I was diagnosed with moderate AS in December at age 48. Not soon after, I noticed a pronounced increase in my symptoms (especially the OCD, the sound sensitivity, the not stepping on sidewalk cracks, lots more stimming, and even less eye contact than before).
Anyone else have this experience? I have these behaviors just as much when I am alone as when I'm in public, so I'm pretty sure it's not just the novelty of the whole thing or "Hey, look at me, I'm autistic!"
My theory is that I was repressing a lot of it all this time and now my brain has "permission" somehow to partake in stress relief.
That's a Good Point!
I got my diagnosis in November, age 41. In the shift to December I became a registred member of the Aspergian Pride site, Aspergian Island & Aspies For Freedom, after having had no contact at all with other aspies, near or far. I think that I've become less anxious about displaying "weird behavior" in people-places since then. I'm not so damn alone anymore.
I think that it could possibly be a part of the self-fulfilling prophecy. It was like that for me, in any case.
Finding it out had the same effect to me. It was just recently, and I am 36. I guess the sharpening of features is more prominent with us 'older' beings. Less anxiousness, less hiding, less playing roles, more awareness and... coming closer to the core is my theorie. Enjoy yourself
One more thing: this, what I now could name as 'symptoms', started to kick in more strongly about half a year before I even heard the term 'Asperger'. Who knows: maybe the pronounciation of lineaments had its part in leading to the diagnosis?
I was diagnosed with moderate AS in December at age 48. Not soon after, I noticed a pronounced increase in my symptoms (especially the OCD, the sound sensitivity, the not stepping on sidewalk cracks, lots more stimming, and even less eye contact than before).
Anyone else have this experience? I have these behaviors just as much when I am alone as when I'm in public, so I'm pretty sure it's not just the novelty of the whole thing or "Hey, look at me, I'm autistic!"
My theory is that I was repressing a lot of it all this time and now my brain has "permission" somehow to partake in stress relief.
Yes, I've found that has happened since I got a diagnosis 3 years ago. It is frustrating sometimes as I think I've "regressed" but maybe it is as you say - some behaviours are no longer suppressed.
I was diagnosed with moderate AS in December at age 48. Not soon after, I noticed a pronounced increase in my symptoms (especially the OCD, the sound sensitivity, the not stepping on sidewalk cracks, lots more stimming, and even less eye contact than before).
Anyone else have this experience? I have these behaviors just as much when I am alone as when I'm in public, so I'm pretty sure it's not just the novelty of the whole thing or "Hey, look at me, I'm autistic!"
My theory is that I was repressing a lot of it all this time and now my brain has "permission" somehow to partake in stress relief.
Yes, I've found that has happened since I got a diagnosis 3 years ago. It is frustrating sometimes as I think I've "regressed" but maybe it is as you say - some behaviours are no longer suppressed.
Or is it that you have all become more aware of yourselves???
Humm thinking.......
. I know as I have gotten older I have become much more aware of myself and the differences I display. I'm not diagnosed but I do have a lot of habbits and non-conforming idiosyncrasys.
I was diagnosed with moderate AS in December at age 48. Not soon after, I noticed a pronounced increase in my symptoms (especially the OCD, the sound sensitivity, the not stepping on sidewalk cracks, lots more stimming, and even less eye contact than before).
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Or is it that you have all become more aware of yourselves???
I think that if you are aware of the symptoms you probably will "count" them instead of forgetting them because they were of no interest for your long-time memory before and now they are at the center of your attention. Similarly, you would remember snow in July but snow in the winter would never be memorable [depending on where you live, of course].
I think that it could possibly be a part of the self-fulfilling prophecy. It was like that for me, in any case.
Yeah same here I think. Ever since my self-diagnosis I started stimming while walking on the street. I'm also more reclusive than ever. It does feel like a self-fulfilling prophecy. I hope it will go away again after my official dx, so that I can be at the level I was before I diagnosed myself with AS.
Callista, does it eventually go away? I just worry that it mightn't.
It probably does fade eventually, yeah. But I'm not sure of that, because I'm still in the "obsessed with AS" stage myself.
It's not just that I am more self-aware, though that's part of it. My wife has said many times lately, "You never used to do that." (usually referring to not stepping on sidewalk cracks, arranging the dirty dishes in geometrical patterns, ostentasiously straightening everything in other people's houses, etc.)
I often feel that I permit myself of doing things that I wouldn't have done if I hadn't visitted this site... like doing things in order.
... earlier I considered my "spontanousness" as my prime defense against "evil NT behavior", but now there's apparently nothing to worry about and I can do things in the more settled way.