Do I have AS?

Post Reply New Topic

Do I have AS? Just recently came across it on wiki and was so damn relieved, like after all these years all the pieces of the puzzle fit.
I am undiagnosed but I fit pretty much every single symptom on the wiki page....

The hardest part about having AS I can describe is often when i try to explain something or randomly blurt out stuff, I mean something COMPLETELY different and it makes people perceive me the wrong way. But I feel it's too weird or too hard to even try to correct what I say so I end up doing nothing most of the time. I am pretty much unable to have any relationships at all, it makes it extremely hard.

Some weird things I have that aren't personality related are I am fascinated by puzzles and textures.. i like usually pointy objects.. i just rub them around on my fingers because I like the feeling.. is this common with AS?

Please help

No one here can tell you if you have AS based on the information you provided. In fact, no one can tell you if you provided more info than that. The only way to tell for sure is to get evaluated. I say this because I know someone who was also so relieved to have found AS and to find out what was different about him his whole life. He was CERTAIN of it. He went to get an evaluation, the psych told he him actually didn't have it and gave him another label. After some reflection and research he found that that label actually did fit him, not AS. A psych is good at identifying not only the traits you have but WHY you have those traits. Some traits might seem AS in nature, but the reasons behind them are not caused by an ASD.

thanks for the reply. I probably wont be able to get diagnosed any time soon, and this will probably haunt me oh well. I guess im still relieved because my whole life i thought something was horribly wrong with me, and I would go about trying to correct it (and failing) probably making it even worst.

I fit EVERY single symptom pretty much, not just some. It doesn't really matter what I have in the end I guess, the important thing is I know im not alone.

and yes i didnt not provide more information because I know that no one can tell me. I just wanted to ask about my fascination with puzzles and textures is common with AS because those symptoms are undeniable, they are just so out there.

If I am playing a game or something I cannot be disturbed, and this is kinda creepy but i just constantly roll stuff around to feel it in my hand... Like after i cut my nails or something ill roll my nails around in my hand before discarding them... This is why i asked, yes im weird

Yes, but I think it's also perfectly possible to diagnose one's self. I was diagnosed as a child and never paid any mind to it, nor did my parents, but when I developed social skills (the Aspie way, I just did it very well) I decided I didn't have it.

I only decided to research it a couple of days ago and found that it impacts nearly every aspect of my life.

thelostshaman, I'd spend a few hours looking around this message board. I think the most reliable indicators are the severe social inhibitions. I've become pretty good socially, but only because I became obsessed with it.

To me it sounds like you have it.

Do you do "stimming"? (Google it)
Do you hate being touched (except perhaps sexually)?
Do you constantly daydream?
Do you lack the ability to feel empathy?

yes i definitely stim all the time. I daydream all the time, this use to be really hard in school, i was never interested at all in HS and could never do it. Although as ive grown up and am in college and doing very well. Hmm i definitely have trouble understanding how some people feel but i am not insensitive to them if I have time to wrap my head around it, like sometimes i might say something insensitive as one of my first thoughts. I would definitely say that I am not a robot. and I dont like being touched by random people but I do enjoy interaction (touching) with others (like hugs or arms over the shoulders), so no I am not opposed to touching unless some random guy that I dont know just walks up and touches me. I am fine with the people I know.

A lot of people who self-diagnose are correct (I was), and a lot of people aren't (such as the person I know who was CERTAIN he had it--he also displayed many of the symptoms including stimming, but he clearly admits now that he knows he does not have it. He still has the similar symptoms though).

And FYI, stimming and daydreaming are both present under other diagnoses such as ADHD. People often don't understand the differences between the reasons behind the forms found in both AS and ADHD though, so they misdiagnose themselves. This happens quite frequently.

Hi, I just wanted to reply because I too am wondering if there is a possibility that I may be on the Spectrum but I am unsure and am searching for information that may either confirm the possibility or rule it out. I am presently diagnosed with Social Anxiety, Agoraphobia and Depression and have a past diagnosis of OCD. However, even with things like medication and therapy my problems continue and I want to be sure they have my diagnosis correct.

I noticed mention of ADHD. I do not know much about this condition (although I just googled it briefly) but find myself curious as to its connection with daydreaming. I have always been prone to daydreaming and whilst some of the symptoms of ADHD could possibly fit at certain times of my life (for example when I am feeling depressed I can have trouble concentrating on things) others do not such as I don't consider myself to be particularly hyperactive and can sit for many hours at a time painstakingly working with the fine detail of my arts and crafts which is my present obsession. In the past I could spend 14 hours a day just doing a jigsaw puzzle when those were my obsession.

What I wanted to ask (if it is ok with the OP) is if its possible to have ADHD if you are able to sit for long periods with intense focus on detailed tasks. Also is that possible with ASDs?

To the op, I hope you manage to find the answer to your questions.

That is something found in ASDs, and yes, it is also found in ADHD, though most people don't realize it. Check out the following link......

http://www.additudemag.com/adhd/article/612.html

Hey bumble, I think I've already found the answer. ADHD is one of the first things I considered when I was younger, when it doesn't add up it doesn't add up. I don't really understand how people can misdiagnose themselves, ADHD is a completely different world than AS and ASD.

As it has been said earlier, the best indicator is the social aspect of it. Social anxiety hmm i dont really know how to even understand that, but I feel like in me it's much more than that. Much more than anxiety, i mean it just feels like you're from another planet heh. I come from a big family where we have big dinners with friends and family pretty much every week. But instead of hanging around and talking I usually just hide in my room alone and am fully aware that it's weird. It is just extremely difficult to put yourself out there, and when you do, you weird people out with awkward conversation and all that jazz that comes with it .

Hopefully I can move on in the certain future, It just makes so much sense to me now... I am so elated heh. I hope you find the answers to your questions too and yes it's fine with me.

I wish jazz came with awkward conversation

That's how it felt to me, too. Like "This describes my EXACT personality; I know people with BPD and ADHD and they aren't exactly like me."

thelostshaman, regardless of how my posts may sound, I hope it doesn't seem like I am saying you DON'T have AS. I just can't say that you DO either. Also the person I know who did not have AS even though he was SURE he did was diagnosed with severe ADHD. They are two different worlds, but not two "totally different worlds". AS and ADHD have many similar symptoms, but different reasons behind those symptoms. Some people can easily distinguish between these differences. Others cannot, like the guy I know. Now that he has got the label and done the research, he can see it, but before then, he did not. My counsellor saw me for a year and was treating me as a person with social anxiety. Her treatment did not work because my anxiety stems from Aspergers (rather than some AS-like traits stemming from anxiety in some people). It is very complex, and while a lot of people who do self-diagnose are correct, a lot are incorrect as well. I wish you the best of luck on finding your place in the world. I remained self-diagnosed for YEARS (although I also remained fairly quiet about it in my real life), but I guess I truly didn't feel at peace with it until it was official because there was always some lingering doubt in the back of my mind that "what if I'm wrong....then what?" Such a complex thing can be recognized in one's self but cannot be diagnosed with all certainty in a person until other things have been definitely ruled out. Because we are not all educated in psychology, we might not know all of the possibilities of things to be ruled out. That is all I am saying. Whether or not you have truly have it, you still have other like-minded people here that you can relate to, and that is always a good thing!

Lily, no hard feelings at all, I actually understood what you were trying to say and took no offense to it. You were only trying to help, and I was just explaining that I know that there is no way I have ADHD, it could be something else I don't know but it is definitely not ADHD.

The funny thing is even when I was young I always told my brother (the only person im close to) is that "i feel like I am not from this planet" haha and it turns out like this

I spent so many years questioning myself and just being depressed, not knowing lead me to destructive behaviors heh, right now I feel like im the most fortunate person in the world, and I'm glad you guys were here today ^_^

I cant stress enough that I dont care what I have, I am not alone! I'll just assume it's AS for now since it makes complete sense, it literally explains EVERYTHING, any questions I might have had about myself, and I have VERY weird traits that I wont delve into here because they are embarassing

Thank you.

Glad you have found something that fits. I am still looking as I want to be sure before making a decision and I am a very pedantic person lol. Annoyingly so to people at times, especially when I ask them the same question multiple times when they have already given me an answer lol.

ADHD has some symptoms that could fit, but does not feel like a right fit. ASD has some symptoms that fit and feels like a fit...but it feeling like a fit is not enough evidence for me lol. Social anxiety has some symptoms that fit but in some ways does not feel like it fits. Yes I can become nervous around people due to a history of bullying and being rejected and ostracised by my peers. However it is not about feeling embarrassed as such lol. I am incredibly hard to embarrass as I fail to understand why I should feel mortified just because I walked into a lamp-post in front of a bus queue full of people and heard laughter. To be honest it's really rather funny and I have always been a clumsy individual anyway so I am used to it lol. If there is a lamp-post to barge into, I will barge into it. If there is a something to trip over I will trip over it. If there is something to knock over, I will knock it over and so on lol.

Agoraphobia fits as I have problems being in crowds. I can walk up and down a country walkway without any problem as long as it is not crowded or it's not a bright sunny day as I am light sensitive. I cannot however manage the city centre due to the excess of noise and hustle and bustle. The only way I can manage that is to wear an mp3 player to block out the noise (music does not bother me as long as its not high pitched opera lol) but then I still have to cope with the bustling and people walking at me in all directions...which overloads my brain long before I've gotten around to thinking about anything else...like errr actually talking to people lol.

OCD used to fit when I had a patch when I was experiencing unwanted intrusive obsessional thoughts and rituals such as flicking light switches, repeatedly touching things, repeating actions, counting along with having good and bad numbers, a need to have everything symmetrical etc (it is like your brain is stuck in a groove and won't move on!). These days I have taken those down to a minimum and the routines I have left are left there because they do not, in and of themselves, cause me any distress...only trying to change them will upset me (ie such as always having the same flavour of ice-cream on a Saturday when I watch my weekly saturday night movie. I will however burst into tears if I am unable to get the flavour and brand I always have as it throws my whole day out and feels all wrong because it interferes with my need for a sense of sameness).

I am also considering that I could possibly have a personality disorder due to my disinterest in certain aspects of socialising etc. Firstly I seem to struggle with the level of social interaction most friendships require of me. I become exhausted very quickly in social situations. Also, I want friendships but do now know how to make friends or maintain those friendships if people befriend me. I cannot take the initiative in social situations when it comes to forming relationships and friendships as I have no damned idea how to do it. I have been trying to work this out for years...I have googled but it just says start talking to people and invite them out for coffee. Ok well I have enough trouble replying to emails on line at times as it takes me forever to workout:

1 If the person sending the email wants a reply. It sounds stupid but how do I know they were not just making a comment in passing and are not expecting a reply unless they ask a direct question?

2 If I do decide to reply I need to figure out the right reply. Ie would a long verbose detailed reply be appropriate or are they just looking for a short reply based on social pleasantries such as a Thank you or a You are Welcome????

3 Are they making a comment and just wish to state their opinion on something or are they trying to befriend me?

4 Are they being serious, joking, sarcastic or other?

Anyway I can spend 3 days trying to figure that lot out and yet I am supposed to know within 20 minutes of conversation or so with someone I have just met if they are interested in befriending me? People talk to people as a mere exchange of information all the time and it may not be anything more than that or it could be that they are possibly interested in forming a friendship or some kind of social relationship with you. It's impossible to tell so I assume that I am expected to just chuck the offer of meeting up for coffee in there and hope for the best...

In regards to the ASD though, one thing that makes me doubt it is the fact that I am a very emotional person. I am not good at showing my emotions and I have trouble processing them but I do feel them, and whilst I may come across as aloof and self absorbed to others, I do and can care for people (sometimes they just have to give me a nudge to tell me im being a self absorbed inconsiderate nit who is not paying attention to their feelings or concerns). On many sites it is implied that those with ASD are not emotional though.

Sorry about the length of the post, I was pondering, please feel free to tell me to shut up as I am used to that as well lol.

Heh, dont worry bumble, i hope no one will tell you to shut up here .

As for whats wrong with you, honestly I have no idea, and a person with AS is the last person you want to ask haha ^^.
If something doesn't have that "wow it totally fits" factor to it that is pretty much undeniable, then you should probably consider other options. It sounds like your situation is quite complicated and would probably require an expert to diagnose as you seem to fit a wide array of symptoms.

And as for the AS and emotion, I don't know why anyone would say that people with AS don't feel emotion. I feel very strong emotions I was actually on the brink of tears just a little awhile ago. Maybe I don't have it?

edit: Well I did some googling, and people with AS and ASD DO feel emotions, they just lack an understanding of it in other people under social conditions. But they do feel compassion and emotions. I can say this is 100% correct.