Aspies For Freedom

Hi all, new here. I'd really like some advice. This may be a long one.
Ever since i was young, im talking 5 onwards , ive always felt different from other people. I never really fitted in or had many friends.
Anyhow, ive suffered depression on and off for years but nothing ever seemed to make any difference to the way i feel, so in the end i gave up the meds.
My weird symptoms were still there, so i did some research into them, and came across aspergers syndrome. I read it and read it and thought omg! That is me! Almost all the symptoms were of how ive felt since i was little.
I decided to do the aspie quiz and scored 187.
What i want to do next is get a proper diagnosis, because to me it will mean im not such a socially incabable loser after all, that i am the way i am because i have that. Then i could get the help and support i need.
The thing is, what do i say to my doctor without them laughing in my face. I want to be taken seriously because its so hard for me.
I cant just say i read this on a website and i think i have it. What do i say? Its going to take alot as i hardly leave the house anymore. Thanks in advance.

hmm...

well, first off, welcome

as to getting a diagnosis...I was diagnosed when I was 7, so I cant really say. better off asking one of the others.

anyway. the Depression seems to be a common thing with AS. tell me, do you seem to get it worse at certain times of the year? for example..about...december to about now?

Hi and welcome!

I can't offer advice I'm afraid - I'm here because my son is awaiting assessment for autism, but there are others here who have been diagnosed as adults.  They'll be able to tell you more about how to approach your doctor, and what would happen next.

Have you checked to see if there are support groups in your local area?  If there are, then they might be able to offer help and guidance.  My local support group have a worker who visited me at home to talk about my son, and offered to come with me to any meetings with my son's school if I felt it would help.  Maybe someone supportive like that would be helpful for you...

pikajedi, about the depression very much so. I wont take meds for that anymore as i need to sort out the root of my problems.
Marcia, there are support groups in my area but u have to be diagnosed to use them.

and that further supports my thoughts about S.A.D and AS being linked.

before I derail your thread, I shall make a new one.

girl_interrupted...
It's good to have you here...
I'm self-diagnosed.
The one and only time I mentioned to the doctor that I thought I might have AS...I got a 'don't be so silly look'--and so I didn't pursue the matter further. I think the trouble is that if your AS is quite subtle unless you get to see a specialist it's unlikely to be picked up. Your GP will more likely than not diagnose you with depression or social anxiety. This is particularly true for adults--as there is an assumption that if you did have AS it would have been picked up in childhood (which is not always the case).
Also, it must be realised that AS is a spectrum 'disorder'--so you could have aspie traits--but they might not be pronounced enough for you to get an official diagnosis.
Anyway, welcome to AFF.
I've made some really great friends here--found people I can relate too. I hope you find friends too and information that will help you.   

Hi GI

Well, if you're in the UK, you can ask your GP to refer you to a psychologist (if you don't have one already re history of depression), and discuss it with them. I don't think there's anything wrong with saying you've done research into it, and you feel you meet some of the criteria, and you would like to talk to someone in that field about it. Thats probably the best way to word it, as opposed to saying "I read this on the tinternets doc and I think thats wot I got"

And welcome to AFF - even if you don't get a diagnosis, there are a few of us here who are self-DXed, or at least started out as self-DXers. I don't know stats exactly, but I'm sure you'll feel at home

I have a long record of social problems at home and at school...some recorded some not.  I saw AS and thought it fit...but didn't say anything about it for a year.  then I told my psych after some really Bad Things happened at school and he agreed with me (for the most part).

It is written in my records that I have a mild developmental delay, abnormal literal comprehension, poor social interaction and intermittent eye contact.  I also have social anxiety, depression etc etc etc...

hiya everyone. im going to make an appointment with gp to see if i can get a referal.
Im so sure i have it and i want to hear it from a doc.
My symptoms are severe to the point ive never had a job and im 26 now. Ive been to college but have never been able to stick with it and always quit it. i didnt even stay on at secondary school to sit my exams, i always used to go awol from school all because of my routines.
Ive always coped through life were as others just seem to sail through, i have stupid strict routines i do every day from the clothes i wear to the way i apply my makeup.
I have an ocd which stems from my suspected AS, if things are out of place i get so angry and overwelmed.
I cant socialise with people, its a struggle and i feel out of place and just cant relate to them. The things i say are clumsy, stupid and innapropriate and i cant make eye contact. I feel uncomfortable when im in close proximaty to someone, im so clumsy, i always trip up on things or bash my head.
I make stupid faces when i talk to people , i didnt realise i did that.
I go off into my own little world and could sit in silence for days without communicating.
I get obsesed with things, like atm its space..i studied loads about it on the computer all about stars and black holes,.
I avoid people, have to have my hair the exact same way eveyday, walk the same routes.
Noises make my head feel like its going to explode, i hate human contact..even from my boyfriend..i reject him.
My mother even said when i was a baby that i hated cuddles and would cry if she tried.
All this is making me feel suicidle.
Does this look like aspergers or is it all in my head..theres more symptoms than what ive describe but i dont want to go on and on.

I wrote this yesterday:

... accepted as a neurobiological/neurodevelopmental disorder, but with no single aetiology being identified despite much effort there are no diagnostic tests. However, there is ongoing interest and research into both genetic and environmental links.

Autism is not:
• A psychiatric condition, although there may be co-morbidity particularly as the person becomes older.
• A behavioural condition, although there are likely to be specific maladaptive behaviours that need to be addressed.
• Poor parenting, although parenting those with Autism is a challenge not addressed by the usual parenting classes.

‘Autism characteristic’ behaviours may seen in a number of other conditions. For example, the congenitally blind, Fragile-X Syndrome, Down Syndrome, Schizophrenia, Schizoaffective Disorder, mental retardation.

Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) are now considered to be diagnosable according to the timing, frequency, intensity and duration of three significant deficits   the triad of impairments   social difficulties, communicative limitations, and repetitive behaviours around restricted interests.

Girl interrupted, a lot of this is very familiar to me.  I am also 26.  Despite being employed in the past, I've never had a job that payed much above minimum wage.

Especially what you wrote about routines, I also have a lot of routines that I try to follow every day--religiously--and deviating from them bothers me.

I've tried college as well but didn't stick through with it, the group work really grated on me, and I'm just not very good academically to begin with.

Welcome to AFF, and now you know.. you're not alone anymore.

aye, a lot of that seems familiar.