I Found My Home Planet!

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I always felt like I was a space alien visiting this planet so it's great to know I'm not alone!

I have a lot to share but I will try not to get carried away like I usually do. I'm 29 years old (male) and only recently while doing research online accidentally stumbled about information about Asperger's Syndrome. To say I was shocked would be an understatement: I literally thought there was no one like me in the world and was speechless for hours! Previously I was thought to have OCD and possibly ADD but now I see it's Aspergers.

I'm not one to go with a self-diagnosis since I know all about confirmation bias so I decided to extensively research Autism and the more I learned the more I felt like I was reading my own autobiography. Aspergers literally describes me perfectly! I have all the symptoms: Higher than normal IQ, Extreme social awkwardness that I'm only now getting over, severely bullied and tormented almost to suicide in Jr. High despite my imposing 6"6' frame, Being called selfish and heartless almost daily even though I had to cry myself to sleep many nights as a kid I was so sensitive to others problems, Obsessive and very unusual interests (like Traffic lights, gas station business hours, etc), Incredibly picky eater that I literally tried to starve myself to (unsuccessfully) correct, Motor difficulties like being a terrible writer, Nearly perfect vision with extreme sensitivity to light and Unmatched long term memory even though I frequently forget things that happened 5 minutes ago. Did I mention I tend to ramble on and am oblivious to social cues?

Any doubts I had were answered when I asked a Counselor I know from work. She told me that she strongly suspected it and didn't say anything because it would be unprofessional. She told me the only reason she would doubt it was because I was so popular and successful at work but she doesn't know I spend over three full years looking for work after university! Turns out I'm probably the last person to figure it out and people have been trying to gently hint at it for years but since I'm so oblivious I didn't even notice. I had another co-worker ask if I have Mild Autism just last week so that pretty much confirmed it.

It's a relief to hear as it explains why my life has been such a monumental struggle and why although I'm well liked I've never had a girlfriend and very few close friends but at least I know I'm not alone in the world. If you were to meet me now you would not suspect Aspergers since I've worked so hard and overcoming and hiding it but looking back it was obvious when I was a child. I look forward to sharing my current thoughts, especially in my adventures of trying to find the right woman.

Hello GiantHockeyFan, a warm, Aspie/Autistic welcome to WrongPlanet!!

Having known about my Autism ever since I was old enough to understand the concept of the disorder, I can't imagine how you feel, having only just discovered it and realized you had it. Have you heard about Temple Grandin, watched "Forrest Gump"? Autism and Asperger's Syndrome are very famous disorders now, but I'm glad that you feel more sure about yourself now having found out about it.

Welcome to WP!

The jury is still out on Forrest Gump, btw. Seems to be a debate about what his condition is. I thought it was Asperger's but I read he was simply just slow. There was some discussion if he was mentally ret*d. I look at Criminal Minds and I swear Dr. Spencer Reid must have Asperger's. He exhibits many of its traits - hypersensitivity to light, talks incessantly about things he knows, hypersensitivity about metal on his skin (he wears his watch on his sweaters), socializes with his co-workers, etc.

Welcome from a fellow newbie.

I was formally diagnosed with AS about a month ago myself but only having stumbled upon the a description of it while researching smell sensitivity. I nearly passed out. I thought for sure I was the only person like me and had resigned myself to accepting that until that very moment. Relief is an understatement!

Thanks for the warm welcome. I think I'm going to enjoy my stay here and it's exactly what I need at this point in my life.

I just finished reading Tony Attwood's excellent book (and how it ended up in my hands was nothing short of incredible: it literally fell into my hands) and as a result ended up reading an article of Dr. Grandin's. I can definitely relate to Autism in general and can appreciate that persons with Autism have some unique gifts that are not appreciated. In my case, it's not like I didn't know something was up it's just that nobody gave me any formal diagnosis. I slowly learned to compensate for my social difficulties but it would have been much easier if I had a clear direction of what my shortcomings were. Makes sense why I slipped through the cracks because in 1993 I stopped going to the Paediatrician and AS wasn't added to the DSM until 1994. Never saw Forrest Gump and cannot relate anyway because I was not "slow" in any way other than being incredibly naive.

It would have definitely helped to know as a teenager I had AS and that the bullying was NOT my fault and I did not deserve it in any way. After being told that 'everyone wishes you were dead' several times daily back in Grade 8 you begin to believe it, especially when you are told by professionals there is absolutely nothing wrong with you. Now I see why I was targeted and it at least makes sense now. It would have also helped to understand why I couldn't find a job that paid more than minimum wage despite my outstanding credentials and why I've been alone almost my entire life to the point where the loneliness is becoming unbearable.

For everyone's reference, I had every intent to get a formal diagnosis but understand A)it's time consuming and expensive and B)there's no benefit whatsoever other than knowing for sure. At this point, it's like telling someone missing a limb they are an amputee so unless it's offered to me I will remain "self-diagnosed".

Unfortunately, I think you'll find that many people here were for a long time undiagnosed or misdiagnosed, and often misunderstood. The flipside of that, however, is that the discovery can be a very exciting time; a chance to start a new chapter in life. Welcome to our little corner of the universe

Hmm... Personally I don't think of Forrest Gump as being slow, OK, he may be naiive, but I think he's definitely autistic or aspie (probably the former). Tony Attwood and Temple Grandin have written some excellent stuff about autism/AS, but I haven't read any of it for a long time...

Welcome to WP!

Welkome to WP

Mick