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Recently realized I'm borderline Aspie

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spelbynder

New Member
Spelbynder here. I live in Upstate NY. I found this forum seeking answers to why babies/children and animals are so attracted to me (especially dogs, though I hate them). My recent realization that I'm borderline Aspie certainly explains a lot about how my life has been going. I didn't figure this out about myself until my Aspie son was 24 years old. I'm the one that figured out why he was having difficulties as a child and I'm the only one in the family he feels he truly connects with and feels I truly understand his struggles--but somehow I didn't connect the dots about myself--Duh! So here I am. After reading some posts here, I'm already feeling I've found my tribe. Thanks for this forum!
 
Hi Spelbynder
welcome to af.png
 
Never knew "borderline aspie" was a thing.

Welcome to the forums. Feeling like you "found your tribe" is exactly how I felt. It's like people here talk/think like I do which was a pleasant change to usual interactions in my offline life.
 
Howdy. Glad you found us and joined us. I was finally officially dx about a month ago. I am only 64 years old. o_O;):)
 
Welcome Spelbynder. 61 here and diagnosed a couple years ago. It's easy to feel like part of this group.
 
And did you find an answer as to why babies/children and animals are so attracted to you?
 
I believe that there are borderline Aspies. Those that connect the space on the spectrum between autistic and neurotypical, for I see all humanity on one larger spectrum. I can't say with scientific certainty its true, but it matches my observations.
 
Welcome to the forum.

When I was 65, I took an online test where if you scored 34 or above, you were on the spectrum. I scored 34, so apparently I'm right on the edge. I read up on HFA, and had some 'that's definitely me' reactions and some 'not that one at all' reactions. I'm sure being on the borderline is part of why it took so long to figure it out. I'd figured out some of it, but this was the lightbulb moment that helped make things a lot clearer. The other part, of course, is that when I was a kid in the 50s and 60s, what I have didn't have a name yet.
 
Welcome, @spelbynder! Whether you're borderline, online, or out-of-line, you're welcome here.

Tom said:
I believe that there are borderline Aspies. Those that connect the space on the spectrum between autistic and neurotypical, for I see all humanity on one larger spectrum. I can't say with scientific certainty its true, but it matches my observations.
Click to expand...

Makes sense. I picture a bell curve and a cut-off point where some doctors have said, "We'll draw a line here. This side of the line is ASD. That side is not." There may be people that don't quite make the cut, but would fit in better on this forum than anywhere else.

I myself was told when a Dr. first unofficially diagnosed me that I'm so high functioning that I might never get a formal diagnosis. So, I guess you could call me "borderline" too.
 
Hi Spellbynder! I have a son the same age and I too was late to connect the dots. I am currently self-diagnosed, quite sure about it and not even considering any 'borderline' qualifier but I am hoping to get an official diagnosis. It's not easy where I live and might be financially impossible. Am looking into it. I am also new here and as you say, it is very much a feeling of 'finding my tribe.' People are really nice and supportive and accepting of our differences too.

There is something called Broad Autism Phenotype and that may be the appropriate terminology for your concept of borderline aspie. :-)
 
Hi spelbynder

I was officially diagnosed with aspergers yesterday and I can say that indeed, one can be borderline.

I thought I was borderline at first, but in fact, I am on the border of being severe (as per experts).

Why not try the aspiequiz first and see how you fair. That is what I did and was rather surprised with the results and when I went for my diagnosis, I took the same test and came out with the same results.
 
Nervous Rex said:
... Makes sense. I picture a bell curve and a cut-off point where some doctors have said, "We'll draw a line here. This side of the line is ASD. That side is not." There may be people that don't quite make the cut, but would fit in better on this forum than anywhere else.
Click to expand...
I agree -- I've also thought a lot about bell curves.

I've been thinking about autism as a collection of traits where a person can be at the end of the bell curve due to the way their brain is wired. Some autistics are extremely sensitive to sound or light. I don't have those problems, so I'm in the middle of the bell curve on those. There are other traits where I'm definitely at the end of the bell curve, like reading social signals (utterly clueless) and math/logic ability (very high). For each individual, it's a unique combination of traits.

Thus, you can be on the border because you're in the middle of the bell curve ("normal") on some things and at the end of the bell curve ("autistic") on others.
 
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