While nowadays a significant number of individuals are diagnosed with Autism or Asperger’s syndrome during childhood or adolescence, many Aspies have never received a formal diagnosis. This could mean that you are in your twenties, thirties, forties, fifties, sixties and asking yourself “Do I have Asperger’s?”
Perhaps you have been unaware of Asperger’s for most of your life, just knowing that you are somehow different than the average (neurotypical) person, but chalk this up to merely having rather unique personality traits. Perhaps you have now heard a story about Asperger’s on the news, or heard of a friend or a friend’s child being diagnosed with Asperger’s and noticing that the common Aspie traits also describe you.
You can check out a list of Asperger’s symptoms and traits on WebMD.
The most common traits of Aspies include:
- A very high level of attention to detail and focused interests (which some may talk endlessly about…)
- Difficultly making eye contact, reading facial expressions and understanding social ques
- Strong dislike of loud noises and/or bright lights
Keep in mind, Aspies can be highly intelligent and many with this “syndrome” are happy to have it!
Okay, so you think you do, in fact, have Asperger’s – Now what?
It may be a weight off your shoulders to know that your not alone and there are thousands of others like you! There are online communities of Aspies out there which is perfect because it’s an easy way to meet others without any awkwardness. Some communities of interest include WrongPlanet.net, which is for anyone on the spectrum, and AspiesCentral.com, which is obviously aimed specifically at those with Asperger’s .
Also, stay tuned as we are planning to launch an Aspie forum online community here on Aspieweb in the near future!
If you’re still not sure if you have Asperger’s or not, or perhaps merely wish for a physician to confirm what you already know in your heart to be true, then you may want to visit a Doctor to begin the process of former diagnosis. This may be necessary if you are looking to collect social insurance for Asperger’s, or are seeking other support resources that require an official diagnosis.
Related Posts |
{ 1 comment… read it below or add one }
However, folks, remember that being an aspie isn’t all a bed of roses.If you have Asperger’s Syndrome, you’ve probably known from very early in life that you were different from the other people. You may not have known the word for it, but you knew it. You may have all the intellect of an Einstein or an Emily Dickinson or a half dozen college degrees, but you are probably unemployed or underemployed.
You probably struggled with loneliness , social isolation and been the target of bullies. You may be androgynous–if you are a male, you may be shy, withdrawn and passive; people may criticize you for not being “manly” enough. if you are female, on the other hand, you may have been called a tomboy and criticized for lacking the graces of a “real” woman. You’ve probably had so many negative social experiences, that you have a hard time trusting anyone and get stressed out very easily.
You are probably resistant to change and feel comfortable following a well-worn routine. You may well suffer from depression and anxiety. If you are in your forties, fifties or sixties, you may well feel ashamed of yourself for not having fulfilled early expectations and never having been able to achieve a “real” career or a “real” life and your parents, employers and others may have told you often how disappointed they were in you.
If all these things are true, the discovery, even late in life, that you have Asperger’s Syndrome may prove liberating as it did to me. Knowing that there is, after all, a reason behind all the mess-ups and screw-ups that litter an aspie’s life can be very empowering and can feel like having the weight of the world lifted from our back.
If, on the other hand, none of these factors describe you, if your life has been fairly normal, as the world considers normality, if you are not a square peg in a world of round holes, you are probably not an aspie. Anyone disagree?