[shakespeare47]

I considered the possibility that I may have Asperger's traits many years ago, then I rejected the idea.


My current counselor keeps hinting that she sees traits.


And I took these online quizzes (with results):
Autism Spectrum Quotient Your score was 33 out of a possible 50. Scores in the 33-50 range indicate significant Austistic traits.

Empathy Quotient Your score was 18 out of a possible 80. Scores of 30 or less indicate a lack of empathy common in people with Autism or Asperger’s Syndrome.

Emotional Intelligence Quiz | Greater Good Magazine Your Score: 16/20

Nice work. You seem naturally well-attuned to others' emotions--a vital skill for forming compassionate connections. You scored above average but still have room for growth; research suggests that people can improve their emotion recognition skills with practice. So keep an eye out for our forthcoming empathy training tool, designed to boost your emotional intelligence
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I'm 51 years old and I do find myself feeling resentment because I was (sometimes intentionally) misunderstood and just mocked by a lot of people- mostly just for being, acting, talking in a way that was different from the crowd.

I see myself as having odd speech patterns and some clumsiness... I have always thought I see the world differently than most- and all these qualities have earned me the scorn of my peers. I've never had many friends, and I find it difficult to socialize.

[PsychoPhil]

There are some more tests on aspietests.org. Have you checked your SQ? As to speech and clumsiness, same here. I am also told I am lacking facial expression. Not so much the question whether I have ASD, but more how the condition could have been overlooked for so long.

[shakespeare47]

Originally Posted by PsychoPhil

There are some more tests on aspietests.org. Have you checked your SQ? As to speech and clumsiness, same here. I am also told I am lacking facial expression. Not so much the question whether I have ASD, but more how the condition could have been overlooked for so long.

What makes you think you might have Asperger's?

[shakespeare47]

My first introduction to the possibility I have it was probably from people dismissively saying in my hearing, "He probably has Asperger's" as if it was something to be ashamed of.

[shakespeare47]

Originally Posted by PsychoPhil

There are some more tests on aspietests.org. Have you checked your SQ?

I only scored a 49 on the SQ test. But, I didn't choose any "very likely" or "very unlikely" options. I'll try again in 10 days.

[Talthybius]

Those are just online tests. They don't mean anything.

[shakespeare47]

Originally Posted by Talthybius

Those are just online tests. They don't mean anything.

Thanks. I asked my therapist if she thought I was diagnosable, and she said, "no" and that she never meant to imply that I did. Now I find myself asking, "why did I think she was hinting at it?"

[Talthybius]

I don't know what you mean when you say 'was I diagnosable' nor what your therapist meant. In the end, an autistic spectrum diagnosis is an opinion, a professional opinion.

An online test is just something someone puts online. The questions can be wrong, the threshold for how many questions need to have the 'autistic answer' for a certain test result can be wrong. And in the end since you yourself put in the answers, it will only tell you how autistic, or not, you yourself perceive yourself. If the test is actually reliable, you need people that know as much as possible about you to answer the questions for you.

Don't let online tests, or things people online say, make you feel like you have a certain diagnosis. In the same way, also don't let them think the issues you are facing are not real problems that need real solutions.

[shakespeare47]

Originally Posted by Talthybius

I don't know what you mean when you say 'was I diagnosable' nor what your therapist meant. In the end, an autistic spectrum diagnosis is an opinion, a professional opinion.

An online test is just something someone puts online. The questions can be wrong, the threshold for how many questions need to have the 'autistic answer' for a certain test result can be wrong. And in the end since you yourself put in the answers, it will only tell you how autistic, or not, you yourself perceive yourself. If the test is actually reliable, you need people that know as much as possible about you to answer the questions for you.

Don't let online tests, or things people online say, make you feel like you have a certain diagnosis. In the same way, also don't let them think the issues you are facing are not real problems that need real solutions.

I do see some traits in myself that are Asperger traits. I wouldn't mind reading about and learning what I can about how to cope with Asperger traits. I doubt that my attempting to get a diagnosis would be helpful.

[mwaxy]

I did the test. There are heaps of flaws that cover differentiation among numerous anxiety and obsessive compulsive traits. I scored 34. I recognise the 'categorisation' flaws....they are very broad questions and far too few. Better to see a specialist. I have 7 years of psych and mental health training, work in the field, an online test is but a mere guideline, not gospel, best to see a doc

[Lynnel]

I'm right there with you. I never considered that possibility but recently a family member was diagnosed as on the spectrum and as we talked about it my daughter (adult) &I I did the quiz together for me and I scored 44/50. That got me started thinking about all the issues I've had at work with offending people in ways that I don't understand. So I'm going to see a counselor this week and see where it goes.

[zapatoes]

Originally Posted by PsychoPhil

There are some more tests on aspietests.org. Have you checked your SQ? As to speech and clumsiness, same here. I am also told I am lacking facial expression. Not so much the question whether I have ASD, but more how the condition could have been overlooked for so long.

How does someone know if they have a flat affect from depression or from aspergers/autism and is lack of facial expression the same thing as flat affect in depression. I’m curious since I have mild brain damage and have nonverbal learning disorder which is similar to Aspergers/autism.

[MickeyCheeky]

The only way to know for sure is to see a doctor and get a proper diagnosis, shakespeare47, and see how it goes from there. That way you'll get the help you need. Let us know how it goes. Sending many hugs to you

[treviso55]

Originally Posted by MickeyCheeky

The only way to know for sure is to see a doctor and get a proper diagnosis, shakespeare47, and see how it goes from there. That way you'll get the help you need. Let us know how it goes. Sending many hugs to you

Yes. Even mental health professionals misdiagnose people commonly and do other wrong things. Many professionals misunderstand what Asperger's is. Why wouldn't an online test, even one made by a professional, do the same? By the way, I think that is impossible to be completely sure you have Asperger's. I think I have it because my problems are too specific and similar to the problems of Asperger's.

Honestly, does anyone else thinks that, if you have the sufficient knowledge, and the sufficient perception and judgement skills, you can diagnose yourself better than a doctor? At least in my country, many doctors, even some top ones, misunderstand Asperger's a lot. I just think that we should have the understanding that these things are difficult to measure, so we need help. It is also important to keep in my mind that we can't be sure if we really have it.

[PsychoPhil]

Originally Posted by PsychoPhil

There are some more tests on aspietests.org. Have you checked your SQ? As to speech and clumsiness, same here. I am also told I am lacking facial expression. Not so much the question whether I have ASD, but more how the condition could have been overlooked for so long.

Originally Posted by shakespeare47

What makes you think you might have Asperger's?

Originally Posted by zapatoes

How does someone know if they have a flat affect from depression or from aspergers/autism and is lack of facial expression the same thing as flat affect in depression. I’m curious since I have mild brain damage and have nonverbal learning disorder which is similar to Aspergers/autism.

My original posting already demonstrates one of my aspie traits: I phrased it so badly both of you misunderstood. I didn't mean to say I thought I was autistic just because of clumsiness and facial expression. In fact it's my understanding these two characteristics aren't diagnostic criteria, but often go along with an autism condition, and so I mentioned them separately. I had at the time been diagnosed by an autism expert, and have recently received the same result from a second independent psychological evaluation.