Aspergers After A Trauma? Or Just PTSD Or Both?

I have recently suffered a greatly painful loss of my horse, and ever since then I have seemed to be falling downhill both mentally and physically. My T mentioned in my last session that I was an atypical client and she has been practicing for over 30 years. She also mentioned for the first time she sees a mild form of Autism in me. Among a lot of mental issues (anxiety disorder, depression, possible bipolar, bpd and add), the main things that are bothering me seem to be Autistic related or PTSD. Of course PTSD happens after something traumatic, I am wondering if Autistic symptoms can arise after such a traumatic event also? My T mentioned you must be born with Autism, but can mine have been so mild as a child that only something so traumatic could have made it worse?

GenCat, as far as I know, Asperger's is something seen early. More an in-born set of characteristics. I don't think trauma has anything to do with it. But folks without any such diagnosis can get upset enough to get forgetful, depressed, have health problems, and such after such a trauma. However, I am not an expert.

I am sorry about the loss of your horse.

Signs of ASD usually show up in early childhood. A trauma during those years can definitely affect it or even resemble the condition in neurotypical children. The only way to know for sure is to get an assessment done.

A lot of ladies with ASD are often misdiagnosed with bipolar and/or BPD before they find out what is really wrong with them. This is especially true if they have a history of suicidal ideation and self-injury. ASD symptoms can resemble personality disorder but the reasons behind the behaviors are different.

If you have ASD it will affect treatment so it is very important to get assessed for it.

If you have slight ASD but not so much that it becomes a problem, then have something happening, sure your ASD could get worse and more noticeable. It's sort of like after I went through a really bad depression my ADD traits became much more severe, even after the depression was better. I always had ADD but it got worse after that stressful time.

But also I notice ASD and PTSD might have some things in common. I think stimuli and information is treated differently by the brain after PTSD happens. I have ASD and it still surprises me how many people with PTSD seem to think like me.

You cannot develop autism from a traumatic experience, however there are some similar symptoms for both so one can develop autistic like symptoms after at trauma since some PTSD symptoms and autism symptoms are simular. If you have autism you would have been born with it, certainly could have been missed I wasn't diagnosed with that till I was 24...I also have PTSD on top of it as well as anxiety and depression.

I'd say PTSD can make the unpleasant aspects of autism worse, more apparent or sort of add to it. For instance its not uncommon for people with autism to get overwhelmed with what most people see as 'normal' stress like going to a store and the lights are too bright, its too loud, to chaotic and when you say that no one knows what you mean because its not bothering them...well PTSD can add to that.

Though it also sort of decreased some autistic traits, for instance I used to have special intrests in things and would do a lot of reading and research on various topics of intrest but after the PTSD it made it really hard to focus on and enjoy any of those...so that particular trait was more reduced by the PTSD while the things like being easily overwhelmed, sensative to light/noise/crowded environments and such

Thank you all. I am now wondering if I had signs as a child who had autism. I was overly shy, and glued to my mom. But I was very active outside or imaginative playing inside. I have a hard time remembering my childhood so it makes this difficult. I am only 20 so I hear this is around the age of being diagnosed with Aspergers.

Imagination in the literature usually refers to perspective taking then with play. Perspective taking is imagining what another is thinking and anticipating their actions. If this is impaired it makes social interaction difficult and hard to understand.

A lot of children with ASD have wild imaginations. I know I did. They tend to struggle more with symbolic play such as pretending a hairbrush is a microphone. It is a consequence of literal thinking.

Ask your mother about your developmental history.

I played like a normal kid. I'm not sure how I managed because I still have AS and had AS then. I think part of it was that I had a bigger sibling that taught me everything. He has AS traits but he is also extremely intelligent so I think he could compensate for almost anything.