Thinking I may be hfa/aspergers

It's good to know other people are affected in a similar way. For me it's only a big issue if it's someone being inconsiderate or at least me thinking that. So for example the sound of my own kids or those of our friends if they're round generally I can cope with but if next door's kids are playing in their garden (we don't get on well with them anyway because of previous noise issues) it massively gets to me. The sound of my kids can still cause me issues if they're talking at the same time for example but it's easier to cope with.

When noise causes me issues it feels like my ability to concentrate is completely shut off and I literally can't think straight. I feel like I have to either shut it out or get away from the issue which has led to me walking out before and not coming back home for several hours. Not a good experience for the kids either. So it's important for me that I find a way to cope with the noise issues but I'm vary wary now of bringing up the autism possibility.

Also a few people say about ear plugs etc which is an ok short term solution but in my research into sound sensitivity or hyperacusis there are things that say it's a bad thing to do because it can make you even more sensitive to background noise.

Thecornflake said:

 I now think it could be a combination of being sensitive to sound and the whole being angry about people "not playing by the rules" as I have seen it put.

I can absolutely identify with this.

I had a terrible time at work when I was required to permanently stay in an area I couldn't stand. As soon as I went there I became aware of every noise and even smells present and knew I could not cope with it.

Despite not being forced to work there it troubled me terribly and even eventually led to visiting the mental health unit at the local hospital. The problem was that despite being allowed to work in my usual location the experience made me become hyper-sentisitive to any sounds and especially any new sounds, which somehow were perceived as a threat to me.

I've also had a bad time with the barking of my neighbour's dogs. Although not as bad now, I found it so distressing that I put on ear defenders to shut it out. This 'not playing by the rules' especially strikes a chord with me because I strongly feel people should try to respect the needs of their neighbours as far as possible.

Up until now, I have always put this down to being sentitive but now I do wonder if it's all due to having Aspergers traits.

I would concur with what other members have posted above.  Getting a diagnosis might be a help if you have negative issues.

I decided to go for an official diagnosis partly as a result of doing online tests (including the AQ test), and also a close family member recognising some autistic traits in myself.  Apart from things like social issues, I've had communication/perception problems throughout my working life, which at times have had a big impact at work, so am very keen to see if the assessment can confirm if this is a related problem, and how best to handle it.

It seems that many people who are diagnosed with an ASC when an adult suddenly realise why they have done the things they have done, and all seems to fall into place.  I would agree about pushing the doctor for a referral, though some are very approachable.  My doctor was excellent, taking in my evidence and referring me without question.

It's up to you to choose, of course, but I'm sure it would be of some help.

Thecornflake said:

I did, mentioned it above  - score in the 40's. 

That's pretty high. I was in the high 30's and have since been diagnosed.

I'd think it's fairly safe to assume your an aspie.

Cheers,

Paul

I did, mentioned it above  - score in the 40's. I've done some others, results from another one (sorry about rubbish formatting) -

Total score

Language

Social relatedness

Sensory/motor

Circumscribed interests

Test taken by you on 7 July 2016

154.0

14.0

84.0

20.0

36.0

Threshold values for suspected ASD

65.0

4.0

31.0

16.0

15.0

The average score for males with ASD (2405 people took this test)

148.7

11.9

72.8

35.6

28.5

At least do the test, it's pretty reliable then you'll have a good idea.

Anonymous said:

Welcome.

Do the test that Tom mentioned and then go to your GP. Don't be fobbed off. They will probably say that if it's not causing you issues then why bother. Make sure you are clear about the negative issues you have had with it - like the noise sensitivity.

You are in the right job for someone with aspergers, IT. I work in IT too and I find computers much easier to understand than people...much, much easier.

I had an assessment a few weeks ago and the assessor confirmed my suspicions about myself and I'm awaiting the written diagnosis.

Much of your list applies to me also.

Paul

I'm in two minds whether to go to my GP or not as I'm not sure if I would want an official diagnosis. My main goal currently is figuring out how likely it is that I'm on the spectrum and if so should I deal with my issues differently with that knowledge? Especially interested to know if I should be coping with my noise issues differently.

Plus it kind of feels good knowing there could be something that explains a lot of issues I've had.

I have had some therapy after my last time of feeling suicidal which was specifcally brought on by noise, it helped with the general depression and anxiety a little bit but I'm still get the overwhelmed feeling a lot when in noisy or busy places.

Welcome.

Do the test that Tom mentioned and then go to your GP. Don't be fobbed off. They will probably say that if it's not causing you issues then why bother. Make sure you are clear about the negative issues you have had with it - like the noise sensitivity.

You are in the right job for someone with aspergers, IT. I work in IT too and I find computers much easier to understand than people...much, much easier.

I had an assessment a few weeks ago and the assessor confirmed my suspicions about myself and I'm awaiting the written diagnosis.

Much of your list applies to me also.

Paul

Thanks for the replies. 

Yes social anxiety is a big issue for me, I haven't listed every symptom. I wasnt even able to walk into a town to go shopping until a couple of years ago and still struggle sometimes. I put it down to the effects of school bullying which probably is partly to blame anyway. 

I score about 40 on the test but it's hard to answer because there is the way I would be if I acted purely naturally and the way I act having changed behaviour so it's very subjective. 

The thing that bothered me about taking a self-administered test is that some of the questions made me a bit confused because I really had to think about how much they applied to me. Maybe I was overthinking things but I did not want to automatically tick boxes due to a desire to categorize myself and I think one of the problems with answering questions about yourself is that you do not always see yourself as others do because people are not always objective about their own behaviours. 

It is probably a better idea to ask someone who knows you well to give their opinion about some of the questions, especially if you are not all that confident about what the answers should be. 

This is why I think it is important to seek a professional assessment before assuming you are on the Aspergers Spectrum because, as is often the case in the medical world, there is often an overlap in symptoms of a variety of conditions which, to the layman, can lead to false conclusions.   

This is the reason why I did not complete any of the questionaires and although I suspect I do have at least one or two Aspergers traits I refuse to label myself unless and until I receive a proper assessment, something I will probably never do unless things really do go downhill in a big way.