My sister thinks that she has Aspergers

[Ichabod Shapiro]

Hey Friends,

I was recently messaging my sister about my aspies and she told me that she has a strong suspicion that she is also an aspie but I am convinced that she doesn't. She doesn't have insane obsessions. She doesn't talk about the same topic for hours on end. She also doesn't get upset about her social life or doing simple things. Am I correct and do you think that she is completely ignorant as to what she's talking about?

 

[Suzanne]

So the question is. Did you find out these things from asking her, why she thinks she is an aspie or because you have never heard her talking none stop about things or how she fairs socially etc?

To have a STRONG suspicion means that she has to be going from something that suggests, rather than just random ie my brother is, so I must be, sort of thing.

Females differ from male aspies.

I am an aspie and do not have insane obsessions. I run in a out of them so often that my husband said: you have get into more obsessions than I have hot dinners and he has a lot of those, since I do the cooking lol

I can talk none stop about an obsession, if I sense the signal to do so; but most of the time, I am quiet about them, because I am too conscious that others don't really care. I tend to apologise for going on, but when I get: no, no, you are not and besides even if I felt you were, I am interested in what you are saying and so, off she goes lol

My husband has the brunt of my obsessive talks though and not so long ago, I got obsessed over ebola and boy, did he have ebola echoing around him for 2 weeks or what? In the end he said: one more mention of blasted ebola and that is it, I will scream. Blessedly for him, I lost interest.

I never have ongoing obsessions; they last a max of 2 weeks.

You will find that many aspies have stronger points in some areas than others. Also females are great at putting on a mask, to appear great socially but exhausted afterwards.

I do not think you should be quick to judge your sister. It is not a competition of who has it and who hasn't lol

 

[Ichabod Shapiro]

Thank you. You definitely told me of something that I was unaware of. I just don't understand women in general that I often times imagine them thinking the same way that men do. But now I realize that I should be more sensitive

 

[Slithytoves]

Suzanne is right that women can manifest and display Asperger's differently than men, not to mention that every Aspie is unique in their particular number, combination, and severity of traits. The best next step for your sister would be to take a couple of online tests. Has she done this yet? Here are two well-regarded self-tests:

The Ritvo Autism Asperger Diagnostic Scale-Revised (RAADS-R)

ARC Tests (Autism Spectrum Quotient - AQ - Adult, 2nd on on the list)

Multiple family members on the spectrum is common. Since I was diagnosed in January, two other relatives have been identified as having an ASD; I find that comforting, knowing I'm not as alone as I thought. More understanding is always a nice bonus. My other two family members might never have been clued in had it not been for my own diagnosis, so it's not a surprise that your sister has only now begun to recognize that she may have Asperger's as well. Unless it is identified in earlier childhood, many Aspies can take years to discover they are on the spectrum. You have an opportunity to do your sister a great service by supporting her search for answers.

 

[Ichabod Shapiro]

I will most certainly do my best to help her out

 

[HappyHermit]

I don't have obsessions, let alone insane obsessions. I have interests and pursuits.

I have never in my life talked about the same topic for hours on end.

I never got upset about my social life (or its limits), though my parents certainly did.

I don't always get upset about little things, but when I do, I usually find that at least some other people - NTs - get upset by the same little things I do.

I was psychiatrically diagnosed twice as being on the autism spectrum: once in my teens, once in my early 30s.

I have reason to believe I am not ignorant about what I'm talking about when I say that I'm on the autism spectrum.

Make of that what you will.