Hi, disclaimer this is my first time in this forum Im usually in the borderline forum, so forgive me if I say anything wrong.

So everyone in this thread bring up great points about AS and such, I have shown many traits of AS myself, but thus far been shot down, I want to bring up the possibility to the pdoc I go see on the 17th of this month (along with other things) My whole life I have had poor social skills, it's not like my parents didn't try with me, I was in Girl Scouts from pre-k through 7th grade, basketball 4th-6th grade, band/marching band from 6th grade on now going into my third season of college marching band. I loved all the activities I was in, but I felt I never quit fit in with anyone, I was either all on my own in a corner or something like that, or hanging around the adults/parents of each group. It's like I never gained any ability to talk and or interact with other kids in appropriate ways, I was either under-reactive or over-reactive to situations. And as of highschool, I gaind enough skills to atleast make appropriate small talk with others, and bacame attached to a friend who I no longer talk to, (lives in another state now), but still I couldn't figure out why I didn't quite fit in, why I always stayed off in my own little world, by myself at lunch, hide in the band room locker rooms etc. I never really made any close friends at all that were my age, and now I just tag along my younger sisters' when they're friends are around, they're 17 and 12, and at school I don't socialize unless I have to, others that I meet tend to find me a bit odd. Yet I try to act normal, try to have small talk, try to socialize with the other band kids, but I feel they don't see my efforts and find me quite immature for my age, Im 20yrs old. In a way they're right, but on the other hand Im quite mature for my age in other areas. At a young age, I would speak with a higher level of vocabulary than other kids, when I did speak that is, I had high moral values and tended to be more logical, yet acted on impulse and misbehaved quite a bit.

I also have a great span of memory which isn't a problem I like it, and some of it about 90% is photographic or visual based, I tend to memorize things very easily, spelling was easy for me in elementary school. i remember exact dates easily, not all but a lot, and some small details from those dates, I also do memorize music I play easily, but I have vision problems that will obstruct me from memorizing it faster. I can pull random facts out of no where, things I read up on, research etc.

It isn't just the social skils and relationships I have issues with, I have other problems as well, sensitivity to touch, pain, light, sound (band/marching band helped that a little) not liking places with huge crowds, malls busy stores places with a lot of commotion are an example, yet I like fireworks shows/laser lightshows and don't need earplugs but when they're over I get very socially drained. The same can happen even with small family gatherings after a certain time I get very drained, and tend to get snappy and fussy with others. But im not quite sure if they're attributed to my visual impairment, and or another mental health condition, because I can understand things that people with AS typically don't understand, I have a great sense of empathy towards others, though I do not show it giving visible affection is quite difficult for me, yet I can listen to and even give advice to others (mostly family) on their problems. I try to show the correct emotion when appropriate, some facial emotions I can read, basics, but I do have a visual impairment which I have to take into consideration. I understand some abstract concepts can think outside the box, and metaphors, though sarcasm is hard for me as are some types of jokes to understand, Im a pretty litteral person. i can also use my hands alot when speaking though that may just be a family/personality thing. But I express myself better in a personal way through writing, and an acidemic way through speaking, that I find odd.

So like i said idk if it truely is AS or another condition/mental health wise with similar traits, Im not self diagnosing, or looking for you all to daignose me, just for some feed back on whether or not I should bring this up to the pdoc I will be seeing, since Im pretty much trying to get evaluated for the first time since the age of 12. I just have a natural need to know things and won't let certain things go until I know them; I always get told Im on the same subject, like a broken record, and I over think and over analyze things too much. So I would apprciate some feed back please and thank you

Take care, and apologies for the post being so long I tend to ramble quite a bit. Hugs