Oh No!

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PM me here like you have been. The email notifications are less distracting and less overwhelming than IM's.

That is so very true. And unfortunately with as "young" as Aspergers is as an identified disorder, a vast majority of professionals are only familiar with what Aspergers looks like in childhood and not the spectrum of Aspergers in adulthood. Which is sad for those older Aspies who have discovered Aspergers later on and then seek diagnosis.

I think the best thing an undiagnosed adult Aspie seeking such confirmation can do is to do their homework and find a professional or an agency which is very experienced with adult Aspergers as well.

The first psychologist I went to, I later found out, was not experienced in diagnosing adult Aspies at all. I regret having wasted that time. Though I am grateful I learned this (as have many others on WP) in order to give warning to those adults just beginning the process.

Can't you spell? It's so annoying.

Since she's dyslexic, probably not. There's a huge discussion going on in Learning Disablity circles as to wiether it's our responsiblity to not post unless we have access to spell check or if NTs (what we call those without LDs) should realize this is just how we are and accept us this way. Since I'm old and have had to *pass* as NT for decades, I tend not to post unless I'm sure my post is understandable. My son, ASD AND LD, uses a voice recognition program to type for him.

To ask a dyslexic person if they can spell is similar to asking an Aspie if they can stop stimming.

Having said that I must add, Princess, that I beleive I warned you in your introduction thread that strange colors and fonts would not be accepted here. There is a time and a place for *fun*. If you want to be taken seriously, you must adapt to the enviroment.

BeeBee

How good you are at social skills doesn't necessarily define whether you have AS or not, but how easy it is for you to do them. Do you think you have it? If you're not sure, look up various AS sites and read the symptoms to see if you think you have it. As long as you completely know what it is you'll know better than anyone else.

Some nurses I know don't believe I have it, but they hadn't known me a few years ago when I was much worse, and if they did know me they would realise that I do. When I read the symptoms on the net I was like "That's definitely me!". Even though not all of the symptoms applied, those exceptions were probably things I learnt to get over myself.

Impairment of social skills doesn't define whether you have it, it's just a major symptom. It's the way your brain works towards carrying them out. Don't want to sound like I'm smarter than a doctor, but I was originally diagnosed with ADD, and then they found out they misdiagnosed me and I actually had AS. Even professionals get it wrong sometimes.

*stifles a giggle at lowfreq50*

Christina, honey, that is not bad news! I can well relate to how you feel: I have moments where I worry about what would happen if someone decided that I don't really have Aspergers after all. But you have to remember that you are who you are, and the people that care about you will love you and accept you, regardless of what labels you have attached to you. There are a lot of people in here that don't have Aspergers, including those with other Spectrum disorders, those with ADD, and those who are friends or family of Aspies. And hun, everyone has things they like, but that doesn't mean they have Aspergers. I'm guessing you were suggesting that liking teddy bears and princesses are perseverations? Perseverations are a bit different. For example, many people think signing looks cool, but most people won't chew your ear for hours on end, telling you all the difficulties that Deaf people have in trying to operate in a hearing community and discussing the joys of being involved in the Deaf Community. Many people like cats, but most people don't have a bedroom that is a shrine dedicated to cats, and most people are physically able to walk past a cat if they have to get somewhere in a hurry, and most people don't personally know the neighbourhood cats and act like one of them, hissing and defending their territory. (Methinks the cat one is a bit different; it's hard to explain but I think it's a perseveration for me.) And one that I don't personally have, although it interests me: many people like trains, but most people don't look at a train as it goes past and know when it was built, how much it weighs, what it is called, what type of suspension it has, who made it, when it was imported etc. Perseverations are the more extreme likes, where you can't stop talking about them and you know all sorts of strange details because you are so obsessed with them.

All that being said, if you like the atmosphere in WrongPlanet, on my part I think it would be great if you can be an honorary member. However, I would like to point out that a fair few people have mentioned that they have problems with your style of writing. Being Dyslexic, I think that everyone will be very sympathetic if you have crappy spelling. However, if you could possible use one size of font, one colour (black or if you must a dark colour, one that doesn't make people go dizzy trying to read it!), and if possible, could you eliminate the 'l33t sp33k' or 'sk80r talk' or whatever you want to call it. In here, e is e, not 3, 0 is not the same as o, aNd YoU DoNt HaVe To ChAnGe ThE CaSe CaPiTaLs FoR EvErY SeCoNd LeTtEr YoU TyPe! Oh, and s is s, not z. For the most part. Just a few pointers!

Edit: On re-looking at your post you actually didn't do too badly, but perhaps if you wrote 'the' instead of 'teh', and added g in on the end of 'thinkin' to make it 'thinking', and just generally gave a quick proof read to make sure you haven't made any spelling errors just by typing too fast, then I think folks here would appreciate it!

I'm sorry?

I have a mild bit of Dyslexia and have to edit posts constantly to fix things like "teh." I am in no way offended by Christina's posts, or her spelling (although the light pink is a little hard to read, as well as the style of typing that PhoenixKitten mentioned).

Christina, I am glad that the doctor gave you an honest assessment and did not simply agree about the Asperger's to try to get you involved in more intensive therapy.

I personally don't believe in the idea of honorary Aspies. It isn't like we are an Indian tribe, or something. However, I also do not believe that you should in any way feel unwelcome here because your diagnosis says that you are not an Aspie. People with ADD and Dyslexia face many difficulties and many Aspies share these as well.

Stick around.

Oh well. But for all in the UK, they can go to the police and get a card that tells they have an Autistic Spectrum Disorder, and that will reduce the severity of any sentence of theirs (theoretically).

Interesting.. Seriously??? Do you think that is motivation enough for some people in the UK to seek an autism diagnosis?

Interesting thought.

I just read an article on those cards. The article made it seem the primary use of the card was during investigation. For example, if the person was nonverbal they could hand the card to the police and then the police would understand that the person wasn't being uncooperative. Ditto so that the police wouldn't misunderstand lack or eye contact as lieing or stimming as a nervous reaction of an NT who was guilty. In other words, the card would let the police know to be careful about reading things into the person's behavior.

It didn't mention anything about lighten sentaining though.

BeeBee

Yeah, there are cards like that in the US. The can be bought, or you can even make one yourself. The only thing I have now that actually references autism is a Medicalert necklace and a card that goes with that, but it doesn't have all of the relevant information on it that would help police in a situation in which they are investigating. I also have a medical insurance card, a medical assistance services card and a disabled parking placard identification card, but nothing autism specific, although DVM has it on record that I am autistic which is why they issued the card.

I'm sorry, what is 'stimming'?

Self stimulation, such as (in my case) pacing, picking at things, chanting, humming, rocking, squeeking, spinning things and sometimes hand flapping when I am really exited.

Oh well. I am probably going to try and get one tommorow.

Self stimulation