I think I've become autistic

Can you get Asperger’s late in life? I have symptoms of it. My diagnosis is schizo affective disorder bi polar type and I bear a lot of typical symptoms so that’s not in doubt. Lately, I’ve experienced major depression when in the past my depression was more in my thoughts than feeling. I get upset watching YouTube videos about autism, like Ted talks. Is anyone here autistic?

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I have no idea. I was almost labeled Aspergers by a therapist and sent to an Autism specialist when the practice randomly closed my case for no-shows. I was told by the specialist that people are born with different brain structures who have autism…I have always wondered if she was accurate at all in what she had said.

I have a monotonous voice. Its something I have worked on. I have no natural affinity toward trends, music, movies, or makeup. I used to talk to imaginary friends and objects as a child I used to have an almost photographic memory because I could color something from looking at it almost identical. I type really fast. and just because Im not good at math just means i Had crap math teachers in HS not that Im not capable.

and not everyone with autism is a neat freak right? not everyone with autism is a savant/so I could have autism my whole life and no one really explained it to me. Like we are just different. Im pretty sure I always had it though—from birth–because I was talkative early, imaginative, highly verbal and expressive so like creative/autistic. But not mutism, more like a gifted form of autism or high functioning. I would’ve gotten along better with more autistic people in my life, I did get along better with people with some sort of mental issue in middle school. I found school torture because I could never fit in and people wanted me to be something else.

Lots of people here could be diagnosed with many mental disorders.
Autism is noticeable before the age of 2, and the child must have difficulties with social interaction and communication when they start school to get a diagnosis of ASD.

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I would like to know more about autism. how it was and currently is defined because I know the label and definition have evolved to meet social demands. You could say they have “difficulty with social interaction” generalize a lot of children that way—

if adaptation a concsious force or random? for nature to adapt so well how can it all be random…wouldn’t we all be walking around with five arms if adaptation didn’t have some sort of underlying meaning or design? with autism, like there are a lot of really smart people who dont talk until they are older…I feel like some of it is a Gift. But thats my personal perspective applied to myself.

It’s a neurodevelopmental illness so you’re born with it

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I did actually get an official diagnosis by a Psychiatrist in 2007 for having “Aspergers Syndrome and Psychosis NOS”. But I no longer have that diagnosis now. My official diagnosis now is “Society Anxiety Disorder and Avoidant Personality Disorder”. I have been referred to see a Psychiatrist by my GP for a new evaluation of my mental health, I will probably have to wait ages to see someone, because of how the NHS in the UK is now.

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My pdoc actually specifically said one day that autistic children become autistic adults, that is, it’s something you’re born with, not develop, like what Joker said. However, it’s possible if mild enough that you aren’t diagnosed until adulthood.

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I have always scored 100 percent on the autism spectrum on self-tests and negagtive for schizophrenia or bipolar…I dont really have a full spectrum of emotions. I sometimes feel Im just different or something is missing in me that is present in other people.

I dont have hallucinations or delusions although I have experienced them often induced by meds like anti-depressants or anti-histamines. I noticed those induce them sometimes and I am super-sensitive. Some people call me an old soul, a medium, or im hyper aware. I cant tune out noise. I cant stand noises. Fans, low vibrations, trains, television screens, frequencies, old lamps, ELFs drive me nuts. I have tinnitus/hyper aware hearing, so its like my nerves are stressed by all the noises i can hear and then compensate by re-creating them like tinnitus…sorta makes sense…but I learned to overcome hallucinations. I just stopped playing into them and they stopped.

Im very fixated on facts/answers always looking for the ultimate answer. If I was told with ultimate proof I never had schizophrenia or bipolar it would be the happiest day of my life and I would accept aspergers or mild autism because it would at least explain some things but not make me feel like I have to go insane to meet the standard of care.

I was told that I should not have been diagnosed with chronic schizophrenia when I was fifteen by my case worker. I agree with her. I was too young to understand it and it was a shock and I to this day argue it was a total lie. I dont know what was wrong with me. I think it was a depressive episode, and the hospital took advantage of me by intentionally worsening my condition to the point I became worse.

I actually got diaganosed with SZ before Asperger’s seeing as my specialist supposedly specialized in SZ and not childhood disorders. My autism before that was so mild that my first pdoc couldn’t catch it according to my mom.

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i been diagnosed with autism.

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I think I’m autistic too.

But not really sure.

I struggle with routine changes at work

So much. But I working on it.

There is often routine changes due to the nature of my work

Then there’s the obsession with nutrition

Autism people tend to focus on particular subjects

Then there’s the social difficulty

@lekkerhondje what pointers made the doctor diagnose you to have autism if you don’t mind me asking

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i’m not sure exactly what it was tbh… they did a lot of tests and then they diagnosed me with it. But what exactly made them think about it i’m not sure.

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I was diagnosed with autism (ASD) in addition to sza and anxiety when I was a teenager but after doing more research I’m not entirely sure that I have it. That’s mainly because, as people have said, the symptoms have to be present/somewhat noticeable by the time a child turns 3, and my parents always insisted there was nothing unusual about me until I was in elementary school (i.e. when my sz started becoming noticeable).

I’ve read a lot of scientific articles on both conditions and it’s surprising how much they overlap in symptomology. They are both neurodevelopmental disorders but autism becomes noticeable much earlier in life than sz, however, they can both cause social difficulties, unusual preoccupations, and repetitive behaviors. In my case, I essentially meet all of the diagnostic criteria for autism, except for it being present very early in my childhood. There is a diagnostic caveat in the DSM-V that says the symptoms may not become fully manifest until social expectations exceed the child’s limited capabilities, so that’s worth considering. But in my case at least the distinction is very hazy and I identify more as a person with sz than as an autistic person.

That being said, that is just my opinion and perspective and if you feel as though you would like to pursue an autism diagnosis, that is your right and is a completely valid desire. I would recommend looking for an autism specialist because they have a better idea of what to look for.

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I’m not sure you can “become” autistic? As several others here have said.

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Jesus, Christ. You do not want Autism. There is no cure, and you have to just ‘deal’ with it

As an adult, you get no support at all, and are left with just your own thoughts on the matter after assessment

It is the single most pointless diagnosis to get as an adult.

There is no therapy, no meds, no treatment etc…

The world is not going to bend to you, and neither party will ever see eye to eye

It’s a horrible thing not being able to engage in social situations others must find easy and natural, and it makes me very angry all the time

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