Asperger's Syndrome

Matt Tuck:

I searched for a topic on this, but there doesn't seem to be one. If there is, lock this thread.

About Asperger's Syndrome

Do any of you suffer from it?

Discuss.

I have Asperger's, but I do not "suffer" from it. I very much enjoy having it. I have some of the same problems as most Aspergians (i.e; being heckled for not behaving 'normally'), but honestly, I keep to myself a lot because I prefer being alone than with people, so others don't really know enough about me, my mannerisms, or my humor to be able to really bully me. I didn't find out that I had Asperger's until two years ago, even though I was diagnosed in third grade. My mother decided to keep it from me because she was in denial about there being anything "wrong" with her daughter.
However, the not knowing part started terrible periods of time in my life. I went through a stage filled with terrible grades, prolonged depression, self-loathing, and self abuse because I desperately wanted to know what was so wrong with me that caused the others not to like me. I would research diseases online for hours at a time trying to find one that fit, and I indentified myself with the 'emo' kids of the world, or the loners, because I desperately wanted somewhere to fit in and belong. That, of course, only caused my mother to put off telling me, for fear that telling me that something was wrong with me would push me over the edge.
She eventually managed to get it out to me though, and now that I know that there will always be a group of people out there that know how I feel, and that I'm not the most terrible person in the world (although at times it still feels like it), I'm getting progressively better. I'm now the highest-scoring student in my school, in two language classes, and the only fourteen-year-old in a PreCalculus class filled with seniors.

That being said, no matter what your position or how hard it seems now-- Aspie or not-- it truly does get better. Always remember that.

this boy who was in 5th grade with me, he had it. He acted weird, we thought he was autistic at first.

^ Asperger's syndrome is a form of high-functioning autism.

ronaldmichaeljfernks:

I'm now the highest-scoring student in my school, in two language classes, and the only fourteen-year-old in a PreCalculus class filled with seniors.

That being said, no matter what your position or how hard it seems now-- Aspie or not-- it truly does get better. Always remember that.

Holy crap. Wow, that's amazing.
Congratulations.

never mind.

My dad and 11-year-old sister have been diagnosed with Asperger's, my dad on a mild level, my sister on a moderate level. They both don't function well in situations where they don't know people. My dad's is very mild, and it's mostly unnoticeable until he's around large groups of unfamiliar people.

My sister has obsessions, particularly numbers. She's great at memorizing, she can take complex things apart and put them back together without a manual. She also has the awkward social behaviours. She doesn't understand personal space, sarcasm, and often goes on long-winded explanations of things without the realisation that people may not be listening.

We're pretty sure my 5-year-old brother has it, although he hasn't been diagnosed. He is still unable to talk properly, has obsessions, has these fits that are a bit hard to explain, and does not function at all in unfamiliar situations.

All three of them are extremely intelligent, which to say the least I'm a bit jealous of.

Everyone else in my family suffers from a wide range of mental disorders (and I have 7 siblings, so that's quite a few people).

The only mate I've made at my uni has AS. I would have never realised until he told me. We get on really well and we share a lot of similarities.

A friend of mine has this, and honestly, I was living with him for a little while and didn't notice anything "abnormal" about him at all. I wouldn't have a clue he had Asperger's Syndrome (or any other form of autism) if his mum hadn't told me so... definitely a really mild form, though, and it's definitely a spectrum thing.

I have aspergers, and I go to a special needs school where a lot of my classmates have aspergers.

I'm actually doing stuff above my grade level, and I'm already a published author. :) All of my classmates (especially that one kid with autism) are really smart.

I have a lot of social issues, though. Like I have trouble meeting people's eyes (anyone's). I talk quietly if I'm uncomfortable or don't know the people I'm surrounded by very well.

I don't know when I was diagnosed, but I think it might've been when I was six and got texted for ADHD. (I came up positive or whatever it is.)

I have AS too. I was diagnosed at 14 and my childhood was pretty horrific because I didn't get the help I need. I dropped out of school without any grades but since then have gotten my GCSE's on my own, got top marks in art school and am due to start university in Septemeber. When I do things I do really well, I just get it done in my own way. I always think of it like I do everything in the wrong order. Like, I dropped out of school and stuff, then went to college, then went back and got my school qualifications, then had a kid and am now going to university.

I achieved a lot of other weird things along the way, as well. I think it's better to live life in your own way, anyway. I wouldn't trade my AS for the world.

ignore

There is a children's program named Arthur which often discusses the diverse nature of people in several ways. For example they have talked about dyslexia and people with physical disabilities in a way so children could understand. They recently have done an episode where a character befriends a child with Aspergers. (Link) Thoughts?

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I think a boy from one of my early elementary school classes had Aspergers. Of course they didn't tell that to a bunch of little kids that but he always kind of kept by himself, didn't like it when people (even the teacher) talked to or touched him, got exceptional marks on his work, and got frightened during fire drills because of the siren. His family had to move and my memories of him are fuzzy so I don't know if he actually did.

@ Thylacine
I'd get tested if I were you. It's worth finding out because if you do have it, it can help you understand yourself and manage your life in relation to everyone else's. I was diagnosed at 14 and it made a lot of things easier for me because I understood the things I do.

Also, if you do have it (not making assumptions) then remember that it's not something wrong with you. It's a difference in the way you think and act compared to the majority of people but that can be incredibly special. A lot of my best attributes (such as being organised, my sense of humour, my intelligence and my passion) can be attributed to my Asperger's. Yes, it can make things difficult but it also makes things better sometimes too. The enjoyment you get out of your strong interests is a great thing and the knowledge you gain can't be bad.

I relate to everything you said a lot, it sounds like a different version of how I grew up. For example, when I was 14 we went on holiday to America and I went to the theme parks for the first week but for the next fortnight stayed in my room watching television because the disruption was too disturbing. However, we did go on a trip to the NASA base and I had a total blast there. Definitely my favourite memory of the trip.

I had tons of things like your green tie thing too. An example is that I eat my food in groups. If I have peas, potatoes and mushrooms on my plate I don't mix them but eat the lot, one by one. Doors need to be shut at night or I can't sleep. I always notice license plates too. There are more but you don't need a list. :P These tend to be worse when I'm stressed out but you might find that as you get older, they become easier to manage because you are in control of your surroundings. When it's you doing the shopping, always getting green ties isn't a big problem because you get to choose the bread anyway. When you cook dinner every night, you can pick so if you want a meal schedule then you don't need to negotiate that with anyone. It does get easier as you get more independence.

If you ever need to chat, you can message me any time. :]

equivocal:

Whoa, I don't know anyone with it but the disease itself sounds restricting in some sense but really fascinating in another way.-shrug-

Asperger's Syndrome isn't a disease. It's a developmental syndrome. a disease suggests that it can be cured, but it can only be managed.

My boyfriend has Aspergers. He was diagnosed when he was 19 years old. It does affect our relationship somewhat but mostly in a positive way. I find our communication with each other is very developed and he is very attentive to me, which I love. He can be quite intense, though but I'm patient with him because I know sometimes he can't help it. He's very smart with dates and remembers things that I wouldn't remember.

He does have some trouble with differentiating people's faces [for example he compares people to other people saying that one person looks like another, when they really don't. They may have vague similarities but he might suggest that they're the spitting image of each other]. He doesn't like being interrupted when he's talking and that has been the main contention/difference between us. He can actually get quite irritated about that; where as, I know in normal conversation people 'interrupt' each other all the time, and it's not necessarily a bad thing.

So, that's just a few things about my experiences of AS. :)

EDIT:

I've also read that AS is no longer considered part of the austism spectrum as key elements of AS are a lot different. Especially when it comes to social interactions. In very simple generalised terms, when it comes to social interactions, Aspies want to interact with other people socially but sometimes are unable to, whereas those on the autism spectrum 'live in their own world' and don't really care about interacting with others.

@ The Pies Endure
Where did you read that?
My sister has Aspergers (well, she was diagnosed with Autism as a kid, and I don't remember ever being told where she was on the spectrum except that she was high functioning. Later on when we were older we kinda decided it was probably Aspergers.)
And I am honestly not as up on shit as I used to be or probably ought to be.
And if Aspergers isn't on the spectrum anymore. Then, I honestly don't know where to place my sister. because she has different moods really. Like half the time she does do the 'live in their own world' thing, and when she's in that mode, she is not very responsive and does not want to socialize in any way at all. Then, the rest of the time she does the other thing you described where she really does want to interact, but doesn't quite know how or she can't really handle it for large doses.

This.Useless.Heart.:

@ The Pies Endure
Where did you read that?
My sister has Aspergers (well, she was diagnosed with Autism as a kid, and I don't remember ever being told where she was on the spectrum except that she was high functioning. Later on when we were older we kinda decided it was probably Aspergers.)
And I am honestly not as up on shit as I used to be or probably ought to be.
And if Aspergers isn't on the spectrum anymore. Then, I honestly don't know where to place my sister. because she has different moods really. Like half the time she does do the 'live in their own world' thing, and when she's in that mode, she is not very responsive and does not want to socialize in any way at all. Then, the rest of the time she does the other thing you described where she really does want to interact, but doesn't quite know how or she can't really handle it for large doses.

Removing AS from the autism spectrum is something that's being considered by the people writing the DSM-V (fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders), but not as much as the Internet might lead you to believe and it's still not certain whether it will happen (and if it will, whether it will affect people with AS internationally, the DSM is written by the American Psychiatry Association, outside the US, different guides are used). It's all very complicated, the people militating for AS's removal from the DSM are usually AS activists whose point is that AS is not an impairment (which is justified to a certain extent because definitions of impairment / illness are SO complicated and vague) and that classifying it as such increases discrimination against AS individuals - but some people (with AS) also argue that removing the 'official' status of AS will worse discrimination against them because it will allow schools, employers etc to openly discriminate against them, rather than forcing them to make accommodations.

@ This.Useless.Heart.
True I don't really think the distinction can be made as if it's all black and white, but it is considered distinct from classic autism.

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I don't have it... but I do have a high functioning autistic disorder. It's a pain in the butt sometimes but having ADHD is even worse. I was diagnosed with it at the age of 12. I have severe infantile meltdowns (I call them that because they are like tantrums). I'm a stimulant, an anti-psychotic and two different anxiety medications. One for sleep and one for what my doctors call stress hives.

I have many symptoms of it and more than one occasion was asked if I do have AS. I don't go to the doctor, because every time I go I'm hit with another "disorder".

My anxiety medication actually helps with a lot of my symptoms and makes me able to sit better. (I'm really bad about rocking in place)

No matter how I act, I'm still myself. I don't want to be labeled anymore.