Aspergers - Adult Diagnosis

[Ian J.]

I may be jumping the gun a bit (I've yet to get an assessment appointment but it has been discussed with the relevant health professionals), but I wonder how many people here have had an adult diagnosis of Aspergers, particularly if it's mild rather than obvious?

 

I've had a near miss with the Jobcentre and had to go into quite a bit of detail about things going on in my life at the moment, one of which is some difficulty with social and inter-personal communications and that I'm due an ASD assessment, to explain why applying for customer service and inter-personal communication roles is not a good idea.

 

It's kind of bringing it home to me that the way I see the world isn't quite the same as most people, and also I'm not seen in quite the same way as the general public see most people. What's perhaps the most awkward thing for me is that I apparently seem pretty normal such that no-one has even mentioned an ASD condition until very recently, but at the same time I must have at least appeared not to be quite connecting with people generally.

 

I've done some reading up from various online sources of information and part of me thinks I am Aspergers 'positive' and part thinks I'm missing some of the typical indicators.

Edited April 21, 2016 by Ian J.

['CHARD]

I'm not sure how many people on here, or in general, would freely admit to it, but from my own observations you have plenty of people for company, possibly the majority of whom have not sought or been given definitive diagnosis.  I can immediately think of five individuals that I deal with on a pretty much daily basis.

 

 

EDIT to note that my AQ test result, following the link in post 4 below, is 14; I have just become more aware how to read the signs over the past few years. And does it matter?  Not one JOT.

Edited April 21, 2016 by 'CHARD

[pointstaken]

Ian,

You cannot help the way you are made, any more than you can help which colour hair you were born with. Unfortunately there are those in the community who are absolutely incapable of recognising that their perception is not the same as others have.

 

Dennis

[Nearholmer]

This is a test that you may have seen before, or might encounter along the way http://www.aspergerstestsite.com/aq-test/#.Vxj3J9q9KSN and it comes with respectable credentials.

 

If you do find through the diagnostic process (don't,for goodness sake take the results of the above test as an answer in isolation) that you are a bit along the spectrum, two thoughts:

 

- as 'chard says, you are a very long way from being alone in that;

 

- some of the things that are characteristic are exceedingly valuable to society, which would be rather lost without a sprinkling of "heavy systematisers" for instance.

 

K

 

Edit: following 'chard's example, I took the test, and came out at 25, which appears to be just short of "borderline". I'm not surprised, in that I'm old enough to know what my strengths and weaknesses are already.

Edited April 21, 2016 by Nearholmer

[Phil Bullock]

Interesting dilemma

 

Whilst acquiring a diagnosis may help some folks move along, its worth remembering that we all have a spectrum of traits within our make up that determine our personality

 

Being towards the extreme of some of these may lead towards Aspergers but in some circumstances surely its far better to take folks as you find them....

 

Phil

[edcayton]

They hadn't come up with labels like autism or Asperger's when I was at school, but I was listening to a programme on t'wireless about this recently and thought "Sh1t, that's me!" Many aspects struck a chord, but in particular the dislike of using the telephone is correct for me.

 

Ed

 

I do think that labelling makes things worse. In particular it is used as an excuse for sloppy parenting-"Oh, he's autistic" seems to excuse a lot of unacceptable behaviour. I hope it's not too political to suggest that the rise in these behaviours coincides with the reduction of full time mothering for young children.

 

My Mum worked when I was young, I was looked after by my Nan and a couple of aunts. When my boys were young my wife worked part time and the boys spent some time with child minders and, hey, were labelled dyspraxic by the special needs people at secondary school.

 

The pastoral curriculum.

Edited April 21, 2016 by edcayton

[30801]

This is a test that you may have seen before, or might encounter along the way http://www.aspergerstestsite.com/aq-test/#.Vxj3J9q9KSN and it comes with respectable credentials.

37

 

Do I win something?

[griffgriff]

There is now no such thing as an Aspergers diagnosis. Those who did fit the criteria are now placed on the autistic spectrum.

 

Regards

 

Griff

[Nearholmer]

Sorry, should have pointed out that the way to interpret the scoring is given here http://aspergerstest.net/interpreting-aq-test-results/

 

K

[The Stationmaster]

37

 

Do I win something?

 

A nice diesel loco?

 

I got 17, seems I don't win anything.

[Tim V]

15.

 

I don't win anything.

[The Stationmaster]

Sorry, should have pointed out that the way to interpret the scoring is given here http://aspergerstest.net/interpreting-aq-test-results/

 

K

Seems I'm an exactly average man - there's a rather bland label to be given.

[pendlerail]

39 for me

[BG John]

As well as the AQ test mentioned above, it's worth doing the Aspie Quiz and Empathy Quotient, and there are a few more online you may find useful as you identify particular areas you struggle with. It's also well worth reading a couple of books, "The Complete Guide to Aspergers Syndrome" by Tony Attwood, and "Living Well on the Spectrum" by Valerie Gaus. Living Well has a series of worksheets that help identify problem areas, and to work out ways to deal with them. There are some useful web sites and blogs, and various other books too. Working through this, and more, helps to pass the time while slowly going nuts mouldering away on the waiting list. How do I know this? I've been on the waiting list since December 2014, and should finally get the results early next month.

[edcayton]

There's a surprise. I scored 33.

 

Ed

 

However, whatever score you get we all have to live in the same world. As my uncle said:"once you've realised you're an idiot your life will be good when you find a village without one".

Edited April 21, 2016 by edcayton

[BG John]

There is now no such thing as an Aspergers diagnosis. Those who did fit the criteria are now placed on the autistic spectrum.

 

Regards

 

Griff

Only because a bunch of American bureaucrats decided to lump everyone on the spectrum together in DSM5, when they changed to boxes you have to tick to be diagnosed. In the real world it's still recognised!

[Ian J.]

I did an online test recently as a result of the suggestion of Aspergers, and I have done them in the past a few years ago as well, and I've scored between 30 and 37 (37 being the most recent result). So in that sense I'm aware of the potential for a problem, and getting a proper professional formal assessment is one of the recommendations if a score is 32 or above.

[BG John]

8 in my case. Which isn't that much of a surprise, I'd talked to a psychiatrist a few years ago and brought up the subject as Aspergers is present in my close family. She ensured me that in her opinion I didn't have it.   But, it does prove I'm a lazy sod, which isn't good at all!

You may have a problem with Executive Function. It's something very common in people on the spectrum, but affects a lot of "Neurotypical" people as well. Apparently it can be genetic, and something to do with a chemical imbalance in the brain. Since discovering I have a problem with it, I've started taking a different approach to modelling, and I've never done as much before as I have in the last year. My excuse of being a lazy sod never seemed quite right, but that's not to say it isn't true in your case .

[NGT6 1315]

As someone who has an AS diagnosis himself (the story behind it being far too long and rich to be summarised here in brevity), may I, for the moment, just say that no-one who is thus diagnosed - regardless of age - should feel like they need to be ashamed or otherwise embarrassed. I do realise this may be difficult, especially if someone's self-esteem is not particularly high due to previous life experience, so this, of course, is an appeal which may just as well be aimed at non-autistic persons from their social environment.

 

I do but think I should also add that something definitely to be avoided is for individuals with AS to let themselves be pressured into any kind of role as to what they "can" make out of their lives, in the sense of external expectations what they "will ever be capable of", to paraphrase a hypothetical opinion a non-autistic person might express. So, this, too, is an appeal equally valid for relatives, teachers and other relevant persons.

[Nearholmer]

This won't help the OP, for which I apologise in advance, but I've wondered a little about what life is like for a person with a score of zero.

 

Presumably that would be a very gregarious, people-oriented person, empathic to the degree of almost being borderline telepathic, but wouldn't they also be (what I would see from where I sit) blooming disorganised and unfocused? And, might that not present challenges of its own?

 

But, maybe I got that wrong.

 

K

[griffgriff]

Only because a bunch of American bureaucrats decided to lump everyone on the spectrum together in DSM5, when they changed to boxes you have to tick to be diagnosed. In the real world it's still recognised!

Not at all. It's now recognised by all those who have an interest. Leo Kanner echoed the work of Asperger but it was only realised after Aspergers work work translated. Kanner followed earlier research on autism as did Asperger but they worked in isolation. As their science ran in parallel it makes sense that their work and discoveries are now combined.

 

Regards Griff

 

Edited for Grammar

Edited April 21, 2016 by griffgriff

[Allegheny1600]

I'm loath to take such a test as I fear I would definitely pass!

I have a problem with authority - read that as I cannot abide being told what to do by idiots! This was a bit of a problem for many years and I went from job to job not really fitting in anywhere except perhaps my last job?

Anyway, I started my own business, am now my own boss and I do what I have to - no-one really tells me what to do anymore, I have to choose what to do.

Good luck to the OP and others btw,

John.

[griffgriff]

I'm loath to take such a test as I fear I would definitely pass!

I have a problem with authority - read that as I cannot abide being told what to do by idiots! This was a bit of a problem for many years and I went from job to job not really fitting in anywhere except perhaps my last job?

Anyway, I started my own business, am now my own boss and I do what I have to - no-one really tells me what to do anymore, I have to choose what to do.

Good luck to the OP and others btw,

John.

You just might just have Oppositional Defiance Disorder (ODD). I kid you not it does exist

 

Griff

[Dr Gerbil-Fritters]

I scored 19 (Mrs the Dr Gerbil-Friiters, 'you would'... )

 

AQ test, developed by Ali G's father

 

of course, Ali G actually went to Haberdashers and then Cambridge, so I find his impressions of working class and ethnic folk offensive, racist and classist.

 

And now, back to the OP

[fozzy280472]

That's actually a fascinating test ..I scored 19.....without cheating or lying !!!

To be honest it's actually made me have a read up about AS and try to understand it a little better , I was always in the " another made up issue" camp , I have recently had a lot of views on mental issues I held for a long time changed , particularly autism , ( a friend of the family has an autistic child ) .

To the OP , good luck and best wishes , your post has opened my eyes a little, just talking about AS has been worth it to me to learn a little more.

Cheers

Paul.