I'm going to ask for help

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I have suspected Asperger's now for about 5 years, I feel my difficulties communication are limiting my quality of life. , I am going to ask for help this week from my Dr and anxious about the appointment.

This is because if I ever tell anyone about my social issues they always have a theory always one I disagree with.

You are shy / have low self esteam / have social anxiety disorder (SAD)
You just had a Traumatic childhood / its only child syndrome

I don't know what the Dr will be like as I have never met her before, I am trying to anticipate all the ways she will tell me I am wrong to think this. The uncertainty is whizzing in my head and i cant sleep at night especially as there are a few sweeping statements online that suggest I don't have AS and do have SAD.

From websites explaining differences between children with AS and SAD - An AS child will have no friends and not be bothered by this

If you put me in a room with a big pile of Lego at one side and 10 kids at the other even thought I used to be upset by not fitting in with peers I would only be interested in the Lego.

The reason I don't think I have SAD is I don't fear social situations but I feel anxious about them as I fear the uncertainty and unpredictability and where that will lead and what will be expected of me afterwards and will that spark a meltdown.

People with AS struggle to understand jokes, sarcasm or use metaphores

I always get the joke but I often forget I am supposed to laugh, I explain simple concepts the only way I know how - using complex and irrelevant metaphors and I always detect sarcasm.

People with AS do not understand facial gestures and body language

I think I do but It will be unlikely I am looking at people when talking to them anyway and what I do notice is sometimes during the conversation or after I have analysed it afterwards.

People with AS bore people with their obsessions

My obsessions are innocent and moral but they are private to me and I go to extreme lengths to hide them from people.

If I genuinely don't have AS then fine but I don't want to be casually dismissed for bringing it up.

thanks for reading

Find a good doctor that specializes in diagnosing AS in adults and let them be the expert. If they blow you off before even considering AS, then find another doctor. That is what I plan on doing in 7 years from now when I separate from the military.

All of the things you mentioned are stereotypes of people with AS that aren't necessarily going to apply to everyone who has it. You'd probably get a more accurate picture if you just refer to the DSM criteria. If you meet those, you probably have it. For instance, I care about not having friends, and many of us are lonely...you just have to read these boards to get confirmation of that. Also, many of us learn not to monologue about our special interests as we grow into adulthood, so that's more of a symptom of children with AS.