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I suspect that i do have a very mild form but I never sought a formal diagnosis. It wasn't really a "thing" back in my school days.
But I've always been a more concrete thinker vs abstract, have minor sensory integration issues, etc.
I also have first degree relatives with schizophrenia, primarily negative features, and there is much genetic correlation between that particular type of schizophrenia and the autism spectrum.
Yup. Me and my whole damn family! I too had a relative (cousin) with schizophrenia.
Think of Aspergers not as a disorder but a characteristic. There are upsides to it but it does present us with challenges, sometimes severe. I'm like Utopian Slums in that that I am a concrete thinker but son was pretty abstract. I am typically poor on the social skills scale while my son was a master. He learned it. So we are all different within our similarities. Some of us are happy, some of us not so much. There have been many famous people who are now believed to have had Aspergers (some living too). I have an Aspergers cousin (brother to the schizophrenic) who was a fairly well known professor in the US. His books can be found on the natural science shelves.
Not sure what I have but I have something. Through my research online I fit the description. I went in for an evaluation with a new therapist and she says it sounds like I have high functioning autism. She says it's also common for autistic people to be picky eaters (which I am)
It's only depressing me because it feels like a death sentence to my future (which I was already worried about)
Not sure what I have but I have something. Through my research online I fit the description. I went in for an evaluation with a new therapist and she says it sounds like I have high functioning autism. She says it's also common for autistic people to be picky eaters (which I am)
It's only depressing me because it feels like a death sentence to my future (which I was already worried about)
It won't affect your future if you don't let it. I used to be so bad I couldn't even talk. Now I am much better and am even fairly good at giving speeches and presentations. I graduate in a year as a medical laboratory scientist, and I'm going to go to med school to become a physician. People with aspergers have been know to be very brilliant.
It won't affect your future if you don't let it. I used to be so bad I couldn't even talk. Now I am much better and am even fairly good at giving speeches and presentations. I graduate in a year as a medical laboratory scientist, and I'm going to go to med school to become a physician. People with aspergers have been know to be very brilliant.
The problem is it seems my mentality already has. Maybe I am intelligent (I certainly am a natural born writer as you can tell) but I feel stupid when it comes to getting a job. The whole thing is very overwhelming when your head is not "screwed on" straight. I feel like I'm in the worst position too because I have been unsuccessful in doing it on my own but at the same time it appears I'm not significant enough to get help with a job. I have my first appointment scheduled for the therapist that evaluated me but I don't know what she can do if the group she referred me to clearly states on their website that you have to have significant mental issues to get help from them. The only one that would possibly fit me in their description is "difficulties in talking". What would they consider a difficulty? You probably can't tell most of the time that there's an issue with me...it is more internal. I think when people do notice my "glitches" in verbal speech I feel like they attribute it to nervousness (which I know it isn't just that but that's probably what they think). The thing that feels the most crippling is talking on the phone especially if I have to leave a message.
I think it would have worked out if I had got diagnosed early on but no one thought to so now that I'm technically an adult people don't really make an effort to help get me independent. I would imagine that I'd have to reach the point where I'm put in the psych ward to get the help I need.
The problem is it seems my mentality already has. Maybe I am intelligent (I certainly am a natural born writer as you can tell) but I feel stupid when it comes to getting a job. The whole thing is very overwhelming when your head is not "screwed on" straight. I feel like I'm in the worst position too because I have been unsuccessful in doing it on my own but at the same time it appears I'm not significant enough to get help with a job. I have my first appointment scheduled for the therapist that evaluated me but I don't know what she can do if the group she referred me to clearly states on their website that you have to have significant mental issues to get help from them. The only one that would possibly fit me in their description is "difficulties in talking". What would they consider a difficulty? You probably can't tell most of the time that there's an issue with me...it is more internal. I think when people do notice my "glitches" in verbal speech I feel like they attribute it to nervousness (which I know it isn't just that but that's probably what they think). The thing that feels the most crippling is talking on the phone especially if I have to leave a message.
I think it would have worked out if I had got diagnosed early on but no one thought to so now that I'm technically an adult people don't really make an effort to help get me independent. I would imagine that I'd have to reach the point where I'm put in the psych ward to get the help I need.
I know there are actual tests they do to test for aspergers, which is what I had done when I was younger. You should try to ask a doctor for beta blockers. I've heard beta blockers help a lot with anxiety and talking to people. I always hated the idea of getting a job too. A while ago I had to get a job at McDonald's because I was desperate for money and it was an experience full of embarrassing moments and I had to talk to customers ALOT. It did however make me better at talking to people and in the end was worth it.
But seriously, there are psychological tests to determine if someone has aspergers. They should take you more seriously. If you really think you have aspergers try to request having the tests done and maybe get some beta blockers.
Nick- it is in no way a "death sentence!" Many people like Free have great lives.
I used to be an extremely picky eater- no sauces, no pizza, no vegetables, etc. I often wish I still was!
I think that "autism" in general is over diagnosed but when it is under diagnosed, it seems more females are not being correctly diagnosed. Females are more likely to be seen as "being anxious" or "borderline" when they make inappropriate comments (which I do all the time but am always improving at.)
In hs, I worked in fast food. As long as it was "fast," i really liked it as opposed to other typical hs jobs like in retail. I liked working quick and steady and not having to have actual "conversations." Maybe you could consider a typical "male" job with little people interaction like manual labor or security?
I know there are actual tests they do to test for aspergers, which is what I had done when I was younger. You should try to ask a doctor for beta blockers. I've heard beta blockers help a lot with anxiety and talking to people. I always hated the idea of getting a job too. A while ago I had to get a job at McDonald's because I was desperate for money and it was an experience full of embarrassing moments and I had to talk to customers ALOT. It did however make me better at talking to people and in the end was worth it.
But seriously, there are psychological tests to determine if someone has aspergers. They should take you more seriously. If you really think you have aspergers try to request having the tests done and maybe get some beta blockers.
I'm really against medicine. In fact I'm going to get my stomach checked out and I'm not even sure about them sedating me. That's how iffy I am about taking medicine.
I know parts of my mentality aren't healthy but when it comes to trying to change your brain's wiring it'd be too weird to mess with it. I don't really want to "fix" my issues. If I've been dealing with them for this long I'm going to be okay with them in general. I just need help getting a job. That's my only concern. Plus medicine is against me. I don't know if this is part of autism (they do say we have heightened senses which I do) but I don't do well with it because of my hypochondriac tendencies.
If they do give me a test, I would hope that they'd try and work with me instead of just telling me to take medicine.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Utopian Slums
Nick- it is in no way a "death sentence!" Many people like Free have great lives.
I used to be an extremely picky eater- no sauces, no pizza, no vegetables, etc. I often wish I still was!
I think that "autism" in general is over diagnosed but when it is under diagnosed, it seems more females are not being correctly diagnosed. Females are more likely to be seen as "being anxious" or "borderline" when they make inappropriate comments (which I do all the time but am always improving at.)
In hs, I worked in fast food. As long as it was "fast," i really liked it as opposed to other typical hs jobs like in retail. I liked working quick and steady and not having to have actual "conversations." Maybe you could consider a typical "male" job with little people interaction like manual labor or security?
That would make sense because we have hormones that could mess with our mind so of course they're going to think we're just anxious.
I wish I could do manual labor because there's as many jobs for that as retail maybe more but I have "toothpicks" for arms. I can barely lift my Pom and he's like 17 pounds. The gravity takes it toll on me soon after.
Security...maybe but I don't know what I'd have to offer them that would set me apart from the competition and haven't seen much listings for them.
I'm really against medicine. In fact I'm going to get my stomach checked out and I'm not even sure about them sedating me. That's how iffy I am about taking medicine.
I know parts of my mentality aren't healthy but when it comes to trying to change your brain's wiring it'd be too weird to mess with it. I don't really want to "fix" my issues.
It may not be so much about 'wiring' as neuro-chemicals/transmitters. My son was sensitive to medications too. That made treating his anxiety and depression a problem. He suffered anxiety and mood swings (bipolar tendencies).
Quote:
we have hormones that could mess with our mind
In place of medications there may be effective measures you might try which can do no harm. These are nutrients (amino acids) that cross the blood-brain barrier and provide the brain something to work with. L-Theanine helps with anxiety and mood swings and L-Typtophan helps with depression. L-Theanine is found in tea and L-Tryptophan is found in cashews. They can be had in concentrated form on the internet or local heath shop or chemist. They do help and do improve mental function but not necessarily dramatically. Do a Google search on them and see what you think. Also look up GABA (Gamma AminoButyric Acid), an important regulatory neuro-transmitter.
L-Thyrosine is another one which raises one's norepinephrine levels should there be a deficiency. It makes one more alert. There is a drug that does the same thing and was prescribed to me because I couldn't wake up properly and ran out of steam in the afternoons. Amphetamines woke me up just fine but ran out about mid day. Drugs have side effects though.
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