Any one know if it's possible to suffer from Aspergers even if you have no problem (i.e. are good at) with the following: conversion, joking around, banter, sarcasm. I have no overiliteralness problems etc and have always considered myself quite empathic.
I do however score 32 or the typical Aspergers test and suffer particularly with rumination. I have also been formally diagnosed, however I found the (NHS) diagnosis process both inadequate and shoddy.
hfed, as you may know, autism is a spectrum so you may be somewhere along this spectrum, which means you will show some autistic traits and not others and the combinations of such traits may well be specific to you. This is why the other posters here, who have their own set of unique traits, will correspond to your situation to a greater or lesser degree.
Whether you feel this presents a problem in your life is for you to say but if you are experiencing quite serious difficulties that interfere with your life then you may need to contact your local services. If you have been formally diagnosed this shouldn't be too much of a problem.
If you were diagnosed properly all of the factors contributing to a positive result would have been taken into consideration - things like empathy, social communication etc., so I wonder whether you do have an accurate picture of how you interact with others. Maybe you are just a good 'actor', kind of winging it, but do not naturally fit in to social situations.
The point is though that if you only had some autistic traits and not enough to be clinically diagnosed you should never have received an official diagnosis. This could be one reason you are somewhat perplexed by the self-assessment of your behaviour.
The fact that you found your diagnosis 'shoddy' may be a manifestation of your condition, i.e., 'perfectionism', which is one of many Aspie traits.
On the other hand, it the diagnosis you received was badly performed then maybe you should go back and ask for another one.
Self esteem is a central problem that I believe many people suffer from. NTs as well as AS people. NTs have a hierarchy they need to fit into and those lower in the "pecking order" may have low self esteem. This can lead to relationship problems, which again everyone has - just look at the divorce rate.
Being an Aspie is just about having different perceptions and thinking processes. In itself it's not a disability - it only becomes a problem if that difference causes too much anxiety.
I don't have self esteem issues because I know I'm not a bad person, in fact I'm very empathetic. My "difference" makes me a valued employee due to my attention to detail and creative thinking. I try not to worry much about what most other people think - only the opinion of my partner and my best friend are important to me.
I like who I am.
Hi Pixiefox,
That's very interesting, yes I'm very confident myself I don't have humour, conversational or literalness issues. In fact I would consider those things part of my strengths.
I do find it interesting you have no self esteem issues.
I've always seen my problems to be chronic self esteem and self consciousness and the loneliness that follows on from those issues. The fact you don't have those issues suggests that they don't automatically follow on from Asperger's.
I have to say I have found the suggestion/diagnosis I have Asperger's quite confusing in as much as if I do have it how much of my problems of self esteem/self consciousness and knock on loneliness are down to it and how much are just independent of it.
Yourself and at least one other person who replied in this thread have indicated they are in long term relationships, I've never even come close, do I blame "Asperger's" or what I originally thought were my problems - low self esteem and self consciousness.
Anyway, thanks for the reply - getting other perspectives is really helpful.
Cheers.
Hi guys,
Sorry about my terse and spello laden replies this afternoon I was on the phone. Just to say I think in summary what I'm getting is that yes you can have Asperger's without have those particular over literalness traits but also it's important to get as much external perspective as possible.
Thanks for taking the time to reply,
Cheers.
hey, thanks again for reply. i really don't have no inadequacy on the humour front and have reasonable feedback to confirm I'm not delusional on the point.
But i take your point on more exacting situations. On the relationship point no i live alone but that has always felt to me like a self esteem issue.
One of the problems with the assessment was a couldn't provide a third party reference, family want a possibility.
One of the problems with Aspergers is that we are all quite different ant it is hard to spot the common problems. There is a saying "when you have met one person with autism then you have just met one person with autism" A specialist will be able to spot the communication problems but your colleague is unable to spot the similarities.
You are happy with your ability to do banter, you think that you are not over literal but that is perhaps different from what other people think? One of the problems with people with autism is their poor ability to really understand what other people think of them.
Having an agreeable time with the lads down the pub is perhaps not the most exacting test! You may also be able to perform a work role without difficulty if it does not require a lot of negotiation and social communication. Might I ask whether you live alone or have a partner? Ability to form satisfactory long term relationships is often really hard for someone with auitsm.
Has your treatment for esteem, anxiety and depression been changed now that you have a diagnosis?
Hi thanks for the reply - appreciated.
I've had life long probems with low self esteem, depression and anxiety, within therapy it was noticed I had poor eye contact and that prompted the diagnosis.
With the regard to the diagnosis I have clear cut reason for my opinions on its quality but that aside I would be interested if you or anyone else could indulge the premise - is it possible to have Aspergers but still but good at humour, banter, no over literalness issues etc.
I think I do have other "traits" ,e.g. quite severe rumination, light sensistive for example but what's causing me dissonance is the social interation issue, so e.g. down the pub with the lads type banter is effortless to me for example.
As an aside I suggested to a colleague who I've shared an office with for 15+ years that I think I may suffer from Aspergers - his repsonse, "I have a relative who has aspergers and you definitely don't suffer from it."
You may not think you have a problem but perhaps you struggle to see what other people see? Something must have prompted the diagnosis - would you care to expand on that?
The fact that you found the diagnosis "inadequate and shoddy" is actually revealing. We are very analytical and quick to find faults but often not very good at identifying the good parts of things. My guess is that the diagnosis, despite the faults you identified, is absolutely correct.
