Been told I *may* have very mild aspergers. Advice please

chinagirl

I sometimes have 'fleeting thoughts' about driving my car off the side of a bridge, as I cross it, scary, but like one poster said, perhaps its my mind rehearsing what it would do in such a situation. I hadn't thought of that.
Also, the real private me, is very different to the person people see at work, and even my close friends and relatives I automatically put on an act for. I just thought this was normal, but if I analyse myself, I can see certain excentricities, which would perhaps be pigeon-holed as being Autistic, or strange. I think there are a lot of people with similar personality traits. Hey, we are all individuals, and that is what makes us Human.
I think the original poster should stop worrying and just get on with living life to the best of your ability.

munchings-n-crunchings

Hello,

You might be interested in a Free publication called Asperger United.

It's a quarterly magazine produced and run by people with autistic spectrum disorders.
It's interesting to read with other people's experiences, and there is a pen friend page.

Email your request to asp.utd@nas.org.uk

Regards
Munchie

Jojo_the_Tightfisted

Hmmmmmm....I scored 45. Interesting.... And the comments about small talk and chit chat don't so much ring bells as bang out a full peal.

That'll be fun trying to explain to the GP. But it's a good explanation of why I have no friends and making nice with people can be totally painful.

And why I can read 9 languages, remember all my bank numbers and codes, dates of major battles within WWI and WWII, and all the birthdays of everyone I ever went to school with (but not their faces)

Fascinating...

seven-day-weekend

I scored 32 on the test.

I can mirror-write (with both hands), remember all my bank account numbers and passwords/PINs (and my husband's), am good at spelling because I see the word 'written in the air' in front of me.

My son, certainly he was little, could remember whole chunks of dialogue from a book or film he'd enjoyed, even if he'd only seen it once, and repeat it virtually word-for-word. (Don't know whether he still can at nearly 30 - must ask him!).

PasturesNew

Breast_Cancer_Survivor wrote: »

There is an online test you can do which will give you an indication of whether you may have it.
http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/9.12/aqtest.html

I scored 47. I know I have it, I've not been formally diagnosed, nor will I be as it involves interacting with people (the Dr) and trying to explain/say what I want. I can't "just ask" for things; when I speak to people I am misinterpreted; I can never think what to say in response to a query ... so it would really be difficult for me to go through with the process.

I'd do it if I could have an interpreter ... and if I could phone up 3 days later to say "when you asked ... I've worked out that I should have said .... as the answer". I'm rubbish at knowing what the right answer is at the time, I have to have the full context. I can't debate or discuss anything at all. Not sure I explained that correctly. That's why forums are good... I can post and run.

Fire_Fox

My ex-husband was high-functioning Aspergers, tho not ever officially diagnosed AFAIK. He is the archetypal 'geek' electronic engineer, taking radios apart as a kid, A* at A level, several offers of PhD studentships, jobs in consulting thrown at him right left and centre. We had a somewhat difficult relationship with some violence, but over time I really began too see something 'odd' about him which I could never explain to others.

I have a strong interest in medical matters so we happened to watch a documentary about Aspergers together, specifically about people who had gone undiagnosed as children and gone on to marry. The stories were uncanny, they might have been talking about my husband! Falling asleep at parties because he was bored, coming home and not occurring to him to say hello, the family full of engineers, the temper ...

After the documentary he turned to me and said "Oh my God, that's me". He came home from work the next day laughing as half of the engineers he worked with had seen the programme and they were all walking round in a daze! I wish he'd had a diagnosis earlier - he had CBT to help with the temper but it wasn't enough. After seven years, the second time he was horrible enough to my parents to make them go home (200 miles away) I left him.

MummyMoo

I scored 42, never in my life considered the possibility of me having spectrum disorder just considered myself to be one of those annoying anally retentive people that need everything to be perfect and precise and catagorised! I HAVE however been a self harmer for 13 years and recently diagnosed with Bipolar. For me personally, it was a major relief to finally know what is wrong with me and now I have better management strategies because Im learning about the disorder but for me its different because I've always known I was ill and it effects my daily life, but just thought I was depressed (so did the doctors). But then I started researching bipolar as a line of self study (see, GEEK!) and noticed that a lot of traits or activities I have always displayed corrolate with it, most of which I have never mentioned to the doctors cos I've seen it as irrelevant (just as massive shopping spree's when I've been unemployed for 8 months) or just too ashamed to mention.

My point is, for me, getting diagnosed (or labelled) was a massive relief because I KNEW something was wrong and it was affecting me severely. Now I can understand it and improve my life quality. You have to think about - "how will this label AID me?".

bitsandpieces

PasturesNew wrote: »

I scored 47. I know I have it, I've not been formally diagnosed, nor will I be as it involves interacting with people (the Dr) and trying to explain/say what I want. I can't "just ask" for things; when I speak to people I am misinterpreted; I can never think what to say in response to a query ... so it would really be difficult for me to go through with the process.

I'd do it if I could have an interpreter ... and if I could phone up 3 days later to say "when you asked ... I've worked out that I should have said .... as the answer". I'm rubbish at knowing what the right answer is at the time, I have to have the full context. I can't debate or discuss anything at all. Not sure I explained that correctly. That's why forums are good... I can post and run.

If you wanted support in getting a diagnosis, it might be worth e-mailing the National Autistic Society to ask about this (if you haven't already). Of course, you may not need/want a diagnosis.

PasturesNew

bitsandpieces wrote: »

If you wanted support in getting a diagnosis, it might be worth e-mailing the National Autistic Society to ask about this (if you haven't already). Of course, you may not need/want a diagnosis.

I plucked up the courage once to go to their offices... and it was a complete waste of time. They weren't interested really. They said they have nothing to say to me. I have to go to the Dr and be diagnosed.

It's all about families/kids. Single adults aren't of any interest.

They made me feel worse/more isolated, to be honest. I wish I hadn't bothered.

I do want a diagnosis, but I just feel very small and very alone in the world about this. I've spoken to nobody about it, there's nobody to talk to. I'm not even registered with a Dr (can't face the process/environment etc).

elaine373

I scored 35. These are my issues.Firstly, I dont feel i fit in perfectly, anywhere.e.g. I always feel like an outsider in any social circle.,I am very very literal. I hyperventilate with time keeping if i am late.I hate it when someone is late when they have arranged to meet me.I expect them on the dot.I have tried telling myself they mean give or take a few minutes but really, i do expect them exactly when they say. I worked last year as a care worker and got accused of being a council spy because when i was training i queried things in an odd way, `apparently`. I offend people with my direct way.I really hate talking on the phone.It takes me a while to realise why i have offended someone.I dont have good eye contact with people outside of my family.Normal within.(shyness?) I am always wondering /worrying what people think of me.I love walking into a public place and finding it empty. I would quite happily live in a remote place without seeing people for ages and ages.I cringe when people hug me and dont really like physical contact. (dont mind my younger children sitting on my lap or having a hug but not into hugging adults)
what does anyone think ? Am i just antisocial? I have 7 children, 4 of whom show various social issues. I had a mum who was happy not to socialise. I have a brother who is `different` and an uncle who is basically a hermit. are we just an odd family or could there be a strong family chain of aspies? nearly forgot, my 6 1/2 year old son has a fascination with dates and ages.he is so literal that if he hears a phrase like gobsmacked, he thinks someone has been punched in the mouth. other phrases confuse him as well. He has an obsession with footballs and can never have too many bouncy balls and he loves deflated balls as well..he collects figures and will stake ages to set them up but not really play with them. any opinion on any of my queries welcomed.