I am 27, diagnosed AD and ADHD, and formerly, Social Phobia (that diagnosis was removed for no apparent reason). I know AS causes serious social problems, but I was wondering if it is possible that if someone had ADHD, plus depression and social phobia from a very early age it could look like Asperger's. I have read that both ADHD and depression disrupt social skills and can even cause things like poor eye contant and diminished reading of body language. I would think that having disorders like these from early childhood could interfere with learning social skills. I have also read that ADHD can cause sensitivity to light, sound, touch, etc.
In my case I am confused because I find that nowadays I can sometimes look at someone's face and be able to read the facial expression. I can recognize faces fairly easily too. I am often am not confused by the actions of people on TV, and sometimes not in real life. In fact, recently it seems like I can sense "sense" the temperament of a new person I am meeting, and be able to predict how they behave from that. I'm pretty sure I can feel empathy for people. I have cried when I saw victims of natural disasters suffering on TV, for example. It doesn't make sense to me, because people with AS supposedly can't conceptualize how other people think or feel. I still don't know how to interact comfortably with people.
I have tried talking to people with AS in chat rooms before and really did not fit in with any of them at all. Everyone in them loved talking about computers and other technical stuff. Those subjects hold no interest for me. I know that the "computer geek" is only one stereotype of AS, but if I'm not like that it would also indicate something else. I suppose I am biased in writing this post because I really don't want to have AS.
Does anyone else have any thoughts on this?

sparrow,what is it about AS that you do not want to be associated with? is it that you would just rather not have any label at all,in general?

I do not think you are going to get an answer by looking on forums,as you really need to see a specialist who will determine where the difficulties come from.

Computer interest might be popular within the autistic community,but there is no rule to say that the person has to like one hobby or another,there are autistics who can cope with fiction,and Autistics who like popular culture,some autistics like to socialise-there's no set steriotype to this-in the same stance,I have been wondering for a long while whether I should have got a Kanners DX instead of Aspergers DX,as it's too high functioning for what I am,I know from quite a few people across various autism forums that we're not the only ones who don't feel we are like what we were diagnosed as,but this is part of autism,everyone who has an ASD diagnosis is still an individual,and I think those of us who are diagnosed ASD+AD/HD are often given a bad deal,as the AD/HD diminishes some of the autistic good points-we won't be exactly the same as those just with ASD.

If you still think you have got a wrong diagnosis,get referred to a pysch,but also ask parents,people who knew you well etc what you were like as a young child,whether you fit the depressive symptoms back then.

What are the AS traits you have?

sparrow

IF you have AS, don't fear it. You need to be able to accept yourself as you are, or you will be depriving yourself of understanding and being able to cope with ADD, ASD, or whatever... You are also likely to have some gifts that you will eventually learn to tap. Those gifts will bring you a lot of enjoyment in life. To do that, you have to accept yourself as you are.

If you are not AS, be happy, because at least the bad symptoms you are experiencing will be treatable. IF you DO have AS, some of it might not be treatable and you will have to learn to adapt to life as it is.... in either case you need to feel free to accept yourself as you are...

I have been working toward a diagnosis for almost a year now, and am getting closer. I have had to accept the possibility that I might well have something in the autism spectrum. The bottom line is that I might, or might not... The point I am making is that I had to learn to accept the idea, and face the possibilities and then set out to find out what I really have going on in my brain. It all got a LOT easier when I decided to simply accept myself as I am and work from there...


Me :D

What I don't like about AS is the hopeless prognosis: most of the information I have on AS states how it is incurable, and about how you can treat symptoms such as depression that go with it, but not the social deficit of AS. I can't seem to find any circumstances in life where social skills don't matter. I was diagnosed with AS six years ago. That psychiatrist interviewed my parents as well as me. I have seen several "experts" since who seemed to agree with the diagnosis. So I suppose the evidence supports the conclusion that I probably have it, although it can't be proven because there is no concrete test, such as a brain scan, for AS. I am dissapointed that I could not make things better since the diagnosis, and there was no treatment that fixed things, either. What bothers me the most is how I've dissapointed my family. I don't see how self-acceptance is possible when the people around you don't accept you.

In the end you only have to please yourself. Quirkiness can be very lovable and highly interesting. I tend to gravitate towards such people. You have what seems to be good intelligence. Sure, managing people would be difficult for you but there is no reason that you can't use your strengths to make a good living, nor is there any reason that you can't have a normal live.

What bothers me the most is how I've dissapointed my family. I don't see how self-acceptance is possible when the people around you don't accept you. Sparrow, have you discussed this with your family?

Sparrow, "empathy" and "compassion" are not the same thing. It's unfortunate that people think they are, because then they hear something like, "autistic people lack empathy" and think this means that autistics are awful/horribly damaged people who can't care about anyone else.

Untrue! Some of the biggest human-rights activists I know are on the spectrum. They care deeply about other people, and are not removed from crying (or otherwise expressing sorrow) over another's pain.

You said that "sometimes" you can read facial expressions, and "sometimes" are not confused by how people act? It sounds pretty AS to me. Eventually, most AS people learn to "read" NTs to some extent; AS symptoms are not completely static, anymore than ADHD symptoms are completely static.

It's not a bad thing to be Spectrum! (If you are, that is.) I think my autistic friends have a unique and often fascinating perspective on human nature.

It sounds like you could have been misdiagnosed and if you have been I suggest you change your doctor....QUICKLY as misdiagnoses can ruin lives....I know cause I've been there many times.

Also have you looked into Sensory Processing Disorder otherwise known as Sensory Integration Disorder????........there are similarities.

Take Care
Selena
I am 27, diagnosed AD and ADHD, and formerly, Social Phobia (that diagnosis was removed for no apparent reason). I know AS causes serious social problems, but I was wondering if it is possible that if someone had ADHD, plus depression and social phobia from a very early age it could look like Asperger's. I have read that both ADHD and depression disrupt social skills and can even cause things like poor eye contant and diminished reading of body language. I would think that having disorders like these from early childhood could interfere with learning social skills. I have also read that ADHD can cause sensitivity to light, sound, touch, etc.
In my case I am confused because I find that nowadays I can sometimes look at someone's face and be able to read the facial expression. I can recognize faces fairly easily too. I am often am not confused by the actions of people on TV, and sometimes not in real life. In fact, recently it seems like I can sense "sense" the temperament of a new person I am meeting, and be able to predict how they behave from that. I'm pretty sure I can feel empathy for people. I have cried when I saw victims of natural disasters suffering on TV, for example. It doesn't make sense to me, because people with AS supposedly can't conceptualize how other people think or feel. I still don't know how to interact comfortably with people.
I have tried talking to people with AS in chat rooms before and really did not fit in with any of them at all. Everyone in them loved talking about computers and other technical stuff. Those subjects hold no interest for me. I know that the "computer geek" is only one stereotype of AS, but if I'm not like that it would also indicate something else. I suppose I am biased in writing this post because I really don't want to have AS.
Does anyone else have any thoughts on this?

Sparrow;

Self acceptance does not require the approval of anyone. Some people will love you, and others will not. It would be like that even if you did not have AS no matter what you do. Humans are a funny lot, they do not act on pure logic.... It is to your advantage to know who you are as a person, and to act on your values and beliefs. To do this, you need to accept yourself, and it gets a lot easier...

In some cases a friend or a relative will get a little shocked when they realize that your condition is "incurable"... WEll, ADD is incurable too. Aging is incurable... etc. Think about it...

The ADD has me way scattered this evening, so I am struggling with my words. What I am trying to say is that you can make a difference in your own life. Even if you can not change the world, you are the one who controls your decision making. You can not change people, but you can educate them and you can show them your best. If that is not good enough for them , well maybe you ought to consider the idea that their decision making is probably not up to speed... or perhaps they are simply too biased , or too afraid to open up a little and try to understand that some people are just different. In either case it is going to call for a lot of patience on your part. Sometimes there is nothing you can do about it, but you should not let it stop you from doing the best that you can.

I do not think that a person who has not experienced life from this side of the "barriers" is capable of understanding what it is like. I guess this is why autistics and ADDers seem to communicate with each other so well... they sort of understand each other.

I do think that any person can try to at least be a little patient with, or sympathetic toward, others. I doubt that most NT people can grasp the idea that you mean well, even when you get social interraction "wrong" and that is it simply a matter of how one's brain is wired, and not that you don't care...For some reason nobody ever gets a single break on social mistakes.... But I do think that most people can understand that you are doing your best and be more tolerant. For those who can't see it that way, you can not do anything about them... When I was a little kid, I would get so upset when something was frustrating me. My grandmother would smile and look at me and say "You might as well scratch and get glad, because being unhappy is not going to change a thing."

all apologies if I am just tooo much this evening...
Me :D


What I don't like about AS is the hopeless prognosis: most of the information I have on AS states how it is incurable, and about how you can treat symptoms such as depression that go with it, but not the social deficit of AS. I can't seem to find any circumstances in life where social skills don't matter. I was diagnosed with AS six years ago. That psychiatrist interviewed my parents as well as me. I have seen several "experts" since who seemed to agree with the diagnosis. So I suppose the evidence supports the conclusion that I probably have it, although it can't be proven because there is no concrete test, such as a brain scan, for AS. I am dissapointed that I could not make things better since the diagnosis, and there was no treatment that fixed things, either. What bothers me the most is how I've dissapointed my family. I don't see how self-acceptance is possible when the people around you don't accept you.

Oh, wow - don't give up on yourself. We struggled with our son through ADHD for quite some time and when the ASD diagnosis came through - we celebrated! He's only nine, so fortunately, he has not had to grow up managing this on his own. He's already struggling now in the classroom and that's with me advocating on his behalf. It's hard, but we're not giving up.

No, it's not curable but that's not a bad thing either. My ASD boy stopped for 10 minutes in the lobby of the hospital where the doctor's office is located just to enjoy the beauty of the Christmas tree. Little things, like his appreciation for what we routinely overlook (yeah, it also means if we didn't stop, we'd have to deal with a tantrum) is what I celebrate about his diagnosis. His unique phrasing of ideas make me stop and think, his kindness and generosity can be overwhelming (when he's not being egocentric and/or withdrawn) - these are unique abilities that I don't want *cured.*

His social difficulties, his hyperfocus, his tantrums and meltdowns, he can learn to manage with love and support - I know he will one day make his way into adulthood, it just won't be as easy as I, his mother, would want for him. He may even trade in his love and knowledge of trains for computer programming - I can see how that black-and-white world would be popular with Aspie's - or, since he can read music, he may one day be a fabulous composer, or since he has been arguing almost since he started talking, he may become a Supreme Court Justice.

There may be no pill to *fix* ASD, but with support, therapy, training, we will have hope for our son.

Try the book "Pretending to be Normal" by Liane Holliday Willey. She's ASD and it might help you too.

What I don't like about AS is the hopeless prognosis: most of the information I have on AS states how it is incurable, and about how you can treat symptoms such as depression that go with it, but not the social deficit of AS. I can't seem to find any circumstances in life where social skills don't matter. I was diagnosed with AS six years ago. That psychiatrist interviewed my parents as well as me. I have seen several "experts" since who seemed to agree with the diagnosis. So I suppose the evidence supports the conclusion that I probably have it, although it can't be proven because there is no concrete test, such as a brain scan, for AS. I am dissapointed that I could not make things better since the diagnosis, and there was no treatment that fixed things, either. What bothers me the most is how I've dissapointed my family. I don't see how self-acceptance is possible when the people around you don't accept you.