New here- question about Asperger's

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Hi.
First off, thanks for anybody that is willing to help here.

I'm sure I'm not the first one to ask this question, but I'm trying to understand if I have Aspergers or not (I'm a male in mid30s). I have scored high on all tests I've taken and my brain certainly feels wired in the way those with Asperger's describe. But I don't feel I have the sensory issues that I've read are linked with Asperger's. Loud noises don't seem to bother me more than other people. I don't have any extraordinary sense of smell or anything. I'm not "clumsy". I don't tend to notice small details like a new hairstyle, but I think that's because I just don't give much attention to sensory I consider irrelevant.

On the surface I seem to be functioning. I've held a steady job as a teacher for many years where I need to interact with many people. But while people don't seem to dislike me, I've had little fortune with friendships. I've had several long term relationships (I've been with my current partner 9 years, but I wonder if Aspergers might be stopping me from leaving what's not a great relationship).

Based on your experiences, are those sensory issues a defining component of Aspergers, or do some people that have Asperger's not have those issues?

Sensory issues are not one of the official diagnostic criteria but are anecdotally common. They are also suspected by some researchers and first-hard experiencers of being a driving factor in most aspects of the syndrome except the special interests.

You could be diagnosed as ASD without sensory issues but may be experiencing something different from what most people on the spectrum describe.

They're an official diagnostic criteria in the DSM-5 which has taken over in the US, but not a required one.

You don't need sensory issues to get diagnosed. A large majority of us have them, but its not a required trait.

Yes, sensory issues are *very* common among people with Asperger's, but not necessary.
You don't have to have the whole set of traits. Maybe you have some, but not others. Autism is a spectrum, after all.

As for me, sounds and smells didn't really bother me when I was a child, but as I got older, my sensory issues really worsened.

Maybe Broad Autism Phenotype (people with significant autistic traits), I would start with that instead of going directly to ASD, since you don't have sensory issues and you said you don't notice details that you consider irrelevant (that's classic neurotypical perceptual filtering).

I also seem to be functioning on the surface (it is definitely only on the surface!), but I have been diagnosed and identify with Asperger's. I'm a female in my mid-30's, and I've been a teacher for 10 years, and with my husband for 14. Teaching is easy for me because it's a performance. I'm not shy; I'm just not social. So when I'm teaching, I'm not having a personal interaction with people--I'm acting. I can also act on a personal level so people think I'm (somewhat) normal, but it's much harder because they're interested in me...well, personally! I find the personal me much more difficult to fake than the work me, which is why I have no friends except for my husband (and even he gets annoyed with me...)

That being said, I do have several sensory issues, I am clumsy, and I pay attention to small details (irrelevant or not...in fact, that's one of my issues: I notice irrelevant details and it drives my husband mad!)

I have never met another person on the spectrum in real life; you forum folks are my only experience! I do plan to meet up with a local Aspie group as soon as they plan a meeting that my schedule actually allows... In other words, I don't know how common it is for Aspies not to have those issues! I can only go by the DSM and my own life. But since you suspect Asperger's, why not see a psychiatrist and find out?

I appreciate all of the replies thus far. From what I gather, it seems possible that I have Asperger's, but the lack of sensory issues makes it very much less likely. That's not really what I wanted to hear...in fact it is a bit depressing in that it would be nice to have found a home...if that makes sense.

Gretchyn, thanks for sharing your experiences. I too feel very comfortable within the classroom. I teach at the youngest level, and that means there are a lot of routines. I also seem to be able to relate better with younger children than adults...I wonder if you/others have that experience? My problems are dealing with colleagues (being a male already puts me in an isolated spot), and dealing with parents. Acting has gotten me through... so far.

I work with teenagers and adults. I much prefer working with teenagers...my goofiness ends up being, well, cool...which is certainly a nice change. With the adults, I can't do as many creative activities (they don't seem to enjoy them as much), and they're much more serious. The acting for them is not nearly as fun. However, I do follow routines with both the teens and adults. The teens need it as much as I (and younger children) do, and the adults just have to deal with it. I teach all high school subjects, by the way (English, algebra/geometry, health, parenting, U.S. and world history, psychology, chemistry, physics, biology, government....yes, seriously. ) It is credit recovery for high school students who have failed their classes, and also high school credits for adults who are getting their diplomas.

I also have a hard time getting along with my colleagues. I think they think I'm immature (which I suppose I understand because of my interests and the fact that I jump around and squeal when I'm happy, etc....I'm sort of...energetic...at least at work!) I also often rock the boat because they all stick to inefficient practices. I come along and change it all (partially because my way is better, and partially because I like doing things my way! ), and they resent it. I am also blunt and not afraid to speak my mind...which has gotten me into trouble. Since I get along much better with males than females (of ANY age!), I actually do relate to your feeling of being the anomaly in terms of gender. I too am rejected by most females, and feel awkward around them...

On the sensory issues, the DSM 5 says it can be either '"hyper or hypo-reactivity to sensory input". Full quote below. I am actually hyposensitive on many of the issues they list, not hyper. With the few people on the spectrum I know, hyper seems more common, but I don't know a lot of people so it may not mean much.

My father has many autistic traits, but he doesn't have sensory hypersensitivity and his hearing seems to be hyposensitive, as in me and my mother consider him to have really bad hearing and he is quite tone deaf, but it could be that his hearing is normal, but me and my mother have hypersensitive hearing, so compared to us, his hearing seems abnormally hyposensitive, and my mother is NT, but has sensory issues too.

Overstimulation of the senses isn't necessarily a defining trait in AS, though it is very common. I myself, have issues with light and sound, but not touch or smell. In fact I can't really smell anything usually. AS is determined moreso by how someone is able to interact on a social level, especially with social cues.