Most people on this forum don't have Asperger's Syndrome

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At 46, and having known so many professionals of the psyche and what they're worth, I trust my self-diagnosis more than a hundred "specialists".

Depending on where you are in the world, a formal diagnosis may cost you thousands of dollars you don't HAVE to spend. In the US, Asperger's is almost NEVER covered under medical plans. They will only pay for doctor's visits and medications to treat the co-morbid disorders. If you live where you have access to universal health care, fine, go see the specialist. If you live here, good luck, you're gonna need it. My wife and I got in "on the cheap plan", the doc's did their voodoo on us as part of evaluating the boys, and I think it was proper for them to do so. It helps them understand how to treat the kids if they understand the family dynamic. Mental health coverage is rare on employer provided insurance plans here in the US. It's "available" through some community service agencies that are horribly underfunded and far over burdened. Once Upon A Time we had a system of public mental hospitals in every state, Reagan chopped their federal subsidies and now there are virtually no facilities available.

"Self" diagnosis can be very valid. It depends on the qualifications of the person, after all. Laymen, particularly ASPIE laymen can be VERY expert in a field that fascinates them. Are there people in the world proclaiming themselves to have Asperger's who don't? Sure. That's true for ANY condition in the human world. I don't think there are very many of them. Most of the people I know on the spectrum, whether "self" or professionally diagnosed keep it QUIET. They don't want people to find out. Other than people in places like this. Anything that tends to exclude them, is not in the best interests of a forum with the stated intent THIS forum has. To be a support.

As this is a site for those with Asperger's,
logic tells me that most people who become
members would have it.I'm only self-diagnosed myself,but that was a conclusion I came to after a lengthy and detailed study into AS and various possible alternatives. When I first stumbled upon AS I felt I instinctively recognised the list of symptoms and I've no reason to doubt that most other members will have had the same feeling of revelation.
In some circumstances the person themself may be in just as good a position to judge
whether they have certain conditions.I
have Synesthesia as well and in fact that's
something which is impossible for anyone
but myself to diagnose !

I went and got diagnosed, now once a month I go to see a person about learning skills and learning how to cope with the stress that comes with being exposed to other people (I can walk into my family's living room with the whole four members of my family there and my stress levels will rise for no apparent reason). It's getting to the stage where I'm melting down at work and we're actually looking for a change in careers for me to get me out of the warehouse I work in. I'm thinking something along the lines of a mechanic or something like that, because my family knows that limiting my social interaction is unfortunately going to help my general health and wellbeing.

I think I'm an aspie. I have three main interests-WWE, Football and Writing. That's all I do. Go to Brisbane Lions matches, watch wrestling, and write stories. And play with my boyfriend (who I guess is almost an aspie who's learned to cope very well).

Mw99 You say people with Aspergers lack empathy. Where does it say that? I can only find the opposite. For example this link:

http://www.scn.org/autistics/empathy.html

It's apparent you are demonstrating a lack empathy in this discussion.

I have AS, and some empathy.

The Dx topic

I remember reading in Holocaust history that certain nazis felt they had the right to decide who was or who was not Jewish, notwithstanding the hated Nuremberg Laws.

I fear Mr. Mw99 has become of a certain political persuasion.

I don't have a problem with NT's XP's, or even Vistas coming in here. The more, the merrier. Maybe they'll be a little more sympathetic or understanding. Who knows? who does it hurt?

As for empathy, the missus says I don't have any whatsoever, but she has enough for both of us. Considering she's had some training on social work (but not a degree), she's convinced I am. And as every husband knows, the missus is never wrong...

I am one of those who was diagnosed with "Autism/Childhood Schizophrenia" back in the early 60s as a very small child by my parent's pediatrician. This was long before Dr. Phil was even a psychologist

Asperger's Syndrome was not officially put in the diagnostic manual until the early 1990s. If I was that same small child now, I would have been diagnosed with Asperger's Syndrome.

Aspies can indeed have "empathy" but they may not know how to correctly display it via proper social interaction.

Self-awareness being inconsistent with Asperger's Syndrome? Not from my experience. I was certainly very aware that my social interactions did not fit the norm compared to my peers who were NT.

I think that can be true when we are young, but with time and feedback from people around us and getting into trouble for doing or saying things that others dislike or say are inappropriate, then we do eventually start to gain an awareness even if we don't understand exactly what it was we did wrong, we do see that some actions get adverse reactions. We piece things together intellectually rather than have a natural understanding.