Do I really have AS?

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You knwo, it almost seems that I don't have AS sometimes. I can talk to people, I can do most everything well socially... I'm just sorta, well, I don't have much of a social need. I don't get sensory overloads at all, and... Well it seems I don't exhibit lots of symptoms. I do have strong intrests (politics especially), but it seems that if I have anything, it's very mild.

Well, I see by your profile that you are clinically diagnosed. Have you considered a second opinion?

Well...

ALL AS people can talk to people! It is a REQUIREMENT!
As for Socially, some stuff CAN be learned, or forced.
Not having a need is almost a sideffect of how all the symptoms work together.
You don't have ANY sensory overloads? I think that is like the secondary symptom.
Were you hyperlexic before 3?
As for the strong interest in politics, how much do you work with it, etc???

Steve

BTW I don't think it sounds like you have it. You almost sound like you are just really into politics, and don't feel a need for social interaction.

Nothing's ever been forced on me besides when I was an infant XD

No sensory overloads whatsoever.

I was hyperlexic before 3. MY mom used to embarras me (jokingly) about how I'd look at telephone poles and say, "T!" (they're lowercase "T" shaped around here) at age 2.

About politics, I like to debate with people, I got both of my parents to vote for the first time in their whole lives, and I've formulated two basic philosophies explaining my political ideology and I'm not an adult yet.

As for social skills, thats self taught. I know when a person is embarrased, sad, happy, elated etc., but not the finer points.

Catalyst, I'll consider that.

My apologies. It looks like you probably are AS. The sensory stuff just stood out to ME, because I was like *******WOW*******! That's ME! To see all the other unusual stuff included just added fuel to the fire. As for the hyperlexic stuff, your explanation sounds unusual only in that it seems that that is a complex statement for the average 2 year old. The words are still not too unusual. I don't know how many 2 year olds know the word lowercase though. I guess I can give you that one.

As for political views, I don't know how old you are and everything. Frankly, I NEVER cared about politics until I heard what carter did to "try to save the hostages". I told everyone to vote for Reagan, because Carter made the US look like idiots, and the Middle east would be even MORE prone to commit guerilla warfare. If he had attacked iran THEN, they probably wouldn't have the bomb now, etc... PLUS, the US would have showed the rumors to be TRUE! As Toby keith says in "courtesy of the red white and blue".... "This big dog will bite when you rattle his cage". WOW, I wish I could have found a bond to mirror that prediction. I would be FILTHY RICH! Some whites listened, and blacks talked about how reagan supposedly hated blacks, etc... They said he would bring back the draft and start wars! Some even made it sound like he would bring back slavery! I guess we're lucky enough people didn't vote for carter.

BTW regarding the forcing... There is only ONE person that could do that! ****YOU****! I meant that YOU could force yourself into social situations. That's what I did. I probably appear more normal because of all that, but it was really just a waste of time. I can do some small talk, etc... but I feel almost like one of those butchered birds that sends out/or recieves the wrong message. I always thought I was shy, but I later came to reallize that "socially I'm an idiot". Don't get me wrong. I am courteous, kind, well mannered. I could, and HAVE, fit into a leave it to beaver type neighborhood. Well, I guess I don't have to explain anything, most here probably know what I am talking about. As for the small talk. It is expected. I hate it when people go on and on.

Steve

Last edited by SteveK on 02 Dec 2006, 1:20 am, edited 3 times in total.

any 2 year old would notice the "t" shape of the telephone poles.

My age is prescisely... well here, I'll PM you.

Thanks for the help, seriously.

And Willow, I'm no expert in that field of science really... my mom also said I was reading at that age, but yeah.

Hey Pyth yeah that's pretty much been my dilemma for some time, ever since I was dx'ed in fact.
Like you I think if I do have it, it's probably very mild.

(sorry to hijack this thread, wondering what do people think)

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I interact well with people, depending on the vibes going back and forth-- sometimes you just can't seem to get a good conversation started with some people, it's awkward. So I guess I am very socially inept in some situations, and very sociable in others. I do generally have a need for social interaction, but at the same time I'm not a people person, meaning I don't like meeting new people, but I am generally friendly and love (and constantly seek) the company of friends I already have and bond well with, and place high importance on relationships.
I usually have poor eye contact across all social situations though.
I don't think I have any sensory sensitivities/overloads, I've never been sure if I've ever experienced anything like the scenarios I've heard described on so many AS forums.
I used to be terrified of poppers, christmas cracker things and balloons-- all loud sounds, but I've grown out of that now. the "sensory sensitivities" I had as a child seem to be shared by many NT children who then grow out of anyway, as I did.
The only possible 'sensitivity' I have may be in part due to sheer vanity-- I am very fussy about my haircut, which hasn't changed at all in 12 years, and if it's cut in a way that feels wrong and looks wrong I go completely ballistic and can't concentrate and everything feels completely off until it grows back to normal. I suspect anyone who's had a bad hair day would feel the same way though.
I have "adult" handwriting; I can write (mechanically) fast and effectively even though i'm a leftie.
I grip the pen the typical right handed NT way.
I have many almost random but very,very deep set interests to the point of obsession, but judging from the number of teenage girls churning out scores of Harry Potter fanfiction, who doesn't?
Admittedly I worry about certain things that just keep popping into my head in an almost OCD like fashion, but I guess I'm just a worrier.
I was a content baby and did not have any particularly worrying developmental delays when young.
My reading started off a bit slowly but then I learnt how to silent/speed read literally overnight-- I remember it was a huge jump from trying to figure out what that word was to just silently reading whole pages, and by the time I entered my first yr of primary school I was a proficient reader.
I am a huge pacer, you might catch me on any given day circling aimlessly around and around and around a shopping centre/block etc. I was once told by someone that I looked "autistic" when I do that.
I am not good at multi tasking by any stretch of the imagination.
I have no learning disabilities whatsoever that I can tell. I used to switch numbers and things around when I read, but I really don't think I have dyslexia. I'm a pretty good speller and don't have to rely on spellcheck.

I think you do have AS!

my sister reconizes the entire alphabet(capital and lowercase)and points things out that look like letters all the time. she's two. i am told my mother did this as well, a few weeks b4 two.they were both interested in it and were tought their abc's(i tought my sister). i dont know about my sister, but my mother who started letter spotting b4 two is as NT as it gets.