Is my asperger's syndrome holding me back in life?

To be brutually honest, and expressing sincere sympathy with mark123's plight, yes, his Asperger's is to blame. Friendship difficulties are part and parcel of the condition, and not withstanding longman's good intentions, it is not very helpful to imply that the difficulties are synonymous with what NT's experience, despite superficial overlaps. If autism is not to blame, what is? I can understand fully what mark is going through because I have experienced such difficulties myself because of my autism, however there are solutions and coping strategies. Meeting people with shared interests is one such solution, as is joining Asperger groups where you might meet people with similar issues. Having Asperger's does not mean you will never be able to have a relationship, but it can explain why so many people with AS struggle to find someone and why people with AS are a lot more likely to be on their own than an NT. So yes, the Asperger's has been holding  mark back, as it has held back and countless others, and this is the grim face of living with what is, for many, a disability. However, being held back is not the same thing as being prevented from attaining life's goals, which is not an inevitable part of the condition. Some goals, if not all, can be met, but be kind to yoursef - it can take a lot longer to achieve them, and with far more stress and effort, than it takes for most NT's to achieve the same. That's reality.

To be brutually honest, and expressing sincere sympathy with mark123's plight, yes, his Asperger's is to blame. Friendship difficulties are part and parcel of the condition, and not withstanding longman's good intentions, it is not very helpful to imply that the difficulties are synonymous with what NT's experience, despite superficial overlaps. If autism is not to blame, what is? I can understand fully what mark is going through because I have experienced such difficulties myself because of my autism, however there are solutions and coping strategies. Meeting people with shared interests is one such solution, as is joining Asperger groups where you might meet people with similar issues. Having Asperger's does not mean you will never be able to have a relationship, but it can explain why so many people with AS struggle to find someone and why people with AS are a lot more likely to be on their own than an NT. So yes, the Asperger's has been holding  mark back, as it has held back and countless others, and this is the grim face of living with what is, for many, a disability. However, being held back is not the same thing as being prevented from attaining life's goals, which is not an inevitable part of the condition. Some goals, if not all, can be met, but be kind to yoursef - it can take a lot longer to achieve them, and with far more stress and effort, than it takes for most NT's to achieve the same. That's reality.