Aspergers Challenged Support Group

We talked, and agreed while it's definitely possible it can be difficult to diagnose. A lot of my symptoms, idiosyncrosies, etc., can be caused from my PTSD and Severe Anxiety. I do stim a bit, ok a lot, but there was a woman in a program I was in, that would rock, but she was Bipolar. She said that if we did decide to pursue a diagnosis, I would be referred to a social skills class and therapy. Well, I was just in a 2-week program for depression and anxiety and will be continuing in a once-a-week interpersonal group. I've learned so much from being in those group classes and stuff. Especially how to communicate with people and, yes, even make eye contact. WOAH! One of the dr's running the interpersonal group in the program actually put me on the spot and look each person in our group (about 8) and say what I see. I got maybe a few correct, only because one was crying, so I knew she was upset or sad, and another I knew really well and knew what was going on with him. The dr's weren't very hard either. The others... psshht. No idea. It was a good exercise though. One on one, I'm not so bad with eye contact, especially if I know the person pretty well. I even brought it up to the counselor I saw while in the program and we talked quite a bit about it. She agreed that it was hard because of the same issues I mentioned above. I still see the same psychologist I've seen for about a year and a half and we know each other pretty well. So, we'll just continue working on things, and I will continue working on social issues in the weekly group (luckily 2 of the people I was in the program in will be in the same group, makes me less anxious about it).

I liked your article!! I have been dx with AS for about 1 year, 7 mo.

I am known around here as mrkitty. I would like to keep in touch with you. Bye for now

Mrkitty

you did a great job my friend.A label is a label we just choose to match how we feel I have half a dozen labels but only really expresses who I am.

You have my upmost respect and best wishes in your ventures

Thanks spectrummum!!!

Glyn

Thank you mrkitty and spectrummum. I've been officially diagnosed with Sensory Processing Disorder. All my dr's agree about it. My psychologist is still open to the AS idea. I know a bunch of women with AS and learned that AS in females presents differently. I've learned how to adapt socially for the most part but the sensory stuff is extremely overwhelming. Still, I always miss jokes, don't always know what to say back, etc. I still feel stunted when it comes to social growth. I much prefer to stay home, or just hang out with one or two close friends. Like someone said, a label is just a label. I relate to Aspegers. I don't see it as a "syndrome" or "disorder." My brain is wired differently. That's all. One of my "special interests" is medicine, I love it. I actually had a conversation with one of my good friends last night, we both wanted to go to med school, but I am now permanently disabled from a degenerative genetic condition and she doesn't have the stamina for it. We were talking about how we watch the medical mystery shows and how we like trying to figure out the diagnoses. I told her that I think it's a way to keep my brain working. She said "ME TOO!!!!" we've both been of school for about 5/6 years and feel like our brains are rotting. The SPD is hard to deal with, but I'm learning preparation and my boyfriend has been extremely supportive about it. And I am currently working on making my own weight blanket out of old jeans. My friend in college had one her mom made her and I loved it so much, it was nice and heavy and lined with fleece (my favorite fabric). So it gave me the idea to make my own. I'm going to see if it's heavy enough for me before filling it with the poly-pellets that are used to make the weighted blankets that are used by OTs and other people with SPD.

I dont think girls present diferantly it that we hide it well we do the role of pur lives in a desperate measure to "fit"whee has boys do not care less what is thought and they just are.

I was not diagnosed until 2005 I am now 42,Hang in there my friend for in my opinion you are indeed aspie.

Thanks for the support! It really does help to have others that "get it." I have wonderful friends that find my idiosyncracies endearring for the most part... lol. They are very supportive. I haven't mentioned being aspie to many of them. I don't really feel that it's important. They have known me long enough to know who I really am, and that's what matters. There's a few that share my bizarre humor and different interests so it works out well! lol. Anyway... The hardest part is finding out what works for the sensory things. I wear a hat most of the time (it's actually become like a security blanket for me), I have glasses with different levels of tinting, I have earplugs (but they are too big, I need to get smaller ones), and my boyfriend tries to help me prepare for when we go out. It's a trial and error process, which I hate, to figure out what works and what doesn't.

Does anyone else have bad sensory problems?

I am still at the trial and error stage and I think it will always be that way.Now it would be like teaching a dog new tricks lol

What is PTSD?

Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome. I suffered some severe trauma as a small child and teenager. Although, being on the spectrum does make people more susceptable to PTSD (if they are traumatized). So, in my case it's hard for my psych's and dr's to decide which came first.