I’m not on WP. I’m active in AA and here, that’s enough online support. Any more would take time away from more interesting things like cooking, photography, or amateur broadcasting.
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I made a post on Wrong Planet.
Here’s what I wrote:
I identify male, but I was born and raised female. Whenever I bring up the idea that I might have autisum, people list the typically maly symptoms and say “you don’t seem to have any of those”.
However, I’ve been reading a lot, and the symptoms for females are different, and there are lesser known symptoms I seem to have.
I wanted to list some of them and as if any of you have the same or thinks I should bother getting tested.
I started talking and reading really early. I read that delayed speech is a symptom, but that speaking too soon might also be.
I didn’t have eyecontact with people until I was 16 and people starting telling me I was being rude. I worked on it for a long time, and although it still makes me uncomfortable, I now manage to maintain a normal level of eyecontact. (Although I’ve been told my eyes tend to linger, borderline staring)
I’ve never been good at knowing what to do in social situations, and I learned most of what I know by copying others.
I’ve always been the odd kid. Never followed fashions or norms, and never really been able to self-correct or figure out what I did wrong or why it was wrong.
For a very long time I was very uncomfortable with any kind of physical contact. If I was tired or depressed or overwhelmed, I couldn’t even stand people standing too close to me.
I still only really like being touched by people I really trust, like hugging my mother.
I tend to get sensory overload. Being in a noisy place makes me extremely tired, and loud noises or smells or strong lights will make me very uncomfortable.
I used to have meltdowns from stress and sensory overloads.
I got an ADHD diagnosis, but it was later retracted.
I have specific interests. I read that while guys with ASD typically fixate on things like trains or collector’s items, women fixate more on people. I do that. I find a person I latch onto and forget everything about myself. Partner, best friend, etc.
Also musicians. I fixate on them for extended periods, listening to all their materials and almost obsessively learn everything about them
Now, here’s why it gets tricky.
I got a schizophrenia diagnosis at 21 (I’m 30 now), and I did raise concerns about autism but the shrink said the symptoms kind of overlap so I shouldn’t worry.
However, I can’t let go of the notion that this is more than just schizophrenia.
Does anyone else have have similar symptoms or experiences?
Do you know if it’s enough to warrant a diagnosis or at least an assessment?
Also I tend to stim. I do this thing where I tap my fingers against each other in a certain rhythm, and if things get to be too much I rock.
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It’s certainly not easy when you’re under a MH trust riddled with incompetent and myopic workers. There were 18 years of being ignored at my last trust . Whereas 7 months after my 1st appointment here in Wiltshire I had an Asperger’s syndrome dx, ADOS 2 -4= social communication 3(classical autism level) & social interaction 5(Asperger’s level , 6 would be classical autism level)
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My Aspie diagnosis was accidental. A pdoc asked me to talk about how my positive symptoms were on a new med. Told him that the alien noises and delusions were dialed back, but that I was still smelling in colour and seeing music and sounds. He was like, “wait, what?” That’s when we had the Aspie conversation and I had to complete a bunch of quizzes and such. Got a new label out of it.
What does synaesthesia have to do with ASD?
Such dxes aren’t given out like fake degrees from a bogus online university. A thorough assessment is done.
I guess that’s another thing to add to my list, then
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I got perma-banned from wrongplanet. Don’t remember why and don’t care. Not my favorite forum anymore…to say the least. It was years ago. Not really fan of the place or autistics in general anymore.
If you think this place is bad, that place is 10x worse.
I have Aspergers I guess. But it’s hard to tell people I have Aspergers and then they don’t believe it because I can talk to people, make a friend, and I’m not blind or something ridiculous like that. I look normal, don’t limp, and an IQ greater than 100. Really, I might not even have it anymore. I did have some issues growing up. Couldn’t make a friend for my life. But that could have been something else, maybe.
Even though I have a diagnosis (took the autism test), it seems people are eager not to diagnose me with it even going as far as lying about my test results and stuff. They don’t look at records. I’m extremely disabled due to brain damage from drugs or schizophrenia. I don’t need to collect another disability or the need to feel special or edgy again. I’m 30 years old. I’m tired of arguing with new therapists, interns, and unqualified people that need to be conservative or make a political statement.
The worst thing about Aspergers is not having any friends growing up, never experienced romance or anything, never really flirted with a girl except in college, and always was immature and gullible and naive, and ■■■■ to the point where people would put me in danger or take advantage of me. I would do stupid immature things like pranks and crap that could get me in trouble but it was mostly peer pressure and lack of goodwill and faith. People see someone like me and see an easy target they can take advantage of. Hence, why I think I wouldn’t make it in the military and why they don’t recruit people with Aspergers even though mine was mild enough not to show.
I had depression, anxiety and no back bone growing up. I’m extremely suggestible meaning I cave in to demands and pressure. I used to just go with the flow. People like that usually have low IQ. I’ve often said my emotional intelligence is like 5-10 years younger than my actual age. So when I was 22, I acted like a 12 year old in some ways.
It’s really hard to get a diagnosis of Aspergers. I was sort of surprised, relieved, and excited to get mine early on. It explained my entire life. It’s how my brain is wired they say. I even was accused of manipulating people down the road, which is just impossible for me to do unless I don’t see it or recognize it anymore because of the brain damage or schizophrenia. Plus, I think I’ve been in some MK-Ultra type ■■■■ and don’t trust doctors in general anymore.
Maybe I’m a mutant or something and avoid danger and fear now.
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It is not up to you whether I post on a thread or not.
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We have a lot of leniency here and freedom of speech. Schizophrenics don’t know what they’re saying half the time (me?) and I enjoy what I can write here most of the time. I appreciate it. Still, there must be some responsibility and restraint.
Can’t say that for the autism forums.
I only say I have brain damage because a former intern phd psychologist thought I had damage from synthethic marijuana and was possibly lying to him early on because I thought he was a projection of my mind aka a hallucination lol.
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I
It can be helpful, or even liberating, to learn that children and/or adults with Asperger profiles are functioning at about two-thirds of their chronological ages.
https://www.aane.org/significance-asperger-profile-developmental-delays/
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Thanks for the links man!
Aspies tend to be ruled based, but not everyone has the same rules. I imagine that would cause the sort of personality friction that would make a bipolar forum look friendly (pro tip: they’re generally not). One of the reasons I haven’t bothered with them.
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There’s r/aspergirls on Reddit.
Although I don’t know if they allow posts looking for a diagnosis.
Not what you were looking for, but there’s a lot of good books specifically about females and autism.
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@firemonkey Do you have any links to information of autism symptoms in women?
Especially on the camouflaged/atypical symptoms?