Spectrum

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You can look at Aspergers and Autism as a linear spectrum, with people at the far left end having autistic personality traits but nothing warranting a formal diagnosis - a lot of us have parents that seem to be this way. However, from what I can tell, diagnosis seems to be a result of one of two things. The first is that the difficulties brought on by AS trigger emotional or mental problems that interfere with normal functioning, and either the person themself or someone they know looks into possible mental conditions which eventually leads to an AS diagnosis. This implies that they are either mentally unstable, or can't keep up with their work, school, or whatever obligations at the chargrin of everyone around them. The other scenario is that the person lives what seems to be an outwardly normal life but inside always feels at odds with everything and eventually looks into the disorder themselves, probably at a later stage in life than the first scenario.

I felt the more time I spent reading about Asperger's and Autism, the more of it I sometimes saw in my friends and family, and I have tried to be conservative in making that connection. At this point I'm pretty confident that certain specific people that I know have "autistic personality traits," maybe even enough to get them a diagnosis. Some of their symptoms seems even worse that mine, but I've always had the tendency to breakdown, which I inherited from my mother who doesn't have any AS symptoms. My father doesn't have nervous breakdowns but seems to have all of the social calling cards.

Maybe what nets a person a diagnosis is actually the AS aggravating other problems that were already there - such as bipolar disorder, depression, and generalized anxiety. People who don't suffer from the latter and are not particularly self aware could very well go their entire lives without knowing that there was much that was "different" about them. But people with relatively mild AS symptoms who are prone to mental problems already would be diagnosed earlier, in school. To me, this would explain a lot about a lot; it explains the correlation between bipolar and AS especially.

Very astute observations you have!

To add to what you've already said, I am not entirely convinced of the usefulness of DSM-IV terms like "nervous breakdown" or the various disorders. The definitions and criteria of so-called abnormal psychological phenomena are always changing, as is our modest and limited understanding of the human brain. Most people can be pushed into a state very much like a nervous breakdown, anxiety attack, or manic/depressive episode when subjected to sleep deprivation or other stressors which upset the balance of neurotransmitters. I am very concerned about the modern (especially American) trend to pathologize everything that is out of step with whatever pop culture deems "normal".

I think you're really onto something, about what lies behind the relatively high comorbidity of AS/ASD and other psychological conditions. I would tentatively posit that it is the other way around though: that the thinking patterns inherent to AS leave one vulnerable to chemical imbalances. It is often overlooked in the medical community's rush to medicate everybody, that our thoughts have great sway on the chemical state of our brains, not just vice versa. At any rate, I dearly hope we can find a way to help children with AS to gain the tools they might need to fend off future bouts of depression or other challenges.

I don't buy the linear spectrum. There are too many variables. Who's to say they are fixed relative to each other? Doesn't really explain me. You could probably describe it on a spider diagram or a volumetric spectrum, but that would be a simplification too.

I've have definitely had psychotically problems as a result of being AS in this world. Though knowledge is a good weapon.