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DCA

Well-Known Member
V.I.P Member
Hi,

I found this forum because I was curious about how many people on the spectrum engage in scale modeling. I built models of tanks & military equipment & strongly suspect I have Asperger's. But nonetheless I got to reading some of the materials here & like I often find, I see it resonating with my own experiences.

I suspected I had Asperger's for at least the last several years, as awareness of it increased. I was never diagnosed as a kid, but had a lot of the characteristics often associated with it, such as awkward social skills, feelings of social isolation (I describe it as feeling like a foreigner from a far-away land), difficulties connecting with people, introversion (though I do understand that is not in itself an indicator of being on the spectrum), uncomfortable with eye contact, stimming, & other things I'm not recalling at the moment.

I also had a relationship with a woman that was likely on the spectrum but more importantly has a son with HFA. She confirmed or agreed a lot of my suspicions.

I thought about seeing a psychiatrist to get a formal diagnoses, but at my age (43) I'm wondering what the point is? So if anyone who was diagnosed as an adult with the condition could tell me of their experiences, and the benefits from it, I'd love to hear about it!

Damon.
 
Welcome to AF. Yeah, there are a few of us plastic modelers here. My hobby is what prompted me to investigate my own autism. Learned quite accidentally from the National Geographic Channels' show called "Taboo". Featured a guy with Aspergers Syndrome whose primary social contact was a lifelike human doll/mannequin. But what really got my attention was his model collection.

Anyone interested in building model cars?
 
Thank you!

@Judge, that specific thread is the one Google hit on! I also enjoyed looking at your work, very nice job!

Damon.
 
Welcome. I was unofficially diagnosed at 48. I just turned 49 and am still awaiting a formal diagnosis. I keep asking myself why I need a formal diagnosis - I'm not going to ask for any accommodations at work, so why do I need one? I keep coming back to one answer: closure. With a formal diagnosis, I'll know that what's going on in my head is not just in my head.

In the meantime, having been pointed in the direction of ASD by a counselor, I have found that knowing I have ASD helps me:

1) Know that what I deal with isn't isn't my fault for being "lazy" or "bad", but it is something I need to continually struggle to deal with and overcome. I've had to reframe a lot of memories from a more understanding point of view.

2) Begin to attempt to change some things that I thought were just ingrained and integral to my personality. What a journey this is turning out to be!

3) Find fellowship and some shared experiences in this forum. It has been amazing to me to find out how many of what I considered to be just my own personal quirks and oddities are shared by others here. It's comforting to know that others deal with the same thing. "Shared joy is a double joy; shared sorrow is half sorrow."
 
I have to agree with point #3. I've been reading the forum all day off and on as my time & job allows, & there is a lot here that resonates with my own experiences, as I mentioned above. I always knew I was a little odd, but reading how others experience similar things as I do makes me feel less isolated. That's a good thing.
 
Hi DCA , welcome. I don't have a diagnosis and don't plan to get one however I have self diagnosed as having high autistic traits and online tests and relevant reading I ve done support that idea. I found it a relief and it's given me answers to areas a lot of therapy hasn't reached, as well as a way to think about progress I can make, maybe through accepting and understanding myself and my brain difference and adapting and finding a middle way with what's still difficult. I do already have a lot of adaptive strategies as I think most undiagnosed adults will have, sounds like you have too. I hope you continue to enjoy it here.

:airplane::sailboat::station::rocket::runner::airplane::sailboat::station::rocket::runner::airplane::sailboat::station::rocket::runner::airplane::sailboat:
 

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