Hello

[Jersey]

I've been reading about Aspergers and wondering what I have. Not sure if this is Aspergers, ADD, or just difficulties I've had all my life.

I've taken some online quizzes but I think almost anyone would get some diagnosis on those sites that they have Aspergers/ADD aspects. I'm female and over 50.

As a kid, never looked at people in the eye / I remember specifically being taught to do that
Always had reading comprehension problems, now it seems to include general comprehension
Difficulty memorizing stuff / When in school, would take hours to memorize vocabulary words/definitions that other people could probably do in a few minutes
Often walk into a room and forget what I was doing/why (probably started in late 30s)
Difficulty learning new languages/words
Have to be told stuff, can't just be hinted at
Mind reading / I can usually see that someone is happy/upset but I can't tell if it's faked/lied
Reading between the lines, getting the subtext

Probably more stuff but those are off the top of my head. Any thoughts? Aspergers? ADD? (I've read that sometimes these are misdiagnosed for each other) Something else?

 

[Nitro]

Hi Jersey

 

[tree]

 

[clg114]

Welcome to AutismForums!

 

[Shamar]

I've been reading about Aspergers and wondering what I have. Not sure if this is Aspergers, ADD, or just difficulties I've had all my life.

I've taken some online quizzes but I think almost anyone would get some diagnosis on those sites that they have Aspergers/ADD aspects. I'm female and over 50.

As a kid, never looked at people in the eye / I remember specifically being taught to do that
Always had reading comprehension problems, now it seems to include general comprehension
Difficulty memorizing stuff / When in school, would take hours to memorize vocabulary words/definitions that other people could probably do in a few minutes
Often walk into a room and forget what I was doing/why (probably started in late 30s)
Difficulty learning new languages/words
Have to be told stuff, can't just be hinted at
Mind reading / I can usually see that someone is happy/upset but I can't tell if it's faked/lied
Reading between the lines, getting the subtext

Probably more stuff but those are off the top of my head. Any thoughts? Aspergers? ADD? (I've read that sometimes these are misdiagnosed for each other) Something else?

Sounds like it could be both. I was diagnosed with ADD (non hyperactive) and thought it was the answer to why I was like the way I was. Then about six years ago I was diagnosed the Autism, with aspects of Asperger's and PDD-NOS. That is when things started to make sense. So it is possible to have both. Sometimes they conflict. I like to, have to, explore, but I am compelled to be routine about it.

It may help to try to separate your aspects, which is controlled by what. Your list applied to me:
Never looked at people in the eye - Autism
Always had reading comprehension problems - Autism
Difficulty memorizing stuff, list - can't tell, common to both
Often walk into a room and forget what I was doing - ADD
Difficulty learning new languages/words - can't tell
Have to be told stuff, can't just be hinted at - Autism
Mind reading / I can usually see that someone is happy/upset but I can't tell if it's faked/lied - Autism
Reading between the lines, getting the subtext - ADD

Some of these characteristic attributions are bordering on wild guesses, never thought about it much before.

 

[Jersey]

Thanks for your comments, and the welcomes! I was thinking I was just one or the other but I'll keep reading about both ADD and Autism/Aspergers.

I've probably been trying to correct myself to some degree with stuff to get through studying/remembering, etc. Reminders on email software or phone, making lists, putting keys or whatever in the same place all the time. And just not caring much if my reading comprehension and social reading isn't that great (now that I'm not in school anyway). Was never easy for me at work or school, I'm hoping reading more about both ADD/Aspergers will help, but gotta wonder why there wasn't more said about this like 40 years ago, especially for girls/women. Oh well, right? Learning about it now.

 

[Shamar]

Thanks for your comments, and the welcomes! I was thinking I was just one or the other but I'll keep reading about both ADD and Autism/Aspergers.

I've probably been trying to correct myself to some degree with stuff to get through studying/remembering, etc. Reminders on email software or phone, making lists, putting keys or whatever in the same place all the time. And just not caring much if my reading comprehension and social reading isn't that great (now that I'm not in school anyway). Was never easy for me at work or school, I'm hoping reading more about both ADD/Aspergers will help, but gotta wonder why there wasn't more said about this like 40 years ago, especially for girls/women. Oh well, right? Learning about it now.

The more you know, the more you can be forewarned and maybe blunt some of the effects. I was diagnosed with autism when I was sixty. This was after a rather successful career an an exploration geologist/geophysicist. Successful in a technical sense; finding new oil and gas fields, new mineral deposits, mapping out deposits. Yet I was constantly out of work. I just couldn't fit in with the social aspects and did really poorly in interviews. If I had know about my autism when I was younger, my life could have turned out far differently. At least, I like to fantasize that it would.

 

[Jersey]

I agree, sometimes it's like trying to decipher code talking to people, and it would've been helpful to know more about this then. Maybe not happier but more efficient I guess. I haven't read about this enough yet but gee, how does this happen? Genetics? Some must be environmental but I'd be curious how this happens to people.

I like your quote, I spent most of my life being told by parents, teachers, guidance counselors, etc that I was lazy and/or stupid. Or you know, maybe they should've mentioned autism.