Have you ever spotted another Aspie?

[Vanilla]

Hey guys

Now before I get started, let me clarify one thing. I know that when we're relatively new to Aspergers (as I currently am), we can easily become guilty of seeing it everywhere around us, and attempting to diagnose just about everyone we come in to contact with. Because I am aware of this, I'm cautious to ensure I observe those around me carefully, and only when I feel certain, do I brave finding out if I'm right, by asking.

So, now that that's out of the way, I believe I've already successfully spotted several Aspies in my current life (as well as in the past).

1 + 2) first was my sister, and her partner; I advised them I had suspected that I myself had Aspergers, and immediately my suspicions were confirmed, when my sister's partner confessed that he too suspected he was an Aspie. My sister was skeptical of my allegations (as I had told her of my theories before speaking with the two of them together), until he had admitted this. They both took unofficial online tests, which came back as borderline Aspie/ NT for the both of them.

3) I had suspected my father was an Aspie; unfortunately he's no longer alive to ask him, but I was able to type up a document to show to my psychotherapist. She read the list of behavioural traits that I had listed about him, and my therapist advised me that he was a very prominent Aspie indeed.

4) I had suspected one of my friends was an Aspie, but didn't mention this to him. Instead, I confessed that I believed myself to be one, and he in turn confessed himself that he felt he too was one, and had been aware of this for years.

Feel free to share your own stories of when you've successfully spotted an Aspie...or even when you've accidentally made a false allegation, that's cool to post too, haha

 

[wyverary]

One of my former bosses - the loud, extroverted type. There was no "suspicion" there...the way he talked, the way he moved, his strange way of making or not making eye contact. I don't know if he was officially diagnosed, or if anyone else suspected, but there he was, unquestionably. I really liked him, too.

 

[Vanilla]

One of my former bosses - the loud, extroverted type. There was no "suspicion" there...the way he talked, the way he moved, his strange way of making or not making eye contact. I don't know if he was officially diagnosed, or if anyone else suspected, but there he was, unquestionably. I really liked him, too.

Yeah, I always find that liking them is usually the biggest, and most obvious signal. It's that certain something about them...you can just 'click' with them so well, and so pretty damn fast!

Generally you will both understand one another so much better than everyone else around you too!

 

[GoofKing]

I think I might've and have suspected an ex of mine :/ I also think a few classmates in special ed are Aspies but not entirely sure ...

 

[Judge]

Only decades later...at work where I knew the same people for many years. Amazing how much sense it all makes looking back on them. And that includes two cousins on both sides of my family. No question about any of them.

However on the other hand I'm hopelessly unable to come to any conclusion as to whether or not my own brother is an Aspie.

 

[Vanilla]

Only decades later...at work where I knew the same people for many years. Amazing how much sense it all makes looking back on them. And that includes two cousins on both sides of my family. No question about any of them.

However on the other hand I'm hopelessly unable to come to any conclusion as to whether or not my own brother is an Aspie.

I was half and half with my own sister, but I think it's because she's such a mild case; she has both AS and NT traits.

 

[Salmongirl17]

I don't usually "diagnose just about everyone i come in to contact with," but I do tend to do this at certain places, usually unfamiliar and always changing environments such as school or stores or malls, mainly when I'm bored.

I've suspected a few kids of autism at my old elementary school, only about 40% of them actually have something wrong with them.

 

[Ricky]

My aunt and uncle (both represent the extroverted type, when I'm the opposit). Everyone in the family thinks they're somewhat weird. I remember my dad often used to think why he's brother is the way he is. I tried to mention to him that "you know asperger does run in the family..." But I guess he never really wanted to accept that I have AS in the first place.
Anyway he had some pretty far out theories about his bro, like "he hit his head as a kid.." Yeah.. He didn't have any theories about his sister, as far as I can tell.

The answer seems so obious to me.

 

[wyverary]

This reminds me, there is a book Jon Ronson wrote, called The Psychopath Test, which I haven't yet read (but it's on my list!) and in interviews he talked about how he started thinking he could spot psychopaths everywhere he went...on the streets, people he met...I thought it was funny, and definitely parallels this thread quite well.

 

[shakeitup94]

i think my mum, i haven't approached her to get tested cause i don't think she would but for sure she is. everyone has always said how similar we are and she finds nothing wrong with my 'quirks' that occur courtesy my aspergers. and we have similar everything so yeh.

 

[King_Oni]

Chances are if I end up connecting with someone personally they're on the spectrum, lol.

My social group of friends is just aspies, my girlfriend is one and I highly suspect my ex to be one as well.

I've known people who were clearly not on the spectrum, and those contacts died out rather quickly.

 

[garnetflower13]

In retrospect, I believe that a prior boss I had was on the spectrum, as well as a male friend with whom I am not friends anymore. On one occasion I spotted not one but five Aspies. I was attending a meetup for shy people and when I arrived there were four guys and a woman entering the building ahead of me. It was like a radar was activated! When I came in and started talking to them, it turned out I was right. Every single one of them were on the autistic spectrum!

 

[Turk]

Yeah, im pretty sure ive met other Aspie's. It usually ends up with a mis timed handshake, an accidental head but and then both of us looking at the floor. I often wonder if they know or not. But having said that, I didnt find out till I was in my late 30's

 

[paloftoon]

I can sometimes tell someone is on the spectrum or probably should be. I don't try to diagnose someone most of the time, and if so, it must be 1-1. Rather, I try to communicate with a person as a human being, as I know we would want to be treated the same.

 

[Winter_Rose]

I make it a point not to try to diagnose people around me as having AS. I'm not in the least bit qualified, nor is it any of my business as to whether another person is an aspie or not.

 

[Turnip]

I've told 3 people in my life that I was reasonable certain they'd were on the spectrum, in each case - it was not a decision I made lightly, without reasonable "evidence", nor the expectation that this might help the person deal with problems I was aware of them experiencing.

None of them were particular prepared to accept to take the suggestion on-board; to differing degrees though: the older work colleague (who would make the Big Bang Theory's Sheldon Cooper's portrayal look subtle) was outraged, my close relative thought I was projecting and refused to consider their own experiences as evidence, my not-that-close friend from university whom I've know for 10 years but only on and off suggested that if it's a spectrum then everyone's on it a bit but that he could kind of see it, and he hinted that I wasn't the first person to make the suggestion to him - at least that conversation may have helped slightly to start to clear up his misconceptions of autism.

NB: I wouldn't consider myself relatively "new" to autism, if that's of interest

 

[jimited]

Im pretty sure i work with another aspie, he told me his brother is on the spectrum and that his Dad is more than likely on the spectrum too. He seems to show a lot of traits.

 

[Crazi]

I've met several actually.

 

[ExplosiveTMT]

Yep.

Being in a special class at my school, I've come across many aspies.
Some have become my best friends.

And I think some people in my family have an aspie trait or two.

 

[AsheSkyler]

My family, definitely. One reason why I didn't search out what was wrong with me is because I blended in so well. Turns out, while I am a lot like my dad, he is normal, my mother slightly more so, and my sister strangely is the most normal of us all (according to the AQ test and the Aspie Quiz). Which has lead to a multitude of jokes between the lot of us, and overall a greater sense of bonding between some of us. I'm also a lot like my grandfather and uncle, although I'm sure my uncle is normal, but I have heavy suspicions about my grandfather. He has a loooot of autistic traits for it to be just familial coincidence. I really do think my autism is genetic. My youngest cousin I have curiosities about. But the situation with her is a bit delicate and not easily questioned... But I intend to keep a distant eye on her and I'm passing on some advice to my uncle. Allistic and autistic advances aren't spectrum-specific, most advice easily crosses from one side to the other.

As far as strangers and friends, no. I see traits and similarities, but unless they've stated they've been tested, I don't press it. I've grown up surrounded by all sorts of strange folk in the nearby towns, autism is the last thing I'm concerned some of them may have!