asperger's and schizotypal PD

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I've been diagnosed with asperger's syndrome, but I'm not really sure I have it. I am really intelligent and awkward, can't make eye contact, etc., but I'm not sure if I have many other symptoms. Sometimes I wonder if I just manipulated my health care providers into giving me this diagnosis because I wanted to feel special. I think I also fit the diagnostic criteria for schizotypal personality disorder. I am very eccentric, and I have an absurd sense of humor. Is this common for aspies?

As you might guess, one of my problems is that I know too much about psychology for my own good. I think I have everything I read about! I've also previously been diagnosed with both ADHD and OCD. This is one of the reasons I thought I had AS, because it can often masquerade as those disorders.

i was diagnosed with a schizoid personality disorder as a primary secondary dx. if i didn't have As im almost certian it would be my primary diagnosis.

I honestly think they are the same thing - just a matter of which symptoms you present first - I am diagnosed with AS because I presented my social and perceptual symptoms first - if I had presented my more bizarre symptoms (having conversations in my head with various parts of myself, having a nice elaborate fantasy world, etc . . .) - I would be schizotypal . . .

Well, what would be your motives for "masquerading?" It's not like you will gain love and sympathy from the world at large for having AS... quite the opposite in fact.

i think the doctor told me the reason he diagnosed me with schiziod personality disorder is because he said that i day dream too much and fantasize (sometimes during the day) looking out into space? about made up things. wich is true. i daydream alot, but it isn't intrusive. if it presents itself to me (in my mind) i'll usually do it.

Uh oh... That's schizotypal? Because I do that too. Oh well.

Lol, I was thinking the same thing. Is it schizotypal to think that people can read your mind or insert thoughts in your mind? I have experienced this, though it has died down since my childhood.

I think most people probably think at least some schizotypal things, it's just they fear for their reputation so they don't say it.

I used to stop my thoughts whenever I got within a 100 foot radio of my school, beacuse I thought they tapped into my brain. Only after a few minutes I forgot and went on thinking.

Oh s**t i hope where not talking about shizophrenia here. because SPD isn't even closely related to schizophrenia.

I'm aware of the difference, although you're right, people tend to associate them because of the "schizo" part.

thanks for knowing the difference you're one of the smart ones. alot of people are affraid of me when they find that out and give me all kinds of s**t like you wouldn't believe because they think im going to go psycho on them or something.

I'm confused now...

Are we talking about Schizoid PD or Schizotypal PD? They're different disorders, and I've seen both mentioned.

I was saying that OCD and ADHD can be misdiagnosed as AS.

I think so, yes. check the 'innapropriate laughter' thread from last year.

Sorry, my fault - I was rushing for work and didn't read the thread properly. I saw Schizotypal and Schizoid PD mentioned but forgot to see the posters

Schizotypal PD has some superficial resemblances to AS. There's social impairment and behaviour that is seen as eccentric by others. The main difference IMO between the two is that Schizotypal PD also features delusions and paranoia, and it's these two factors which causes the social impairment and eccentric behaviour.

I remember reading something a person with Schizotypal PD had written about whether they should take medication. He kept writing about how he believed his psychiatrist was reading everything he wrote and watching everything he was doing, and that the medication was poisoned.

Anyways, some conditions overlap to the extent that it's common for people to get misdiagnosed...it can take a while for people to get the proper diagnosis. This is not related to AS, but I've known people who have been completely misdiagnosed. One person was diagnosed borderline PD, but was actually bipolar II, while another person was diagnosed schizophrenic but was actually borderline PD.