[bamapsych]

Would this be diagnosed as Asperger's you think? Sorry if it get's too long lol.

I'm a 25 yr old female. Never been "like everyone else" lol. I have always been obsessed with objects that move (ride toys, toy tractors, remote control vehicles, tricycles, bikes, vehicles, four wheelers, jetskis, Volkswagen dunebuggys, the list goes on)... As I have aged, my interests have changed. I put the list in order for you so that you can tell how the obsessions have changed but they all have the common theme. I also have milder obsessions with people (including exT and current T), Psychology, math, drafting (which I have a degree in and also 6 yr career in), drums, Christian music and ministry.

As far as appearance goes, I always wear comfortable clothes. My wardrobe consists of jeans, tshirts, hoodies, athletic apparel. I despise church clothes and as soon as I walk through the door to my house, I'm stripping lol. I sleep naked because I don't like pj's touching me while i'm trying to sleep. I only like certain fabrics for my sheets. I want to buy or make one of those weighted blankets. I have an easy hair style.

I can be immature in my emotions, looks, behavior, and tastes for things. I like to follow rules and disciplines. It's never really bothered me to be alone, as long as abondment isn't a factor. I'm smart and have always done well in school and college. Sensitive to sounds and bright lights. K-12 grades would have pep rallys during football season every friday. I'd sit in the room with the teacher instead cause i couldn't handle the noise level. I've sit and cried in church as a child/teen cause the music and noise was too loud (to me anyways). I walked when I was 10 months old. I could carry on an "adult" conversation when I was very young. I've always related to adults easier than peers. Never been too huggy (perhaps because of touch sensory issues). I want hugs, but it freaks me out and people always comment how awkward I am at it. I have GI problems. I stim by rubbing my hands together really fast. I'm very shy and really awkward socially. I do good if I'm one-on-one, but when I'm in a group I pretty much shut down. It's hard for me to express emotions except for happy. Crying is almsot impossible. Saying "I love you" is rare for me. All that mushy stuff is eek !

On the other hand, I'm fully independent/self-sufficient. I have a full-time job for the past 6 years. I go to college and am a top student. I live alone and can drive a vehicle. I don't have meltdowns/tantrums, but did as a child/young teen. I've never had bad behavior, but I've always "followed the rules."

Maybe I will add more to the list later after I go home from work and look through my Asperger notes.

[Lost321]

I think you have some quirks that sound like Aspie quirks but it's hard to say because all Aspie's are different. I will say that when I was reaearching my son's diagnosis I noticed several of the same quirks in both my husband and I but neither one of us has Aspergers. I'm curious what originally made you suspect that you might have AS.

[bamapsych]

When I originally suspected AS, it was because I look at the ground when I talk to people. It is a distraction to look at their face. When im listening to people, ive learned to look at them out of respect. My T says that I struggle with "give and take" in conversation. I either say way too much or not enough.

[kazza29]

you sound like me and my pdoc thinks i maybe aspergers or mild autism

[Indie'sOK]

We are very much alike - I struggle with many of those symptoms myself. It does sound to me like you might have mild Asperger's, but you know yourself best.

Also...don't ever let anyone invalidate your feelings. If you feel you have it, you don't need to prove yourself to anyone. Even if a doctor says you don't have it and you still feel otherwise, seek a second opinion. There is little known in the professional world about AS in women. We present differently than boys and men, and doctors often miss it (or misdiagnose entirely) because they base their "facts" and knowledge on male AS stereotypes. You are the only one who can really know for sure.

There's a website that really helped me. It's a blog written by a woman with Asperger's who also has an autistic son. She probably knows more about it than even the most well-learned mental health professionals.

Two posts in particular really resonated with me:

Asperger's Traits (Women, Females, Girls)

Females with Asperger's Syndrome (Non-Official) Checklist

Hope this helps...I'm currently going through the exact same thing.

[bamapsych]

My T says I have symptoms, but she dont think its enought to diagnose. She has only had one client that she suspected was an Aspie and she said it was a male and had poor posture, speech impairment, rocked his body back and forth, etc. sounds to me like he was more autistic than just aspergers. me and T are in process of finding another T that has training and/or experience with clients on the spectrum

[Indie'sOK]

I hope it works out for you. My T isn't an expert on diagnosing AS, but she knows enough about it to effectively work with Aspies and can point out the subtle signs of the condition in females. I plan on going to my pdoc for further evaluation sometime later this year.

Originally Posted by bamapsych

When I originally suspected AS, it was because I look at the ground when I talk to people. It is a distraction to look at their face. When im listening to people, ive learned to look at them out of respect.

Have you always looked away when talking to others?

[bamapsych]

Originally Posted by Didgee Eeyou

Have you always looked away when talking to others?

I have as long as I can remember. Then when I was like 12 yr old an old grumpy man at church pretty much insisted I look him in the eyes. He told me how it says alot about a person. He said that it says your honest and you do it out of respect. So when im talking I still look down at the ground. looking at the person distracts me almost. When someone is talking I will look at them just becaise the old man taught me that I should

The reason I asked was your tendency to look at the ground. This may be due to an anxiety disorder, low self esteem and/or lack of confidence. It could be Asperger's or other psychiatric conditions.

Have you discussed your developmental history with your parents? This history is important in an adult diagnosis, especially for milder manifestations. You can use one of the many autism screening questionnaires, that are available on the internet as a guide to your questioning. Eg. CARS If there are childhood autistic behaviours, you can use this information to help justify an assessment.

Part of my assessment involved the use of two questionnaires, that my parents filled out. This history confirmed my diagnosis.

[OctobersBlackRose]

Originally Posted by Indie'sOK

We are very much alike - I struggle with many of those symptoms myself. It does sound to me like you might have mild Asperger's, but you know yourself best.

Also...don't ever let anyone invalidate your feelings. If you feel you have it, you don't need to prove yourself to anyone. Even if a doctor says you don't have it and you still feel otherwise, seek a second opinion. There is little known in the professional world about AS in women. We present differently than boys and men, and doctors often miss it (or misdiagnose entirely) because they base their "facts" and knowledge on male AS stereotypes. You are the only one who can really know for sure.

There's a website that really helped me. It's a blog written by a woman with Asperger's who also has an autistic son. She probably knows more about it than even the most well-learned mental health professionals.

Two posts in particular really resonated with me:

Asperger's Traits (Women, Females, Girls)

Females with Asperger's Syndrome (Non-Official) Checklist

Hope this helps...I'm currently going through the exact same thing.

Thank you for the links, I read them and wow, this explain a lot of what I am going through. I actually sent them to my parents so they could see also. Again thank you.

[Indie'sOK]

Originally Posted by OctobersBlackRose

Thank you for the links, I read them and wow, this explain a lot of what I am going through. I actually sent them to my parents so they could see also. Again thank you.

You are very welcome. I know - aren't they great?

[OctobersBlackRose]

Originally Posted by Indie'sOK

You are very welcome. I know - aren't they great?

Yeah my dad read them and though they were great also, so did his Gf who is helping him my Mom and I get me into neuropsych testing, which I go to on August 8th to get evaluated for possible Aspergers/autism or another developmental type disorder. As of today my Mom whom I want to really read these blog articles hasn't read them yet (she had all day yesterday) because this is what Ive been trying to tell them for at the lest 5yrs now since I was 15, but didn't have anything but biased male based research on the subject, and have been opening up to my parents more after i did a research paper for my freshmen college english class on autism which included the WHOLE spectrum, and Im just trying to find the RIGHT answers, so I can help myself and cope in the "real" world with the everyday struggles I go through.

Again thank you for those links, they opend my eyes so much and made a great deal of sense to me regarding most (not all section B and a few other sections ?'s will go by the numbered points) of my behaviours from early childhood up to now.