Does it seem like I have aspergers?

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I have never been diagnosed and don't plan to consult a doctor because Id on;t want it on my medical record and it to affect my future(I'm joining the military and they see medical records). A little about me: I function fine, I get average grades in school because I was too lazy to try harder though on IQ or aptitude test I typically score above average in the 90 percentile. I can make friends; I just can't keep them. I'll talk to them in school and I'll hang out with them a couple times but then I just stop hanging out with them and don't talk to them after that and the thing is that I really don't care about making friends. I can look at people in the eye when I have to though I prefer not doing so. I can work in groups fine when forced, I have no difficulty solving everyday problems, I can make small talk when I have to though only if it is initiated by someone else, I can tell the difference in a person's emotions and I don't have difficulty finding a hidden meaning in their words. However, I wouldn't mind sitting in a corner for hours, just letting my mind wonder, I prefer doing things including projects, works and hobbies by myself. I get really nervous when I have to make actual conversation with stranger and things like interviews for job are super difficult for me not because of eye contact but because I get nervous and my voice gets high pitched and breaks(I'm a girl) and I probably give the dumbest answer to questions out of nervousness. When I do work in a room with other people I have a hard time caring to keep up a conversation and the only reason it bugs me is because I'm afraid they'll think I'm weird. I get called ditzy a lot because if I don't think about it then the simpliest things could be forgotten by me.

My personal opinion, only judging by your message (and this is by no means a diagnosis! its just my personal opinion): No, or at least I don't see autistic traits from your description. I think you are an introvert, and maybe have a certain degree of social anxiety. Feel free to join the discussions here and share your experiences tho.

And welcome to WrongPlanet!

here's a brief test based on the criteria docs use. decide for yourself. wander right on over.

www.iautistic.com/test_AS.php

I used the University of Cambridge Autism Research Centre autism-screening tests. I suggest starting with the Autism Spectrum Quotient (AQ) (Adult) test. and move on to the Empathy Quotient for Adults test (EQ-60), the Friendship and Relationship Quotient test (FQ) and the Systemizing Quotient (SQ) (Adult) test. To score your tests, find the "key" for each test after you have completed the test. They are free of charge and are among the best adult AS tests available. Descriptive research papers are available for each test if you are interested.

Hello and welcome to Wrong Planet SammaBear!

I really can't tell you if you have Aspergers or not. But please, don't feel shy, explore the site and ask questions. We are all here to help each other out. I agree with the others that exploring online tests and reading more and more about Aspergers and autism could help you find out for yourself if you have Aspergers.

I can't say for sure, but your description doesn't seem to necessarily describe a full blown case of Aspergers in my personal opinion. It sounds like you might be an introvert and from what you described it also sounds to me like you might have some socially anxiety and both of these can exist with Aspergers or on their own. Although there are people who have Aspergers who have high IQ's, there are many who do not. Although being smart is often thought of as a part of Aspergers, intelligence is not actually a true characteristic of it. One thing that necessary for a diagnosis of Aspergers is that the symptoms must cause problems in day to day functioning, so that is another thing you might want to consider thinking about in your search. But this is really not to say that you don't have Aspergers. This is just my personal thoughts based solely on the description you gave, and it is almost impossible for me to say anything for sure as I don't actually know you in person.

Again, welcome to the forum!

The fact that you "function fine" means that, by definition, you cannot have Asperger's. A mental health diagnosis is only given if the symptoms a person experiences impact him in a way that make functioning without support in everyday life difficult. The DSM 5 uses three levels by which to classify autism, with three being the most severe and one being the least. The specifying notes next to the numbers denote how much support a person needs from "Requiring very substantial support" (level 3) to simply "Requiring support" (level 1). If you have a diagnosis of Asperger's, no matter how mild, it means that at least in some areas, there are ways in which you are not functioning normally, and in which you require support.

That said, you're most welcome here. It is possible to have "sub-clinical AS symptoms" meaning that you have some symptoms, but not enough or at a level of severity that would require a diagnosis. If that is the case, you may find some of the threads around here useful to you.