Who in the world can diagnose AS?

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SteveK, you definitely seem to fulfill the effected areas:

-talent areas
-language disruption
-coordination problems (gross and/or fine)
-anxieties/OCD-like tendencies
-ability (or inability) to multitask and "switch gears"
-sensory issues
-social fluency deficits

I am not a psychologist, though I will be one day providing everything goes as planned. So anything I say really doesn't do much good other than give some personal support at self-diagnosis.

Steve, if you're not diagnosed, you seem to fit an ASD. But I'm not promising a diagnosis. Most diagnosticians go by the book (i.e., the DSM) and the DSM does not look closely at the areas I've outlined above. They are more superficial outlines and don't really get at the root quite like looking at the whole brain (which the things I've pointed out do).

The ones above I think can more consistently point out ASDs and the Broader Autistic Phenotype (which includes those that have more of a Shadow Syndrome and still have a similar cognitive/genetic basis but whose profiles don't fall into the deemed "disorder" range).

Steve, are you diagnosed (officially) or self-dxed?

NO, I am self diagnosed. My intelligence is certainly on record, and most that know me would agree. My lack of social skills is certainly clear. Obsessive studying, etc... is clear. Most of the other stuff requires a good memory, close observation, or a trigger to notice. The statement about "self stimulating behaviour" seems odd, but read some of the examples psychiatrists give, and YEP, that is me. Almost like many kids do. You probably wouldn't see me do it unless I am into something, or bored during some sort of meeting.

Sadly, though some realized the potential almost 20 years I could be autistic, I guess the US wouldn't officially recognize that until about 10 years ago. 8-(

Anyway, I guess I have to give up trying to get what I probably never will, get back all I had and improve, and maybe meet someone similar.

BTW I WAS curious what you would say.

Outside of fighting against another malicious charge(I once had a weekend destroyed by a malicious charge based on "body language") with unexpected vigor, I don't know if there is any reason to get an official diagnoses. HECK, TODAY I acted VERY autistic.(Literal thinking, stubborn, loudly outspoken, avoiding touch.) I guess it is because my exhaustion and all from a bad sickness gave me an excuse and let down my defenses. It was ODD to see it through new eyes.

Steve

If you are a hard Aspie to spot (some are, some aren't; I was definitely a harder one) you could get a diagnosis. But I wouldn't recommend wasting your time with anyone less than someone incredibly experienced in the ASD field, with all age ranges and both sexes. Otherwise, you may potentially waste your money.

But the "experts" are out there. Unfortunately they're just few and far between. That psychologist I mentioned (I think in this thread), Dr. John Ortiz, is a good one. But he's up in Pennsylvania. Great for Pennsylvanians. Not so great for everyone else.

Oooh sounds like fun Ill give my points and yes Im diagnosed HFA/AS.

do you have sensory issues?
Pick a sense and I can rattle off a list of things that set my teeth on edge or cause abnormal physical pain.

Do you have OCDish tendencies?
*looks up from ordering the papers on her desk into perfect rows* What do you mean?

Anxieties?
Not really though talking about myself is uncomfortable.

Are you very logical and/or creative?
Logical yes creative no. I remember in art class in high school getting strange looks from the teacher when I turned in a "free drawing" assignment that was a sheet of paper with cubes drawn all over it.

Do you feel socially "fluent"?
Socializing makes about as much sense as a racoon in a burlap sack.

What are/were your family members like? Any "eccentrics"? Describe your family.
My husband met my family once. He doesnt ever want to go there again. He said we were "scary" and the silence made him squirm the whole time.

Do you seem to have a great deal of difference between your abilities and your deficits?
Uh.. what? Is that question vague or is it just me?

Are you a good multitasker?
Not at all. If you want me to do anything like talk and walk your going to lose a lot of quality in one activity or the other if I can manage at all.

How's your attention span?
Depends on whether or not Im interested in the object or conversation. Complete if so nonexistant if not.

Do you ever stumble and bumble over words?
The backspace key is my best friend and in verbal conversations I often suddenly stop talking for no apparent reason. The problem is Ill have a word I want to use but cant remember and Im too stubborn to just use a different one so I stop altogether until I remember it.

Do you ever find it difficult to discriminate what people are saying if you're in a crowded room with extraneous conversations going on or if someone uses a word like "ball" and you can't tell other than by pure context whether it was that or, say, "fall"? If so, how often does this happen?
Always. Unless the persons voice is significantly louder than any background sounds Ill maybe understand one or two words. I often get a laugh when I try to repeat back what they said and to me it sounded like some nonsense jumble.

If you have talents, what specifically are they?
An almost intuitive understanding of complex electromechanical systems as well as a photographic memory.

What are your weakest points?
Conversation, creativity, fulfilling or even remembering to recognize the emotional needs of others.

Are you a picky eater? Picky about the fit of clothes?
Extremely. The list of things I wont eat is almost as long as the list of things I will. Often the things I dont like Ill find distasteful simply because of its physical texture and my clothing has to be soft and loose.

Also, please list any abilities you have which seem to be above the norm, even if only slightly.
Uhh.. whats normal?

When dealing with language, do you tend to feel more comfortable with concrete descriptions or with metaphoric ones?
Concrete in the shade is always nice and cool during the summer.

When you stumble and bumble on occasion over sentences, is this almost always when you're nervous? Does this ever happen when you're not nervous?
Im rarely nervous so it happens always.

Do you change your attention easily from one thing to the other or is it harder to orient yourself when having to do this?
It usually takes me 10 to 30 seconds to change tasks and is very uncomfortable.

Have you ever had seizures or has anyone in your family had seizures (not due to head trauma)?
Ive had absense seizures before but not sure about the rest of my family.

Do you feel most of your social problems stem directly from anxiety?
Nope.

Describe where your areas of intelligence lie.
Recognizing redundancy? Hehe seems like you've already asked this question twice.

How's your memory? Visual? Auditory? etc.
Photographic visual memory, auditory memory is for sounds only when I remember a conversation I have to play it back word for word and listen to it all over again to understand what it was about and I can only remember what Ive heard through association I cant spontaniously remember anything auditory without a trigger to remind me (but then its a nearly perfect recording).

Fraya,

WOW! One request.....

Can we please let that racoon out? That seems cruel. FUNNY, but cruel!

Steve

Hehe of course *releases raccoon then gives it a loving nuzzle* sorry little buddy thanks for the help with my analogy *watches it scamper off*

Fraya, you fit an ASD profile (although what with your diagnosis that's probably already obvious.)

Thanks! And thanks for the nice sendoff!

Have you been diagnosed with Strabismus, Norah, and if so, is it a subtle Strabismus or more extreme?

So far, it seems you more greatly resemble a developmental Anxiety Disorder, leading to social anxiety and OCDlike tendencies. Your coordination is affected, but it's difficult to say whether this is due to your perception problems or a dysfunction in the vestibular and proprioceptive systems.

Could you describe your coordination difficulties? Do they involve balance? Gross motor movements? Fine motor movements? How is your handwriting? Are you right-handed? Would you describe yourself as very right-side dominant (i.e., you are very ill-coordinated on your left side moreso than most right-handed people)?

Have you ever taken any antianxiety meds? If so, did any help? How so?