Is it possible for other conditions, taken together, to closely mimic AS?
I ask this because I am begining to doubt my self diagnosis. Most things fit, but if I think about it sometimes there are other reasons they might fit, and I have virtually no impairment in social interaction.
What I do have is some aspie traits, example obsessive interests; however, NTs also have obsessive interests and I wonder if the fact that mine are wierd has more to do with me being "quirky NT" than "borderline aspie". However, the intense focus ability I have could be an AS trait. AS runs in my family, so it's not unlikely.
I also have what could be considered "executive function disorder", though undiagnosed it's obvious I've got it; this impacts my ability to function significantly, I can't remember to do homework, to shower regularly, sometimes to eat. This also makes it appear I've got AS but again it could be on its own.
What social impairment I do have can mostly be explained by intense social anxiety, which makes me quiet and uncertain and it's harder for me to be relaxed, as I have to be to fully understand what's going on. Social anxiety also happens without AS, all the time.
Finally, two things that confuse the issue somewhat: I am "gifted", which with the executive function disorder makes me "twice-exceptional", which also makes me look a little more AS even if I'm not (and at this point I don't know if I am or not); and I've been told by a psychologist that I "seem to have Borderline Personality traits" (you can't be diagnosed with the actual disorder until you're 18+), making me prone to depression and paranoia that further confuse the question of whether or not I have AS.
Do you think it's possible that there are actually many people with other issues that, in combination, can closely mimic AS/autism? I know schizophrenia has been brought up in this context before, and sometimes ADD/ADHD; but what others?
In people who had no signs of autism/autistic traits in childhood, especially in early childhood, and who lack the sensory and cognitive aspects of autism, there are several personality traits that can mimic it, mostly solitary (schizoid if it turns into a personality disorder) and obsessive.
Other PDs are also strong in the area of black and white thinking (Borderline PD for example), and superficially antisocial and narcissistic traits can mimic AS due to a lack of empathy (although most people on the autistic spectrum do not actually lack empathy as such, or rather if they lack empathy they usually do not lack sympathy).
Some people with ADD also show some autistic traits without coming even close to actually having AS or another PDD.
Personally I do not believe that someone who developed normally and who showed no signs (however mild) of autism in childhood is actually on the Spectrum, but it has been suggested that autism blends into an "autistic personality" towards the NT end, e.g. people who lack the cognitive and sensory differences for the most part, but who show some aspects of AS personality-wise.
Other things that can mimic Autism/Aspergers are:
Fragile X Syndrome
Prader-Willi Syndrome
Landau-Klefner Syndrome
Angelman Syndrome
Williams Syndrome
Semantic-Pragmatic Disorder
ADHD/ADD
Sanfilipo Syndrome (Mucopolysachrridosis Type III A&B)
Avoidant Personality Disorder
Deafness
Schizophrenia
Reactive Attachment Disorder
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder
Selective Mutism
Mental Retardation
* Rett's Syndrome
* Heller's Syndrome (Childhood Disintegrative Disorder)
* listed under the PDD entry of the DSM-IV
Sensory Processing Disorder
Apraxia of Speech (often traits resolve with speech improvement)
etc.
I wonder if there's a chance of that I might have one or more of these conditions.
I wonder if there's a chance of that I might have one or more of these conditions.
Given that many of these are known co-morbids of AS it's quite possible that most of us do.
a few that weren't mentioned:
central auditory processing disorder
dyspraxia
dyslexia
McDD
Visual-Spacial Learning
Non-verbal learning Disorder
Destructive Behavior Disorder
Synaesthesia
And, appearantly, victims of emotional abuse may suffer severe anxiety, inappropriate behavior for age or development, avoidance of eye contact, and other things that mimic some of the minor points of AS/autism.... Which may be what's going on in my case.
And, appearantly, victims of emotional abuse may suffer severe anxiety, inappropriate behavior for age or development, avoidance of eye contact, and other things that mimic some of the minor points of AS/autism.... Which may be what's going on in my case.
TBH I sincerely doubt it (and I doubt the BPD stuff they are trying to label you with is true). None of the sensory stuff you've described on here matches things you get from being abused, for instance.
And, appearantly, victims of emotional abuse may suffer severe anxiety, inappropriate behavior for age or development, avoidance of eye contact, and other things that mimic some of the minor points of AS/autism.... Which may be what's going on in my case.
TBH I sincerely doubt it (and I doubt the BPD stuff they are trying to label you with is true). None of the sensory stuff you've described on here matches things you get from being abused, for instance.
Yep. If your only aspie traits were social anxiety and "inappropriate behavior for age and development", this'd be very possible. But neglect alone can't account for extremes of sensory sensitivity or obsessive focus. Also, as somebody else on here pointed out once, doctors today diagnose BPD the way doctors of the past diagnosed "female hysteria": as a general dumping category for any high-strung, emotionally unstable, neurotic woman they can't be bothered to truly help or analyze properly.
Also, if you have some traits of a personality disorder but they can be better explained by a different condition, like ASD, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, ect. , you will not be diagnosed with the personality disorder but with the condition that better fits you. So, you can't be diagnosed with both Asperger's syndrome and BPD.
And, appearantly, victims of emotional abuse may suffer severe anxiety, inappropriate behavior for age or development, avoidance of eye contact, and other things that mimic some of the minor points of AS/autism.... Which may be what's going on in my case.
TBH I sincerely doubt it (and I doubt the BPD stuff they are trying to label you with is true). None of the sensory stuff you've described on here matches things you get from being abused, for instance.
Yep. If your only aspie traits were social anxiety and "inappropriate behavior for age and development", this'd be very possible. But neglect alone can't account for extremes of sensory sensitivity or obsessive focus. Also, as somebody else on here pointed out once, doctors today diagnose BPD the way doctors of the past diagnosed "female hysteria": as a general dumping category for any high-strung, emotionally unstable, neurotic woman they can't be bothered to truly help or analyze properly.
Also, if you have some traits of a personality disorder but they can be better explained by a different condition, like ASD, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, ect. , you will not be diagnosed with the personality disorder but with the condition that better fits you. So, you can't be diagnosed with both Asperger's syndrome and BPD.
I was not trying to say or even imply that emotional abuse or BPD could mimic all or even most of AS's symptoms. I merely pointed out a few minor things people asociate with AS which can also be part of emotional abuse or BPD.
I also said, earlier, when I refered specifically to myself, that I belived I had aspie traits and several other things as well, which were confusing whether or not I had AS completely.
A person CAN be diagnosed with both AS and BPD. If all their BPD traits could be explained by AS, then no, they won't be, but certainly it's quite possible to have both and not have your BPD traits explained away by AS. They are not THAT similar.
I guess I must have confused people. I was not talking about any ONE other condition mimicking the totality of AS. I was talking about SEVERAL conditions, taken together, mimicking AS closely enough to be mistaken for AS.
A person CAN be diagnosed with both AS and BPD. If all their BPD traits could be explained by AS, then no, they won't be, but certainly it's quite possible to have both and not have your BPD traits explained away by AS. They are not THAT similar.
I guess I must have confused people. I was not talking about any ONE other condition mimicking the totality of AS. I was talking about SEVERAL conditions, taken together, mimicking AS closely enough to be mistaken for AS.
No, I am almost positive that a personality disorder can only be diagnosed in the absence of any other psychiatric diagnosis. I could be wrong, but you'd have to quote a reliable source to convince me of this.
Mmmm. Ultimately, maybe the fact that you have certain symptoms and exhibit certain behaviors is more important than whether you better fit the profile of condition A or conditions B, W, and Z. You are a certain way, whatever the causation is or isn't, and you have to find ways of existing happily and productively within that framework.
I was not trying to say or even imply that emotional abuse or BPD could mimic all or even most of AS's symptoms. I merely pointed out a few minor things people asociate with AS which can also be part of emotional abuse or BPD.
But you were saying earlier on that "this seemed to be the case with you", e.g. that those problems in you were caused by abuse, no?