Okay guys, this isn't related to LGBT but this is the only place I could think of to ask for advice. So, a few months ago I was diagnosed with ADHD and it totally made sense, but I felt like there was something else going on. I'd been thinking for awhile that maybe I'm high functioning autistic (HFA) or have Asperger's. Last week, my mom took me shopping to find an outfit for an awards dinner we're going to for my dad. I had a lot of very specific things that I did not like to wear and eventually my mom asked if I was autistic (which I thought was funny) and I said I dunno. It got me thinking more about it and I've been looking through the internet and reading blogs of people who were diagnosed HFA as adults. I learned that autism manifests differently in girls and after reading symptoms of females, I realized I had most of those traits. I was ultra shy as a child (still am kinda shy, introverted) and spoke very softly. I have to project my voice to talk at a normal volume, but I can't always gauge it correctly and end up being too loud. My friends are always telling me how I talk about the same things all the time. I get "attached" or stuck on people and events. Getting attached to people can be annoying because my friends think it's weird and that I have a crush on them. In reality, they just really care and have an awesome personality and I really like them in a totally platonic way. When I get stuck on a person, I'll talk about them all the time and want to see them often. As a kid, I knew everything there was to know about space (still know more than the average person), I loved it and had several books about it. I also know a lot about 9/11, it fascinates me. I always watch the documentaries and going to the memorial and museum in New York is an amazing experience for me. I could spend an entire day in the museum. I just don't know how to bring this up with my parents (mostly mom, she takes care of medical stuff). It just seems like I'm always telling her there's something wrong, but I feel like there is still something missing. I think it's this. I'm going to a psychiatrist next Tuesday for another reason (first appointment with this one), should I bring it up with him? I just don't really know what to do. I want it settled at least with my parents before I go back to school so I can at least let my professors know this is something I'm dealing with (can't go through disability services without an actual diagnosis). I dunno, please help
I would bring it up with the psychiatrist before bringing it up with parents. See what advice he has. I know a few autistic people, and they have some of those symptoms. Good luck.
I don't see why you couldn't bring this up with your parents, especially your mom. She already asked, and unless you aren't comfortable for some reason, if you need to talk about it with people you feel close with, it's nothing to be ashamed of. I would definitely bring it up to the psychiatrist. They can probably test you (which is better than self diagnosing ) but you could be onto something!
I was diagnosed with Aspergers at age 5, and you sound a lot like me, so I'd say your guess is not without substance, but still definitely bring it up with the psychiatrist next week.
You sound a lot like me, except one of my attachments/obsessions wasn't space (though I love it), it was dinosaurs. About a year ago, my mum sat me down and told me she's strongly suspected I've had Asperger's my whole life but because I seem to be coping quite well on my own she's never felt the need to have it confirmed. That really messed me up, because it became an obsession to find out. But I've never had GPs willing to listen, so I still don't know for sure. ---------- Post added 12th Jan 2017 at 12:07 PM ---------- My mum is a nurse and very rational about things, all the time. So when she says something she's normally right.
I think there will be a problem to bring this up to your parents (especially to your mother since she must know more about autism than the general population) or your psychiatrist. However having an official diagnosis may change the way you feel about yourself. It happened with me. While I had suspected that I have Asperger's for some time being officially diagnosed (for the first time) depressed me for some time so maybe you should bring that up at that risk. Anyway I wish you good luck
Update: my mom told me to mention it when I went to the psychiatrist today. Right now, he thinks my autistic traits might be coping mechanisms I created as a kid to deal with my social anxiety. He told me to continue with my plan and do CBT with the counselor I have at school. If some of those tendencies aren't changing with CBT, he might look more into ASD. I'm feeling a lot better about those, though now. If the obsessions and stuff are coping mechanisms and overstimulation and fidgeting/hyperactivity are my ADHD, I'm fine Hopefully, they are just coping mechanisms and I can deal with them better
