Erm, right, OK. I've been wondering for a couple of years if I have Asperger Syndrome. i finally plucked up the courage to visit my GP a couple of weeks ago, who has referred me to the local MH team. Sadly, they have only offered me an appointment in November (more than three months away). I just wondered if anybody (particularly females, I'm a 26 year old female) could have a look at my main problems & see if they sound like typical problems faced by girls with AS. I have a Cadet course in October that may be slightly easier if they know I have AS, but I don't feel comfortable telling them without an official diagnosis. Basically;
- I have had problems sleeping - whatever time I wake up, however long I am asleep, I ALWAYS wake up feeling like I could just turn over & go back to sleep.
- I scored 40 on the AQ test, which I have done several times over the last few years, each time getting a very similar result.
- Only occasionally do I misunderstand a joke/sarcasm. Normally I am the one being sarcastic. I have no trouble understanding metaphors.
- I am not a girly girl. At all. I joke at work that I 'don't do girly s***'. Most of my friends are male, I love watching sport, I like my cars, planes, whatever. I also wear mens' t-shirts & jeans the vast majority of the time. Don't like the tight feeling of female fit clothes.
- I get told at work that I talk about my role with the Air Cadets WAY too much. I don't have any other hobby, between that & work I get very little down time. Hence why I talk about it.
- I work for the emergency services & volunteer with the Air Cadets. Discipline makes me feel safe. I know where I am & what the rules are. I never question anybody more experienced than me (to my cost at work. Kept my job by the skin of my teeth).
- I am ridiculously helpful to everybody. I will always be the one to lend a hand to a colleague struggling or with tons of work to do. I will always take on extra jobs.
- My writing has been stupidly tiny, ever since school. I have had at least 16 years of people telling me to write bigger, but I physically cannot.
- I LOVE people 'stroking' me. It sounds weird but somebody running their fingers lightly over my body (any part) really soothes me.
- As a child had speech therapy as I still wasn't talking at age three.
- The vast majority of my behaviour/conversations with people has been learnt over the years. I often get left 'on the edge' of conversations.
- I have been back & forth to my GP, been on three different brands of antidepressant, been diagnosed with low iron, underactive thyroid & only recently my GP admitted he was 'stumped' as to what was going on with me, but believes AS may be the answer.
- I HATE talking on the phone unless it is to my parents or my partner. I will do anything I can to avoid using the phone for calls.
- I am VERY good with navigation. I have been in my current job three years & already know the borough as well as people who have been there at least 15 years. I want to work either in the police helicopter or the air ambulance. Both jobs require good navigation. Strangely I don't have the same aversion to using the radio in work like the phone. Maybe because I know a lot of the time who I'm talking to on the radio.
- I am EXTREMELY picky with spelling & grammar. I will always pick up & mention a mistake a colleague has made in work, whether they want me to or not.
- I also cannot physically see another's point of view. Just cannot see or understand any other view other than mine. I always think the other person is in the wrong no matter what we are arguing over.
I apologise for the length of the post. There are other things I struggle with but I think I've said enough for now. If anybody has any coping tips, they would be much appreciated.
