Does anyone here have Asperger's?

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Does anyone here have Asperger's Syndrome?

I had performed a search beforehand of the term "Asperger's" to see if anyone here had created a dedicated thread on the subject. I was surprised to see that the only thread that was dedicated to the subject of Asperger's was Sophia Grace's link to the Wikipedia article.

Anyway, I long suspected I had Asperger's for years, but just got formally diagnosed earlier this year; I don't really consider it as being a diagnosis though -- it was more of a "confirmation" since the psychologist who had diagnosed me told me that I knew more about Asperger's than he did.

Asperger's is partially (if not fully) responsible for me experiencing a high level of anxiety around other people; it has made me turn to a reclusive lifestyle, which is a huge contrast from my old life where I had lots of friends, went out everyday, and did "normal" things.

I imagine that there must be some people here who have Asperger's, considering that there are quite a few users here.

If you don't mind, I will post an excellent Asperger's fact-sheet in this thread for you people to read to give you a little bit of insight into the condition known as Asperger's:

* Asperger Syndrome is an Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and was first included in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (American Psychiatric Association) under the general category of Pervasive Developmental Disorders (PDDs) in 1994. In Vienna, pediatrician Hans Asperger wrote about this cluster of characteristics as early as 1944.
* Although research on the prevalence rate for Asperger Syndrome is ongoing, it is thought that as many as 60 individuals per 10,000 have some form of an Autism Spectrum Disorder.

Based on current population statistics for Ontario, this prevalence rate translates to 74,356 individuals in Ontario living with an Autism Spectrum Disorder.
* Asperger Syndrome traits may make it difficult for children to function well in school and for adults to find and keep employment.
* Many individuals with Asperger Syndrome exhibit extensive knowledge of a specific interest and therefore are capable of major accomplishments.
* Although Asperger Syndrome can be first detected in childhood, many individuals are not diagnosed until well into adolescence or adulthood.
* The cause of Asperger Syndrome is not yet established, but a leading theory at this time points to genetic causes. Many individuals diagnosed with Asperger Syndrome identify similar traits in their family members.
* Treatments for people with Asperger Syndrome may include counselling, psycho-education, social skills training, medication, family intervention, occupational therapy, speech-language pathology, special diets, and others.
* Without diagnosis, support and intervention, children, adults and their families struggle to understand their puzzling profile of strengths and deficits.


Common Traits of Individuals with Asperger Syndrome

Social/Communication Traits:

* Despite a desire for friends, difficulty in initiating or maintaining close relationships
* Problems reading non-verbal or social cues or understanding/using social rules
* Very socially naïve and as a result are often taken advantage of, rejected, or bullied
* Social contact may be directed by them (e.g. play is “on their terms” or not at all)
* Poor (or intense) eye contact, atypical use of gestures and flat or inappropriate facial expressions
* One-sided conversations, and little ability for “small talk”
* May appear overly shy or overly extroverted, but inappropriately so
* Unaware of others’ thoughts, feelings or perceptions resulting in inadvertently appearing rude or inconsiderate
* Literal interpretation of communication from others
* Avoidant of social contact or events, and may experience heightened anxiety in social situations
* Language is learned and used in "chunks" (e.g., phrases, dialogue from TV shows, etc.)
* Communication is used for delivering information or requesting, not as a way of interacting socially


Behavioural Traits:

* May respond poorly to changes, sensory stimuli, transitions, lack of structure, and restrictions
* Repetitive movements (e.g., jumping, rocking, pacing) and speech (i.e., talking about favourite topics, interest)
* Rigid, inflexible and rule-bound behaviour
* Inappropriate behaviour given the social situation (e.g., speaking too loud in place of worship)
* Exaggerated emotional response to situations (e.g., tantrums when asked to something that they don’t want to do)
* Superior ability to focus on favourite activity or area of interest (e.g., spends hours mastering video game to the exclusion of other pastimes)


Cognitive Traits:

* Average to superior intelligence
* Detail oriented approach to tasks which may result in missing the “bigger picture”
* May have associated learning disabilities (e.g., non-verbal learning disability)
* Often have high verbal scores in a cognitive assessment, and low performance scores
* Difficulty seeing “parts-to-whole” and “whole-to-parts” relationships
* Prefer technical/factual information over abstract


Associated Challenges:

* Anxiety and depression
* Attentional difficulties (e.g., shifting attention; attending to unimportant stimuli)
* Tics or Tourette Syndrome
* Gross and fine motor deficits
* Poor organizational skills (e.g., time management and planning, partializing tasks)
Click to expand...

The fact-sheet was extracted from this page on the CBC (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation) website.
 
I don't know if they still visit the site, but someone I know was diagnosed with aspergers. I have no idea if I am or not because I have not been officially diagnosed. I wouldn't be surprised if i was though.
 
A psychologist told me it was likely I have aspergers about 2 years ago, I obsessed over it for over a year now I'm tired of thinking about it and just don't care, its the "Associated Challenges" I have to worry about.
 
I love all these diagnosis. why does it make a person feel better to know they "have" something? ive been diagnosed with three different things now. what difference does it make? "they" dont know what to do about it. so give it a name and we all sleep better at night? not really. i know, i know, if you know what it is you can "treat" it, as if it were a fungus or something. the treatment plans have never worked, in my experience. when i go to sessions with my counselor now, i run the show. i guide her. she tries to push me to do what she wants sometimes, but i realize now that "they" dont know how to help me. "they" only know what to call it.
 
Here here. I like what Thomas Szasz has to say about these things. Presumably one of the biggest problems about psychiatry is that it removes any personal responsibility from the patient, so even while the symptoms improve, patient has limited healing, because they don't feel responsibility to heal themselves. I understand it's not always possible, but an ideal none the less.
 
I was wondering how long it would be before a thread on this subject cropped up...

Time for me to open up a bit
rolleye0014.gif


I was diagnosed with this condition when I was 12, and my life's been absolute hell since then. My depression really kicked in at this point, and I had problems socialising with my peers. The transition from primary school to secondary school (that's elementary and middle school for the Americans on here) in particular was a nightmare, as I was getting bullied and everything.

I have tried committing suicide in the past due to this diagnosis. I found it very hard to come to terms with, and felt there was no point going on with life with it. Those days are (hopefully) behind me now.

But I realise I've made so much progress over the past 8 years or so. A couple of weeks ago the thought popped up in my head: "Am I really an Aspergers sufferer?" Because right now I am seriously doubting it. I think personally I might have something else, some other sort of depression. My only real problem at the moment now is that I'm incredibly self-conscious, to the point of paranoia, and I'm always thinking that I'm being watched or eyeballed by others around me. I also have the perception that someone is spreading malicious rumours about me behind my back, which is only magnified when people start acting funny around me. I doubt their behaviour is down to my "diagnosis" as its not obvious at all. Most of the time that doesn't bother me, but when I'm feeling low that really gets to me.

Someone tell me - is that REALLY the sign of an Aspergers sufferer?

I can think of a few other reasons why I think I was wrongfully diagnosed:

  • I have excellent organisational skills
  • I can cope with massive changes just fine now
  • "Aspies" prefer routine and a rigid schedule in their life - I, however, can be flexible and prefer change; it's something different.
  • I consider myself to have average intelligence. Many "Aspies" are seen to be particularly bright in maths for example, but I weren't all that great when in primary (elementary) school (I'm better now though ;))
  • I had no problems with reading/writing when I was younger
  • Eye-contact is not a problem for me - I maintain this all the time
  • I do not generally have problems understanding humour
  • I like to broaden my horizons and explore new hobbies rather than obsessing over a particular narrow subject

There are others too but I'm tired so won't list them all :p Think that's the main ones anyway.

In particular I worked with a teacher when I was around 15/16; she specialised in the teaching of students with autism/Aspergers syndrome and had been doing so for 10 years or so. She told me one day that, had I not attended that school and she worked with me somewhere else, she would never have guessed that I was an Aspergers sufferer.

I've had a number of measures put into place at my university to support me, all associated with my so-called diagnosis. Guess what, so far, I HAVEN'T needed them. Though it's early days yet.

Anyway I'm thinking of getting myself undiagnosed next year. I'm sick and tired of living with this 'label', and feel that the disadvantages of having this diagnosis FAR outweigh any advantages there may be :( Hopefully I should be able to convince the psychiatrist that I've progressed enough over the years for them to cross it off my record.

If that doesn't work then I'll probably just end up living my life as one big lie and will act "normal" in the eyes of others (yes I know there's no such thing as 'normal' but... yeah...). I'm willing to take it as far as lying on my CV when applying for jobs and saying I have no disability :rolleyes:

In no way am I stating that I haven't got anything - I'm still sure I've got some other form of depression. Just don't know what it is. The way I am now can't be typical of an Aspergers sufferer, surely.
 
Asperger syndrome seems to cover such a wide spectrum that to me it seems to be pretty much non diagnosable in lesser cases. I would say that i fit the bill on many of the signs however i doubt its because of asperger syndrome. However im not a doctor, so heres the signs that relate to me.

Social/Communication Traits:

My grandfather did have similar traits to me, showing a general lack of interest or care in others and spending most of his life alone.

* Despite a desire for friends, difficulty in initiating or maintaining close relationships
* Very socially naïve and as a result are often taken advantage of. (i just think im nice and generous and of course when your like that theres people who will take advantage)
* Poor eye contact
* May appear overly shy, but inappropriately so
* Avoidant of social contact or events, and may experience heightened anxiety in social situations (have had panic attacks in the past but very rarely)
* Communication is used for delivering information or requesting, not as a way of interacting socially (this seems to be only with those i dont know)


Behavioural Traits:

* Repetitive movements (Have noticed i do this when im alone but as soon as i realise i stop myself)
* Superior ability to focus on favourite activity or area of interest (sometimes i do feel like this)
 
Aspergers syndrome sounds like a term created for people that didnt want to have to put up with the bullshit that this society surrounds itself around. Forced education, fake friendships, fake lifestyles, fake lovers. Always trying to be an idea of something they are not...

Sure, why not.. they have a term for anything that is not considered "normal".. These are just the many outcomes of the human condition who are forced into this current reality. Forced to mesh amongst society. Forced to create different persona's. Illusions of identity.

And this is when you realize that you dont need them. Because they dont know you. Only you know you.

heretostay said:
I love all these diagnosis. why does it make a person feel better to know they "have" something? ive been diagnosed with three different things now. what difference does it make? "they" dont know what to do about it. so give it a name and we all sleep better at night? not really. i know, i know, if you know what it is you can "treat" it, as if it were a fungus or something. the treatment plans have never worked, in my experience. when i go to sessions with my counselor now, i run the show. i guide her. she tries to push me to do what she wants sometimes, but i realize now that "they" dont know how to help me. "they" only know what to call it.
Click to expand...
 
And here's another thing. You often hear these big names bandied about whenever Aspergers is mentioned. Bill Gates is one, Albert Einstein is another (really? Or are people just saying that because he was a superior mathematician
rolleye0014.gif
).

How does it help one when people keep mentioning these famous people and are saying "look, HE had Aspergers, and look what he done with his life" before going on to mention all their successes.

As if all Aspies are expected to aim that high... I think that's quite an unfair burden to place on them. Not all of them want to/are going to be the next Bill Gates, sorry to disappoint everyone
rolleye0014.gif


Sure, if the person wants to aim that high and knows they're capable of it, then by all means they should go for it (and be encouraged to do so). But otherwise they're going to feel very let down when they do not achieve that level.

celestial said:
* Very socially naïve and as a result are often taken advantage of. (i just think im nice and generous and of course when your like that theres people who will take advantage)
Click to expand...

I'm just like you in that respect. Though if you go back a few years it was more naivety than generousity/being nice. For example if someone came up to me and told me that "girl B fancies me" I'd believe it, go up to girl B and attempt to socialise with them - only for me to make a complete ass of myself.

If you gave me a pound/dollar for every person that took advantage of me because of this, I'd be pretty damned rich. But I don't consider myself to be like that anymore. Nowadays I'm still a generous and nice person but if there's someone waiting to take advantage of me I'll normally see right through them.

I think sadly the case with most, if not all, nice and friendly people is that there is always at least one person waiting to take advantage of them and watch them fall. That seems to be one of the facts of life. But you shouldn't let them affect you.
 
*The Cursed One* said:
And here's another thing. You often hear these big names bandied about whenever Aspergers is mentioned. Bill Gates is one, Albert Einstein is another (really? Or are people just saying that because he was a superior mathematician
rolleye0014.gif
).

How does it help one when people keep mentioning these famous people and are saying "look, HE had Aspergers, and look what he done with his life" before going on to mention all their successes.
Click to expand...

I did not know those people had it, but i can see how that would be very depressing to have someone keep pointing that out.
 
Well I'll be honest with you, Asperger's is terrible and I wish I had never heard of it. It's a stupid diagnosis, that is detrimental not constructive. Someone tells you that you have Aspergers and you're faced with the impossible decision to ignore it or agree that you do have some condition and consequently you will have limitations in your life. It's like telling someone that they have a chronic illness but theres nothing they can do to make it go away. If you ignore it than it never goes away and haunts you in the back of your mind.

It's also a means for someone to systemically explain themselves away. O I have aspergers that's why I obsess over a narrow field of interest. O I never make eye contact that's because I have aspergers, I was quiet as a child, I could never make any friends, I was always shy, I liked to rock back and forth, I always see patterns in things, I was always close to animals the list goes on and on as people ascribe more and more attributes to Aspergers they become a word, not a person.

Aspergers also perpetuates egotism. This may sound terrible, but I've never seen such egotistical people as I saw at wrongplanet, a forum dedicated to aspies. It was insane, no one would so much as flit an eyelid at you, let along give you the time. They don't care about anything that doesn't pertain to themselves or their **** condition. Asperger's is a world filled with "I's" and "me's" and"mine's" egotism is practically written into it, to see the traits you have to constantly observe yourself. Behaviors like isolating yourself seem like a battle between your true aspie nature and trying to live in a normal world, it makes it seem like you are fighting against the very nature of your being when stepping outside the bounds of Asperger's

Looking back I wish I never heard about Asperger's it would have saved me from a year and a half of obsessing over myself and everything that people would tell me was "wrong" with me. Be yourself, don't be a god-damned word and for the love of all that may or may not be holy remember that there are people other than yourself and they are all fighting a hard battle not just you.

I'm not saying that autism is something to be ignored, or cured or anything I'm just saying that the overly broad spectrum of Asperger's is stupid plain and simple.

I'm sorry if I offended anybody but that's how I feel get over it
 
NeverMore said:
Well I'll be honest with you, Asperger's is terrible and I wish I had never heard of it. It's a stupid diagnosis, that is detrimental not constructive. Someone tells you that you have Aspergers and you're faced with the impossible decision to ignore it or agree that you do have some condition and consequently you will have limitations in your life. It's like telling someone that they have a chronic illness but theres nothing they can do to make it go away. If you ignore it than it never goes away and haunts you in the back of your mind.

It's also a means for someone to systemically explain themselves away. O I have aspergers that's why I obsess over a narrow field of interest. O I never make eye contact that's because I have aspergers, I was quiet as a child, I could never make any friends, I was always shy, I liked to rock back and forth, I always see patterns in things, I was always close to animals the list goes on and on as people ascribe more and more attributes to Aspergers they become a word, not a person.

Aspergers also perpetuates egotism. This may sound terrible, but I've never seen such egotistical people as I saw at wrongplanet, a forum dedicated to aspies. It was insane, no one would so much as flit an eyelid at you, let along give you the time. They don't care about anything that doesn't pertain to themselves or their **** condition. Asperger's is a world filled with "I's" and "me's" and"mine's" egotism is practically written into it, to see the traits you have to constantly observe yourself. Behaviors like isolating yourself seem like a battle between your true aspie nature and trying to live in a normal world, it makes it seem like you are fighting against the very nature of your being when stepping outside the bounds of Asperger's

Looking back I wish I never heard about Asperger's it would have saved me from a year and a half of obsessing over myself and everything that people would tell me was "wrong" with me. Be yourself, don't be a god-damned word and for the love of all that may or may not be holy remember that there are people other than yourself and they are all fighting a hard battle not just you.

I'm not saying that autism is something to be ignored, or cured or anything I'm just saying that the overly broad spectrum of Asperger's is stupid plain and simple.

I'm sorry if I offended anybody but that's how I feel get over it
Click to expand...

No offense taken. I feel pretty much the same.
 
heretostay said:
I love all these diagnosis. why does it make a person feel better to know they "have" something? ive been diagnosed with three different things now. what difference does it make? "they" dont know what to do about it. so give it a name and we all sleep better at night? not really. i know, i know, if you know what it is you can "treat" it, as if it were a fungus or something. the treatment plans have never worked, in my experience. when i go to sessions with my counselor now, i run the show. i guide her. she tries to push me to do what she wants sometimes, but i realize now that "they" dont know how to help me. "they" only know what to call it.
Click to expand...

For me to know what I have provides me with a great amount of solace.

To not feel different and know that I fit in makes me feel better.
 

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