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Originally Posted by Cyllya
In another topic of yours, I noticed you made a lot of assertions about other people's thoughts and opinions, including the sorts of things they wouldn't tell you. I thought that was pretty weird. How the heck do you know this stuff? Especially considering that you have diagnosed yourself with a condition that usually entails difficulty figuring out other people's unspoken feelings! I mean, guessing at other people's thoughts and opinions is definitely good (necessary); the weird part was how confident you were in your guess.
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This is actually one of the Aspergers traits which I do not identify with. I actually find that I am very sensitive to social cues and good at "reading between the lines". However, this wasn't always the case. When I was in high school, I seemed to lack this ability and often took things literally and at face value. This caused me to get made fun of a lot. I am wondering if maybe that is my natural state and my current sensitivity to social cues is due to hypervigilance as a result of getting picked on when I was younger.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Cyllya
My recommendation: get checked for ADHD. You wouldn't guess it from looking at the diagnostic criteria, but if you read about the experiences of adults with ADHD versus mild ASD (Asperger's), they are actually incredibly similar. I've started considering them the same condition. The difference is that ADHD will get you access to legit treatment while ASD does not! (Also, as an adult, it's probably easier to get an ADHD diagnosis. There are some clinicians who want you to do the super-expensive neuropsych testing, but those tests aren't even scientifically validated for diagnosing ADHD. Just find a psychiatrist who knows better.)
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ADHD is actually another thing I have been thinking about. I was diagnosed with mild ADD as a kid, but my parents and doctor decided it wasn't bad enough for the side effects of the medication to be worth it (I am thinking they made a big mistake here).
So ADHD and Aspergers are related then? Do most people with Aspergers also have ADHD? I've been under the impression that it is common for people with Aspergers to have very good logical reasoning skills and be very good with numbers. This is another trait I do not identify with. I have always found that I am slow in math and things of the sort. Wouldn't ADHD typically impair logical reasoning skills though?
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Originally Posted by Cyllya
The stimulant medication prescribed for ADHD mainly helps with executive functioning (which is probably what your "cognitive slowness" is) but it also seems to help with "social skills" too. This is probably because executive dysfunction will naturally make socializing/communicating more difficult than it should be, but I'm not sure that's the whole explanation.
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I have thought about stimulant medications in the past. However, I also do have social anxiety, and I am concerned about the possibility that stimulants could intensify it. Furthermore, my concern about anxiety medications is that they can impair my cognitive functioning. I guess this is why it is important to know if the root cause is cognitive problems or social anxiety. I am also wondering if they both need to be treated simultaneously and if that is possible.