Could I be autistic without being diagnosed?

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I've been reading up on autism, and it seems that a lot of the characteristics attributed to autism are traits that I possess and/or grew up with. I have an autistic friend and we get along really well. Is there a way to find out if I'm autistic, even just in a minor way?

Well, that's the thing, this isn't just recent. I've always felt something "wrong" with me. I didn't speak until I was 2, I always had severe social problems. I exhibit many OCD tendencies, including but not limited to: need for repetitive behavior, obsession with symmetry, stuff like that.
I can't make eye contact. I feel extremely uncomfortable when people try to interrupt my daily routine. I also don't have any friends and hardly contact with my own family.
As to the people that say that if I can ask the question then I'm not, that's simply not true. There are many cases where people can lead almost completely normal lives, whilst only exhibiting minor autistic "side-effects."

Need more information buddycakes

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Unapologetically, Norny.
-chronically drunk

Hello, Norny.
What kind of information do you need? I'm more comfortable with people asking questions and I get to reply. People say I keep going on and on about the same thing and I'm trying to avoid that.

Why do you think you have autism specifically, rather than other diagnoses or an unusual strand of normality?

For example:

. 'Severe social problems' can be caused by social anxiety, or differences that stand out or change how one acts, including other disorders, sexuality and life experience. All these can result in having no friends and/or difficulties contacting family

. Many people can't make eye contact, and they don't necessarily have autism

. Many people have OCD tendencies that do not impair their functioning


If you meet the DSM 5 criteria, where the traits listed have been a constant throughout your whole life, that's probably the first step towards suspecting autism specifically.

I was recently linked to an INTJ website via PM by a poster here, and at that website the posters would comment in almost identical fashion to those that come here asking if they're autistic, but not be talking about autism. Perceived characteristics that may resemble autism traits (however strongly) are commonplace.

_________________
Unapologetically, Norny.
-chronically drunk

I'm not sure if I have it or not and I'm indifferent to the idea of having it. I had a friend who had Asperger's syndrome saying I have a lot in common with him so I was curious about the possiblity of having it (because people with similar conditions understand each other)- I have tried this online test and these were the results so far:




Edit: the idea of therapy doesn't sound very appealing to me because I don't like it when someone tries to notice patterns in my behavior or take money just for speaking to me, so I'd rather just type on this site where it's online, anonymous and no one would judge me. you guys are awesome.

I just took the AQ test myself to prove a point. I'm NT (not autistic) and I scored 32. I have anxiety issues, OCD and tics. I am also very obsessive when it comes to my interests.

Tests aren't so great at filtering many traits, problems or disorders from autism, when the person taking them does not know exactly what every specific question is referring to - and when they do it can be dangerous, as they may be biased if they seek to obtain a diagnosis.

I'll ask you a bunch of questions to help you:

. Why do you have severe social problems?
. Why do you think you have your OCD tendencies?
. What repetitive behaviours?
. Interrupt which aspects of your routine?
. Can you elaborate on your language ability prior to and briefly after 2 years old?

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Unapologetically, Norny.
-chronically drunk

It was so much easier back 30-40 years ago to diagnose autism. It was either severe Autistic Disorder or Childhood Disintergrative Disorder. At least 90 percent of the people on WP would not have been diagnosed with autism in 1980.

Now, it's much more complicated. You should seek out a specialist in autism.

The answer is it thought to be a lifelong condition so either you are autistic or you are not.

The big question is are these traits inhibiting your life? . If not you you still welcome here to discuss these isssus we have in commom.

If you are bieng inhibited you need to find out why.

For autism there are two routes one very controversal and one less controversal that may be very hard to be achieved depending on your age (the younger the better) your gender (male easier) and where you live (in or near a big city or universitry is better university as well as certian countries).

Here is a good place to start

Tony Artwood is a renowned expert
http://www.tonyattwood.com.au/index.php ... -aspergers

If these traits are familier his book "The Completed Guide to Aspergers" is recommended

DSM 5 criteria for Autism Spectrum Disorders
http://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/autism/hcp-dsm.html



DSM 5 diagnostic critria OCD
http://www.brainphysics.com/ocddsm.php

Elements of Autism, OCD, do overlap. And you can be diagnosed for both

I think you should get a professional diagnosis.

I'm personally against self-diagnosis, as you may think you have something that you don't have. I should know, as I'm a recovering hypochondriac and used to think I had a magnitude of issues, then I was told it was just all stress related and in my head.