[LeCigareVolant]

I am not sure whether I have Social Anxiety Disorder or whether I have Asperger's syndrome. Is there a way to find out? Are there strong differences between the two that could help me come to a conclusion? The tests I have taken seem to be neither here nor there because of the way the responses are formed plus sometimes I don't understand how to connect the questions with the answers. Choosing between Slightly Agree and Slightly Disagree is confusing.
I wish Jeff Foxworthy would just come up with a monologue titled "30 signs that you might have Asperger's" that would be a quick and easy way to find out lol

[Shanzy]

Originally Posted by LeCigareVolant

I am not sure whether I have Social Anxiety Disorder or whether I have Asperger's syndrome. Is there a way to find out? Are there strong differences between the two that could help me come to a conclusion? The tests I have taken seem to be neither here nor there because of the way the responses are formed plus sometimes I don't understand how to connect the questions with the answers. Choosing between Slightly Agree and Slightly Disagree is confusing.
I wish Jeff Foxworthy would just come up with a monologue titled "30 signs that you might have Asperger's" that would be a quick and easy way to find out lol

The two are not mutually excluse. That is, one can have both Social Anxiety and Aspergers, the former usually being as a result of the social difficulties faced with AS. To use an example, a person with Anxiety would not look someone in the eye because they were afraid of doing so, whereas a person with Aspergers would not do so because they find it uncomfortable/distracting from what the individual they are conversing with is actually saying. Which of the two do you feel you relate to more?

[LeCigareVolant]

Originally Posted by Shanzy

The two are not mutually excluse. That is, one can have both Social Anxiety and Aspergers, the former usually being as a result of the social difficulties faced with AS. To use an example, a person with Anxiety would not look someone in the eye because they were afraid of doing so, whereas a person with Aspergers would not do so because they find it uncomfortable/distracting from what the individual they are conversing with is actually saying. Which of the two do you feel you relate to more?

Hi, thanks for your reply,
personally I look people in the eye without feeling awkward, but I often avoid looking in their eyes when conversing because it distracts me. Sometimes if I am having a conversation and I am looking somebody in the eye when they are saying something, I then have to look away for a second and repeat what they said in my mind, in order to understand it.

[Shanzy]

Originally Posted by LeCigareVolant

Hi, thanks for your reply,
personally I look people in the eye without feeling awkward, but I often avoid looking in their eyes when conversing because it distracts me. Sometimes if I am having a conversation and I am looking somebody in the eye when they are saying something, I then have to look away for a second and repeat what they said in my mind, in order to understand it.

That is a common difficulty individuals with AS face. If I may ask, what leads you to believe you may have Social Anxiety?

[LeCigareVolant]

Thank you for your reply!
Well, I guess it is because I feel awkward in social situations while other people are at ease. I can be very good during job interviews, or if I feel like it, I can charm a whole crowd and be "liked", as long as the conversation is interesting. People like my sense of humour. When I am in situations though where a group of people are keeping company with each other, for example a bar, and are basically having a mundane conversation with lots of small talk and they are being bubbly I have NO idea what to do. I feel as if they are from one species and I am from another. I just withdraw completely, and I am bored to death at the same time coz small talk is boring to me, so I lose interest. I don't have to be the center of attention in order to be happy, I don't have to be "center stage", but overall I am better socially if there is a defined subject of interesting conversation, and people are exchanging comments on it. Small talk and exchanging fast short phrases all over the place is just chaos to me. Pointless chaos, but that is how people seem to bond I think. Plus, as I always say, if I could go through life typing instead of talking, I would be much more succesful, even if I am sitting next to the person I am typing to! lol

[Resident Bipolar]

If I'm honest, if neither conditions really seem a highly probable relation for you...I'm not sure at all if either could be applicable to you.

The truth of it is that we all come somewhere on the autistic spectrum, every single one of us. Pretty much the entire population of this planet will look at the list of the symptoms and highly relate to one or more of them or slightly relate to 3 or more. It's more the severity and how each SPECIFICALLY apply to you which can lead to a diagnoses of an autistic spectrum disorder.

As Shanzy said, though...social anxiety and asperger syndrome do sometimes cross over with some of their symptoms. This is because one of the main issues with aspergers is social functioning. Once again, to warrant a diagnoses for either, the severity of the symptoms in your case must be taken into account.

RB ♥

[Orwell]

Do you have sensory issues?
Do you have obsessive interests?
Can you read facial expressions and body language?
Do you enjoy stimming?

People with aspergers usually have obsessive interests,sensory issues and can't read body language.They enjoy stimming.

There is a big difference between social anxiety and aspergers.
I have both and many other disabilities as well. Trust me you don't want aspergers!