to get the feedback from parents and family members regarding the individual's childhood and developmental processes. This is often key to an adult diagnosis.

If you require further discussion, you can always PM me and I will reply more personally. (PM means to send me a private message. Just click on my avatar and send a PM.

good luck.