In the past few years, I came to accept (perhaps assume) that I suffered from social anxiety disorder. I was more confident in the SAD self-diagnosis than in any inclination toward ADD-I because I regarded symptoms consistent with the latter more as a moral failing or generally the result of poor work ethic amenable to behavioural modification (i.e. I never made the connection with ADD in my own life, even as I didn't disavow it's existence outright.). Anyway, it was recently suggested to me that I may have an Aspergers spectrum disorder. The more I read about Aspergers disorder the more I'm inclined to explore the possibility, given it's eerie symptomatic agreement with my personal experience (acknowledging personal biases that weaken this determination).

I'll spare you from having to determine whether or not I suffer from one or the other disorder. However let's assume for the sake of argument that I have ASD, are the disorder's SAD-like characteristics responsive to anxiolytic medication or are the core personality features that bring about SAD-likeness more difficult to modify with modern pharmaceuticals?

Asperger's Disorder and Social Anxiety Disorder are two seperate diagnoses each with it's own set of "signs and symptoms" and treatment options. Anxiolitics (xanax, valium, atavan) are not the best options because of the risk of dependency and tolerance. Asperger's people also respond to medications differently. I made a post about that here:

http://www.addforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=37160

Also, there are no standard treatments for Asperger's Disorder. Since you can't treat the 'core' features of the disorder you can only treat it's symptoms. I made a post linking to some treatment options here:

http://www.addforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=37186

The only medication that has been approved for the use in Autism and Asperger's Disorder is Risperdal. More on that here:

http://www.addforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=36799
http://risperdal.com

I sure hope this helps. Good luck...
Andy...

People who are AS are sometimes diagnosed with other things like adhd, bipolar disorder, social anxiety disorder, etc; before they are diagnosed with a PDD like AS. The doctors tend to want to rule out everything else before they diagnose autism.

It sounds like you have not been to a doctor. If your condition is causing you difficulty you really ought to see a doctor. If you can find the right doc it can make a big difference.

Me :D

I realize the two disorders are seperate and distinct, but they're not wholly unrelated in the way they present themselves symptomatically.

I held the implicit belief that continued exposure to social situations would relieve my inadequacies but these core features of my personality seem largely resistant to change except through willful learned compensatory behaviour. If anxiolytic medication does it's part to reduce the social anxiety component, then the entire interpersonal exchange ordeal could prove less mentally and physically taxing.

People who are AS are sometimes diagnosed with other things like adhd, bipolar disorder, social anxiety disorder, etc; before they are diagnosed with a PDD like AS. The doctors tend to want to rule out everything else before they diagnose autism.

It sounds like you have not been to a doctor. If your condition is causing you difficulty you really ought to see a doctor. If you can find the right doc it can make a big difference.

Me :DThe suggestion came from my doctor, additionally I'm not sure Aspergers can account for attention issues in and of itself. Perhaps it's the primary causal contributor to my ADD-I, but would that render ADD-I a misdiagnosis? It might undermine a clinical SAD diagnosis, though I'm not as well read in that area, and regardless (be it clinical or subclinical) social anxiety presents itself consistently time and again.

This is simply my opinion, and I won't be offended if you discount it for a stance more appropriate to your life, but I feel that I ought to speak my mind here.

ADHD very commonly occurs with AS. My guess is that a DX of AS would be considered the primary diagnosis even in the case where ADHD is present and presented the most obvious symptoms as compared to AS.

In nutshell... yes it is possible to have both ADHD and AS.

Getting your ADHD treated appropriately will help a lot, plus learning if you have AS or not may prove beneficial in that it will give you a beter understanding of yourself.

Beyond the benefit of a better understanding, a DX of AS is, in my opinion, not always essential. Having the DX does not change your treatment options, nor does it change much of anything except your outlook... What an official DX does is remove doubt. You need to decide what the merits of having an official DX are.

In any case, you need to decide how far down the rabbit-hole of modern medicine you care to go and what you hope to gain from it.

My advice would be to think it over and talk to your doctor about it.

Me :D


The suggestion came from my doctor, additionally I'm not sure Aspergers can account for attention issues in and of itself. Perhaps it's the primary causal contributor to my ADD-I, but would that render ADD-I a misdiagnosis? It might undermine a clinical SAD diagnosis, though I'm not as well read in that area, and regardless (be it clinical or subclinical) social anxiety presents itself consistently time and again.

Getting your ADHD treated appropriately will help a lot, plus learning if you have AS or not may prove beneficial in that it will give you a beter understanding of yourself.

Beyond the benefit of a better understanding, a DX of AS is, in my opinion, not always essential. Having the DX does not change your treatment options, nor does it change much of anything except your outlook... What an official DX does is remove doubt. You need to decide what the merits of having an official DX are.

In any case, you need to decide how far down the rabbit-hole of modern medicine you care to go and what you hope to gain from it.

My advice would be to think it over and talk to your doctor about it.

Me :DIt's of more immediate interest, beyond self-understanding (which is not devoid of it's own utility), because it may affect my choice in anxiolytic treatment(s). I'm concerned that psychostimulants, and perhaps non-stimulant alternatives, may exascerbate my anxiety. You might've also noted that netsavy linked to material discussing unique medicational sensitivities characteristic of at least some individuals with Aspergers. Most of this information is useful, relevant, and applicable in the short-term.

Their may be appreciable downsides to a diagnosis, but I'm unfamiliar with them offhand. It's probably something I should look into before pressing the issue with my doctor.

Psychostimulants do exacerbate anxiety in some people. In many cases it can be mitiagated. Every person is a little different. I think your aproach to the problems is valid and I'd encourage you to follow up with your doctor.

The major downside of any diagnosis is labeling, but on the otherhand, these things have names so it's probably a good idea to call things what they are.

ME :D

In any case, you need to decide how far down the rabbit-hole of modern medicine you care to go and

what you hope to gain from it.

My advice would be to think it over and talk to your doctor about it.I'm compelled to address this portion of your statement again. I think it's an apt description of a common perception associated with the pursuit of psychiatric treatment. On the few occassions I've had to declare my ADD-I for instance, I would begin by saying "I have adult ADD..." or something to that effect and feel as though I've immediately infantilized myself. Mind you, compounding this, I would often present as a withdrawn, unconfident and generally socially untoward individual.

Statements like these also elicit a slight knee-jerk self-loathing response:

"My psychiatrist says..."
"I've been depressed for..."
"I suffer from social anxiety..."

All may be perceived as a cumulative abdication of personal responsiblity. I don't hold these beliefs personally, but this is my perception of how others respond (in thought and action).

Compartmentalizing personality traits, isolating those that are uniquely eccentric (even if they serve to diminish quality of life) and pathologizing them, tends to run counter to many a laymen's personal responsilibity constructs.

Doctors and some mental health professionals aren't entirely immune to this stereotypical response on some level, but they're more mindful of it fortunately.

Incidentally, this post happens to illustrate the interplay of social anxiety with(in) my thought processes.