Posted by TF on October 2, 2004, at 8:21:43
I found out on June 23rd that I was diagnosed with this disorder. At first, as the doctor explained it to me, some of it made sense. The general social ineptitude, difficulty initiating interaction, monotone voice, restricted and intense areas of interest, obsessive preoccupation with fullfillment of routines (ALthough I think I'm fully capable of breaking out of them if I want.), etc...
However, after leaving his office and (when home) going online to check up on some information, it began making less and less sense. For one thing, many people with aspergers tend to be gifted in certain areas of functioning and have excellent memories. Also, I've read that people with AS have trouble empathizing with others and recognizing figures of speech (sarcasm, metaphors, etc..). I have average intelligence (Although my memory was pretty good compared to most people, before being stricken with a bad case of brain fog. Now it's only a little bit better.) and (I think) good ability to empathize with people (I believe this is actually what causes most of my social phobia.). I can also recognise figures of speech, although I tend to be slow at that. The major thing that convinced me that I don't have AS, however, was that a number of people on an AS message board are convinced (by my online behavior) that I'm nuerotypical, or at the very least not AS. And I tend to take the word of people who have lived with AS more seriously than someone who has a more detached understanding of the mindset that comes with it.
poster:TF
thread:398208
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/psycho/20041002/msgs/398208.html