How can I be sure I am an 'aspie'

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I'm a 57 year old woman, who has just recently taken 2 online tests. The Baron-Cohen test gave me a score of 35 and the Aspie test (think that's what you call it?) gave me 112, showing both non and aspie traits. I haven't done anything else 'officially' to confirm diagnosis. It's not going to change my life if I do have a mild form of Aspergers, but at least I would know why I've always felt 'different' in so many ways! I suppose I'm really looking for other people like me to let me know how they feel.

Welkome to WP!

Mick

My experiences cannot be the same as yours, or anyone else's for that matter, but when I first discovered the wealth of information online relating to Aspergers and autism, there was no room for me to wonder. Each bit of information I read yielded a physical response from me
these pages were not describing some condition or disorder, they were describing me to the letter.

The best way for you to know is do research, research, research!

I agree with MisterJ. Between this forum specifically and Tony Attwood's "Complete Guide to Aspergers," there is a treasure of information and experiences to be found that you can compare to your own life. It's an interesting journey from the point where you suspect that you might have Aspergers to the inevitible conclusion that there's no other reasonable explanation. Of course, you may decide that you don't have it as well, but I'm of the belief that for those of us who have reached middle age, there is no better judge than yourself.

Research. Read the discussions on this forum. Search specifically for topics that you think directly relate. Check out books. One book I think might be helpful is Women From Another Planet? which is filled with anecdotes written by autistic women.

You probably can't reach a state of immediate certainty, but over time you can fill in more and more of a bigger picture, and get a sense of where you might fit.

As for being "sure?" I don't know. The idea of being autistic was very slippery to me early on, and now I'd usually say I'm sure but I still have days where I don't really know.

Also, it can be difficult to perceive a lot of impairments. I thought I was mild until people started telling me I didn't sound mild in the least.

I'd agree with Catamount--by middle age you should have more than enough life experience do decide whether you have the same issues as other Aspies--or not.

Testing by professionals makes sense for young children--not only is it much easier to diagnose, but they can receive specialized training that will help them in later life.

But, once you hit adulthood, you reach the age in which psychological disorders like OCD enter the picture--now diagnoses gets much harder.

By middle age, it gets even harder for professionals to diagnose, as we learn adaptations that make Aspergers less of a disability. Some of us even turn Aspergers into an asset--an engineer or scientist with Aspergers may unusually gifted in what he does. A big exception is if you have kids--if they diagnose your kids it becomes much easier to say that you have it as well.

For me, it is pretty obvious, as I can do lots of stuff that only folks on the spectrum can accomplish.

Like everyone already said, research. Extensively. Intensively. Here, there, everywhere.

For starters, see if you identify with the experiences of the people are posting here.

If you read any books by NT clinicians or researchers, no need to believe that they should apply to you. Those books, e.g. Attwood's "Complete Guide", are NT interpretations of the autistic experience instead of the actual autistic experience, so don't take them too seriously.

If you read any books by autistic people, no need to believe that they should apply to you either. Each person is different, and those books are the highly personal experiences of a few autistic people.

The short answer: You can't ever be sure.

100% certainty is an absolute. Absolutes are impossible to achieve.

What makes you "sure", ie: to not have any doubt in your own mind, I can't know, but for me, it would be sheer weight of credible and informed opinion.

You can never be certain, as the diagnostic criteria are subjective.