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Al725
Toucan
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Joined: 13 Sep 2012
Age: 45
Gender: Male
Posts: 271

14 Sep 2012, 3:10 pm

I know that all my life I've had problems socializing with people. As a kid, I was accused of talking to myself because no one would be listening to me. I have tics such as looking up at the lights and twisting my neck. These tics were really pronounced when I was a kid and I got made fun of for it. Later, I was diagnosed with OCD and mild turrets.
But it seemed to be more than that. I was also terrible at sports and couldn't catch a ball. I always had problems with clumsiness doing every day things as well. I would hate serving myself at a buffet for example because I would always spill something on the table. I used to fumble with my wallet and money when buying something.
Besides that, I always had trouble learning things.Whether it was some types of physical skill or a concept on paper,I never got it the first time,and my instructors were always frustrated about having to keep showing me. My first few jobs lasted an average of a month each,because I would mess stuff up and get fired from them.
Since than, I have started taking zoloft and I finally went to college when I was 24. It took me nine years(of on and off attendance) but I finally earned a B.S. in microbiology with a minor in chemistry. I've decided to apply to nursing school next year.
I'm 33 years old now,and I have finally started to feel like I can function some what in the normal world. This seems to come from a combination of the zoloft and my own efforts personally remodel my self.I been accessing all the weaknesses I have, most of which consist of normal tasks that most people take for granted, and improving them by paying attention to details. This has actually made me anal about the way I want things done and in some cases resulted in conflict with those I live with.
But the social problems are still a concern to me. I still have problems looking people in the eyes when talking to them because I'm scared of reading negative facial expressions that will invoke either self doubt or bitter feelings for that person. Because of this,I'm terrified of going to interviews and if I do get the job,dealing with coworkers. If I wasn't already married,I would be even more terrified of women (as I was in the past).Because of this social anxiety,I try to avoid talking to people leading many to think I'm an unfriendly jerk.
After all this, I'm pretty sure I do have the disorder and I can't afford to pay a psychologist to tell me this officially.But I do want to know if any of you that may have been official diagnosed have had the same problems as me.I want to know if there are other people that can understand how I feel because no one else including a few people with M.D.s has been able to. This has caused me to become extremely angry with everyone and I have a lack of empathy for normal people.

P.S., to whoever created the thread about being face blind, I experience that too.If there are a bunch of people in a particular scenario who have the same haircut, I have allot of trouble telling them apart. I also have allot of trouble following movie plots and telling the difference between two similar characters.



Chickems
Yellow-bellied Woodpecker
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Joined: 16 Oct 2011
Age: 33
Gender: Female
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14 Sep 2012, 4:06 pm

It sounds viable that you are but overall you cant know until you get officially diagnosed Im afraid. I too was once in your position, at 16 I first started to suspect that I was an aspie but I was too shy to express this to anyone. It wasnt until I had a bit of a vagabond year when I was 19 and one of the relatives that I was staying with at time noticed I might be because she was a nurse and saw this often. Through them I got a appointment and got diagnosed.

What are the specific things standing in your way money wise, perhaps you have a relative who is willing to pay for you?



cathylynn
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Location: northeast US

14 Sep 2012, 9:23 pm

i've never been officially diagnosed. i don't see what good it would do me as an older adult. my family and i understand the way i am and why. i don't want the folks at work to know.

there is a free test based on the criteria doc's use at www.iautistic.com/test_AS.php

i come out as very likely to be autistic on the above test. some of the other free online tests are much longer, but no more accurate.



StarTrekker
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Joined: 22 Apr 2012
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15 Sep 2012, 1:42 am

Concerning the above self-test, does anyone know exactly what "serious social problems in personal and professional life" is supposed to look like? It's extremely vague and I don't really understand it.


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Bunnynose
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Joined: 17 May 2012
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15 Sep 2012, 3:37 pm

This New York Times article says the "vast majority of Tourette individuals do not have autistic features."

Still check out this Wrong Planet thread, in which another person asked about his Tourette's: Aspergers Mistaken for Tourettes.