Aspies For Freedom

Hi, my names Cory, I'm 20 and live in Kentuky. About an hour ago I heard of this "syndrome" by clicking on links in a wiki article. I have always known something was wrong with me and I looked and looked for the answer and just never found it until today. The symptoms fit me so well it blew my mind. For the longest time I just thought I was an "anti-social over analyzer."

But I would just like to share my life story as an introduction, because I am looking forward to meeting others like me and I'd also like any opinions you all might have... if you think I've misdiagnosed myself please tell me. With that said here's my story:

I don't remember much from my early childhood years. But when I look back on the memories I do have all I can think of is how bizarre I was. I remember I was too shy to talk to anyone that wasn't in my family. I remember going to my mom's friends houses and if someone even said hello to me I'd just blush and hide behind my mom. I would make odd objects out of rubber bands, erasers, paper clips or anything I could find. I believe I thought I was making weapons.. I'm not sure though. I remember in school I always seen the older kids as a threat, if I walked past one I would clench my fists and prepare myself to attack them if they decided to try and do something to me.

I remember being like this until my mom bought me a Nintendo. After that, I remember my entire life revolved around it, when I was in school the only thing I could think about was how I couldn't wait to go home and play it. I believe this is how I learned to communicate with males, since alot of guys were obsessed with video games at that age I could finally relate to them. I was never able talk to any females in elementary school.

I also remember when I first learned about "outer space." It amazed me, that there were other worlds out there. I remember in elementary school when the class went to the library I would always check out books on the other planets. I remember staying up all night making lists of how much I'd weigh on each planet. I told my mom all I wanted for Christmas was a telescope. And how upset I was when she didn't get it for me. I also remember trying to explain to my cousin (who was probably just in kindergarten at the time) that there were other whole other worlds in the sky. A concept that she obviously couldn't grasp. I remember how frustrated I'd get trying to explain how awesome the universe was to my mom and I couldn't understand why it didn't blow her mind.

It wasn't until video games became "unpopular" that I realized I wasn't normal, I noticed how unpopular I was, how no one knew my name, and this made me feel inferior, so the only people I would dare to try and be friends with were those who I thought were more inferior than me (younger, geekier, etc.)

Life went on like this for a while until Pokemon became popular. It was like every guy in town was hooked. Longing to be part of the crowd I learned everything I could on Pokemon, I stole packs and packs of the trading cards until I had one of the most impressive collections around, I became social again because everyone was always trading cards. I learned what people were into those days and became an expert on pop culture. I developed real friendships eventually and left y fascination on the cosmos at home where it belonged.

Life went on smoothly for a while, the pokemon craze had ended and I survived by learning enough about people to blend in, and all was well... Until we moved.

I went from living in a decent sized city to hick town, the people were totally different, I could no longer fit in. So I pretended to sleep during all my classes thinking it would give me this 'too cool for school vibe'.

I eventually gained back my social skills from relationships in the work place. Although I've really wanted to have a 'best friend' for about 2 years with no success, my life is going smoothly. I enjoy work and my coworkers. I do feel fake at times though, but I see it as a hobby in a since. I know that sounds narcissistic, but honestly it's the outlook I feel I must have. My fascination with the cosmos has recently stretched to a fascination in physics, but it is still "cosmos centered," now I just want to learn how the cosmos works. I've also picked up another obsession, politics, although not quite as great as my cosmos obsession I think it's worth noting. And well..... that's that

2 random Aspie things about me I left out:
I walk and run oddly, my ex used to make fun of me about it.
I have yet to find any sport I can play half way decent at, it's like I lack the coordination.
I stay up all night watching documentaries way too often.

Welcome!
heh,Pokemon was a boon for me too-i knew everything about the games,and still do,up to third gen.not played new ones yet,alas =/
by walk oddly,do you mean..slightly hunched,toes pointed in?
and yeah,i have been know to stay up of a night and read the Wikipedia

i would assume you are well versed in astro-sciences then? why not attempt to get some qualifications,if its what you love-its what i'm doing with my love of games and technology in general

That was freaky in that your obsession thingos went in the same order as mine (though skipping some.) I was first obsessed with Sega (I hadn't heard of nintendo) then later nintendo. I had a huge obsession with 'Space' after that, and aliens. After that, it was Japan and Pokemon. I remember when starting highschool (yeah 7 in Australia) I struggled to learn the periodic table, but I could tell you the 151 pokemon, their types, number (though I never really tested that). This is where I learnt I wasn't stupid in not learning the periodic table, I just didn't see any point in it (I knew that if I was going to be a scientist, I could look it up anyway)  but I played the damn pokemon game so much I learnt all those things without trying. What sucked for me is that I went to an all girls school. Pokemon wasn't cool there at all, I was laughed at a lot for being so obsessed with that and Japan. Later I found it was quiet common, it is known as Otaku Syndrome Sucks the craze ended, I still love the damn game. Diamond and Pearl is great At the moment, I my interest is neuroscience, and it has been for ages. My current obsession is the AMYGDALA And it helps because I'm a neuroscience student.

The pop culture thing... yeah, I tried it. I listended to the damn radio so much to that shitty (in my opinion, ofcourse) music all just to be able to answer 'who sung that song?' when people wondered. Good thing for me I found some also 'nerdy' friends. We could be who we liked. If we wanted to do well at school, than good for us. If we want to watch anime, we will. Nerd pride! I tended to make fun of myself, so that made things okay. I think people seem to be really good at spotting these so called 'try hards' as they were called.

Sorry, I get a little caried away when people have had the same interests. Like pikajedi3 said, if you like your astrophysics or whatever, go do a course in that area, unless you feel like you are going to move on to something else. Or at least keep it as a hobby, maybe set up a blog about it.

ALso, I might also add in since this is the diagnosis section, that having said all that, I don't have aspergers, I'm just a plain old nerd Don't know about you, though. I suppose it depends on how bad those social skills of yours are. But the thing is, it depends who you're around. Maybe they'd be better if the people around you were into the cosmos too... then you'd be like the king/queen of cool.

no,i was diagnosed as a child with AS by a private doctor.
anymore stupid comments?

Hi Cory, Ignore the troll.  If he had a life of his own he wouldn't be trying to sponge a little life out of us.

You all sound so much like my son. I recall the school telling me that he had difficulty with memorization and I was incredulous.  What did they mean?  He knew every pokemon, what it would evolve into, what episode(s) it was in, etc, etc.

Welcome, Cory.  I had a similar epiphany when I discovered my aspiness.  I spent ten years trying to figure out what was wrong with me.  Then I discovered there was nothing wrong with me in the first place.  I was just different.

After looking at this thread, and considering all the other Pokemon threads here, I wonder: Is there something about Pokemon that most aspies might find very appealing, or is it just a common interest of the younger AFF members who grew up with Pokemon when it was popular?  My NT younger brother was heavily into Pokemon.  He knew all the stats and morphs and whatever and traded the cards.  I, on the other hand, couldn't have cared less, probably because I was too old for it by then.

No,i like pokemon because the RPGs are alot more subtle than most think.
you have EV's,IV's,personalitys.
i loved the whole collection theme as well,and i REALLY love that they are all in the new ones.tyranitar= yayness ^_^

Well I discovered Pokemon when I was 28 so I was no longer a kid (I had a Ph.D. too, so I could at least fake decent intelligence ^^).

As for the popularity, at the time (1996) the game was virtually unknown (it was launched with very little support/advertising initially and had to win its way through its own merits. Most of the original players were "hardcore" gamers well in theirs 20s and had played hundreds of games before).

So I'd answer to your question, yes, there's definitely something that makes Pokemon (we're talking about the Gameboy/GBA/DS RPG games here) "an Aspie's game". And as stated above, you can discount the "kiddy" and "fad" factors at least for some of us (I was no longer a kid and the game wasn't popular, at all, at first).

It may have a lot to do with Satoshi Tajiri, the game's creator, having (allegedly) been diagnosed with AS himself.

That comment, however misguided, summarizes my concerns with online self tests for Asperger's, IQ, and so on.  I don't want to hide behind what I consider to be silly self fulfilling games to explain who I am or to explain my thoughts and behaviour since childhood.

That said, I can relate to just about all symptoms listed online and have taken several tests.  I have an appointment in another week to discuss my issues with a doctor and get a second and more educated opinion.  Where it goes from there is to be seen.

well,i hope it goes well,be it that you do or that you dont want a DX.