I reckon I'm an Aspie...

[apm101]

Hi all,

I'm a 47yo chap, live in London (UK) suburbs with wife and son. My lad was diagnosed as ASD (but would have been aspie if they still used that) at Easter this year. We've struggled with that as parents, but coming to terms with it.

A couple of weeks ago, I randomly did the AQ test one lunchtime- score came out at 39. I did it again, thinking I was toning my responses down, and it came out at 42! I know it's a crude tool, but research suggests it is a good one, and can distinguish those with aspergers pretty well.

If I'm honest, I'm struggling a bit with this, as it's making me look back at my life with this new lens. On the other hand, it's reassuring that there's an explanation for some of the things that I thought just made me odd!

Cheers,

Alex.

 

[Fridgemagnetman]

If I'm honest, I'm struggling a bit with this, as it's making me look back at my life with this new lens. On the other hand, it's reassuring that there's an explanation for some of the things that I thought just made me odd!

You're not alone. Many have had a similar realisation. #metoo
It's also quite common to realise it through a child's diagnosis.

Sort of like the stages of grief in a way.

Better to know but don't go telling everyone ---seems to be the consensus.

Welcome, we were just plotting to take over the world and we need an extra couple of people.

 

[pjcnet]

The AQ test and a few other online tests aren't too bad as long as the questions are answered honestly and are not biased towards the result the person wants to hear, but even official diagnosis methods are in my opinion far from perfect. You might also want to try the Aspie Quiz too if you haven't already done so.

I was one of the very small minority of higher functioning autistic people who was first diagnosed way back in the 1970s as a young child because anything other than lower functioning autism wasn't recognised back then (this was just known as autism) and Asperger Syndrome didn't exist either, but that was because both my brothers are on the very low functioning part of the autistic spectrum and they thought I was exactly the same because I was extremely slow to develop speech and other things, but unlike my brothers I later started recovering, although I was still left with numerous autistic traits that have made my life very difficult indeed. Since autism wasn't believed to be inherited back in the 1970s our family caught the attention of the highest experts in the UK at the time including Professor Michael Rutter (now Sir Professor Michael Rutter, knighted for his work with autistic children) who diagnosed all 3 of us personally since the odds of having all 3 brothers with autism were astronomically low without any genetic or other inherited link. A few years ago I got given a more up to date diagnosis of ASD and OCD, but I also suffer the anxiety and depression which is a common co-morbid condition and was diagnosed a good while ago (I won't take antidepressants however). There are plenty of members here who have only recently discovered or suspect that they're on the autism spectrum however so you are most definitely not alone.

Anyway, you've found a friendly, non judgemental and supporting community, welcome to ASPIESCentral.

 

[Nitro]

Hi Alex

 

[tree]

 

[Bella Pines]

I think it's far more common than people realize. I'm a mum of 2 with a city job and functional member of society (on the outside) and only a few people at work even know I have aspergers.

There are small clues, I like to be on my own, I process a lot of data and spot patterns, I'm very direct and don't play politics games and I loathe and detest small talk. Who cares about the weather when you're stuck in a tower block all day? Who cares what you did last weekend, it's over. We also have special interests and hyper focus.

There's a bunch of threads on this forum about the stages you go through after finding out. From the denial to the "is everything that was special about me just a personality disorder?" to the "my whole life was a lie!"

But I can assure you that is perfectly fine, nothing has really changed. I see my aspergers more of a personality type. So learn what you can but remember, it doesn't much change anything.

 

[Nervous Rex]

Welcome!

I'm 48, 6 months into the autism realization. Just like you, everything in the past and present is being recategorized. But with it comes the ability to just accept some things I've been fighting because I was trying too hard to be normal.

I hope you enjoy it here. Take off your coat and stay a while!

 

[apm101]

Thanks everyone! I've decided to take the step of getting myself diagnosed by the local MH trust. While not much will actually turn on it, it may help me at work, where my progression to the next level requires using networks, which I am really bad at! It would also give me the knowledge that I am no neurotypical, and help me to be able to apply that knowledge to my own theory of me, if that makes sense. I know that's not for everyone, but it feels right, if that makes sense?