could i have aspergers

[Christine Hughes]

I've been wondering for about ten years if i have aspergers. i didn't walk till i was near 2 not sure if that's a sign, didn't speak till 18 months but when the health visitor came around after i was a year old i drew really good circles and squares. I was an extremely shy child never had friends in school but at home i was very talkative about different subjects i was a very strange child with strange habits. I can remember as a teenager my love for facts and knowledge i really liked science and astronomy now I'm an adult my favourite thing seems to be Google i spend all my spare time looking up facts online and finding out things. I have done a few tests online probably not the best or reliable way of finding out but i usually score over 40 and they say over 30ish you could be, i used to go to a counsellor for depression anxiety i asked if she could refer me but she said no as you have social anxiety not aspergers the only place near me who tests is a blind college but they only test if your joining the college

 

[jackmt]

I've been wondering for about ten years if i have aspergers. i didn't walk till i was near 2 not sure if that's a sign, didn't speak till 18 months but when the health visitor came around after i was a year old i drew really good circles and squares. I was an extremely shy child never had friends in school but at home i was very talkative about different subjects i was a very strange child with strange habits. I can remember as a teenager my love for facts and knowledge i really liked science and astronomy now I'm an adult my favourite thing seems to be Google i spend all my spare time looking up facts online and finding out things. I have done a few tests online probably not the best or reliable way of finding out but i usually score over 40 and they say over 30ish you could be, i used to go to a counsellor for depression anxiety i asked if she could refer me but she said no as you have social anxiety not aspergers the only place near me who tests is a blind college but they only test if your joining the college

Sounds a lot like me. I was Dxed about a year ago. I figured out a year before that I had it. Actually, my wife read an article in one of her magazines. It took several months to find someone to help me navigate what I was learning and trying to deal with (I read about 15 books on the subject). I suggest you go online to an autism site and find a specialist in your area. I consider Tony Attwood's Complete Guide to Asperger's Syndrome the best book out there. It helped me to understand my life in terms of Asperger's. This was great relief, grief, and stress simultaneously.

 

[1watchman]

One should be careful about getting opinions from poor sources. As a retired family counselor I would recommend one see a Clinical Psychologist, who has experience in this area (some do not). Typically people go to Psychiatrists, but they usually support a strict definition and this can leave one "dropping through the cracks" who need some help. A good profile of history and testing is important.

As a Christian I would say that one who is functional in society and employable in a meaningful way (autistic or asperg.), should trust the Lord and go forth; attend a sound Christian church fellowship that can show real love and support; and they should be much in prayer and devotion to the Lord Jesus, who is the great Physician. He may not choose to work a miracle of healing, but will use you as you are in a good way, and bless you forever.

 

[LovedSparrow]

Welcome, Christine.
It sounds like you do have a lot of symptoms, between your childhood years and now. Do you have obsessions?

I can't diagnose, but some symptoms sound like it. It may be helpful to read some of the older posts here, to compare your symptoms to others. If you see a doctor (which I recommend), you can compile a list for him of symptoms you do have.

 

[ckonrad]

aspergers syndrome can be diagnosed physically there are indications and abnormalities in the frontal lobe of the brain. If you get tested in that way and you don't have it then there is no reason to believe you have it just because you are a quiet person or socially awkward or obsessed with things or have any other symptoms, however i would only get tested for it if you feel like you would want treatments for it, if your symptoms aren't cutting into your personal life then it really isn't a problem or disorder then.

 

[jackmt]

aspergers syndrome can be diagnosed physically there are indications and abnormalities in the frontal lobe of the brain. If you get tested in that way and you don't have it then there is no reason to believe you have it just because you are a quiet person or socially awkward or obsessed with things or have any other symptoms, however i would only get tested for it if you feel like you would want treatments for it, if your symptoms aren't cutting into your personal life then it really isn't a problem or disorder then.

It would be good to know for other than personal reasons. My first cousin died alone undiagnosed in his 50s. My brother likewise in his 40s. It runs in the family on my father's side from the men, apparently. Had I been Dxed 20 years ago, it might have affected their lives. We are now on the lookout in the next generations.

 

[Standing_Ultraviolet]

If you have a relatively high quality of life (ie., your condition doesn't substantially limit your ability to function), then it's a call between whether you're curious enough to spend the money to get a diagnosis or not. I would say that there's a fairly high chance you could have an Autism Spectrum Disorder, because although internet tests are not valid like an actual evaluation from a licensed psychologist, they do usually include accurate symptoms and (if answered honestly) should tell you something, especially if your score skews abnormally high.

 

[LovedSparrow]

Does anyone know if it is expensive to get diagnosed? I've heard it is. Would it be covered under insurance?

 

[jackmt]

Does anyone know if it is expensive to get diagnosed? I've heard it is. Would it be covered under insurance?

I went to a local public health clinic seeking counseling. The head of the department is a specialist in Asperger's and she has a son with AS. Voc rehab paid for a DX with a psychologist who gave me the MMPI and IQ test. She gave me my second official DX. Cost to me was $10.

Where on the edge of the earth do you live?If nobody lives there, that's where I want to be.

 

[Standing_Ultraviolet]

Where on the edge of the earth do you live?If nobody lives there, that's where I want to be.

It's called Appalachia. Beautiful place, but it gets very snowy in the winter

 

[jackmt]

It's called Appalachia. Beautiful place, but it gets very snowy in the winter

I lived most of my life in the D.C. area. I had a 1/2 ac. lot outside of Del Ray, W.V. I love the area, Romney, Shenandoah River, etc. I now live in the northern Rockies. You don't have to tell me about snowy winters.