How many of you have Aspergers?

[mchlwise]

http://www.piepalace.ca/blog/asperger-test-aq-test/


I got 32 so I guess a borderline case. :tinfoil:

Thanks for the link.

The test scores 0 - 50, with Aspergers/high functioning autism at 32 and above.

[edit: they put "average woman" at 15, and "average man" at 18]

I scored 25. :ironic: Not quite Aspergers, but certainly tending towards it.




Regarding MossyOak's comments:

I agree whole-heartedly that there are way too many people trying to diagnose way too many things. I think the problem with that is when someone's been "diagnosed", it's a VERY small jump to "how do we fix it?".

"How do we fix it?" is, I believe, the real problem.

Everyone is individual. Everyone is different. Those differences can be grouped together, and people can be lumped into a diagnosis. "You guys have Aspergers." So? A group of peoples' individuality and differences don't make them better or worse than a different group... just different.

I think the problem starts when we place judgment.

Having Aspergers doesn't make someone "worse" than someone who is more social. It just makes them different.

:shrug:

 

[jtr1962]

34 on the Asperger's test. I'm surprised I scored that high considering that I can interact fine with people when I have to (even though I usually don't enjoy it).

 

[BVH]

Seems to me the process of putting labels on traits and characteristics is just another way of promoting the "feel good about yourself no matter what" philosophy that kids are being taught in schools now days instead of how to really perform. "I don't have to take responsibility for my actions because I have such N such". "But golly gee, I sure do feel good about myself".

Doesn't matter how bad you are or that you need a good swift kick in the A.. and some good ole fashion discipline. Just feel good about yourself at all costs....Horsefeathers!

Unfortunately, when these kids finally make it to the reality of working life, they're not prepared for it. Feeling good about yourself is not going to cut it when you're not performing up to par and you lose your job. "I couldn't get this order packed and shipped today because my such n such flared up". "Woe is me". "But I sure do feel good about myself and my employer owes me this job, even if I can't do it.

I'm sick and tired of all these "Acronymic" disorders and how convieniently some people use them as a crutch and, surprise, surprise, a new drug comes along to treat them. Geese, get on with life and deal with it!

However, I know there really are legit disorders out there but the numbers they affect are far, far less than we're led to believe.

 

[kitelights]

Are you stating that one must interact with others to experience "real" pleasure and joy?

No, but you only quoted part of what I said and took it out of context.

I made that statement regarding relationships (as in humans), and to that effect, yes.

 

[elgarak]

im going to **** off alot of people saying this but oh well.
i dont believe in ADD, ADHD,aspergers and all those other "disorders"
I was diagnoseed with ADHD when i was 10, up until then i thought i was normal, just hyper, but what kid isnt? i think all these things are just another thing to medicate. and people want to diagnose people, all people, with some disorder. and thats stupid. i cant think of one single person that doesnt have one "disorder" or another. i mean i supposedly have ADHD, my mom has restless leg syndrome, my dad ADD. we're all different. deal with it.
no one is "medically normal."

I have to agree with you here. Then again, I am a physicist, and as such the natural enemy of people in the medical psych-professions . And I work in a field that attracts a great variety of behaviors, with a great percentage of people with 'symptoms' close to those diagnoses.

What ticks me off most about it is that those diagnoses have a great 'fashionable' aspect. Depending on where and when your psych-professional was schooled, you're more or less likely to be diagnosed (and how much money the psych-professional wants to make).

 

[LukeA]

29. About what I thought.

 

[Scattergun]

I don´t have AS but I regularly work with kids with AS, as a licensed clinical Psychologist at a clinic for disabled children in a local hospital.

I guess many of us CPF-members would be classified as mild cases or diagnosed with AS if an overambitious professional really wanted to find a diagnose to explain some problem in everyday life... however there is a clear difference between "normal" symtoms of Aspergers Syndrome, and the clinically prevalent symtoms of a AS-patient.

As a clinical psychologist I have learned that the question is not wether or not you will find symtoms in a clinical situation, the question is how many... and that goes for every patient that ever set his/her foot in a hospital.

[Edit] Btw... I´m a trained mechanical engineer as well, so I guess I´m not the usual shrink...

 

[WildRice]

Mrs. Wildrice:

I scored a 7. Nice. It seems the test was DESIGNED to make NT people feel stupid (or inferior).

Jeff got a 36. He wins. Big number=winner.

Ok, so I'm his yin and he's got the yang! I'm good wit dat~!

And...BTW... Being an Aspie isn't a DISORDER to whoever coined it as such is obviously completely ignorant of what it means to have this title bestowed about them. Asperger's means that YOU are incredible at what you do, and you can give a rats @$$ what anyone thinks of it. It's about you're desire and your passion, if someone else thinks it's cool- dat's cool.

However, I beg to disagree about the "but as long as they're happy and productive having learned coping skills or how to turn their "flaws" into assets" Some people haven't! This also predispositions many Aspie's to depression. I know my hubbie has had more than his fair share of depression, and difficulties with 'job redefinition' (basically fired the secratary AND travel agent, and made him do EVEN MORE paperwork) and when he couldn't adapt to it, was fired... TWICE (the little pr!ck that fired him the first time, gained employment in his next company and did the same F'in thing...yeah I'm a bit steamed about it) Having a Dx of Asperger's really does protect him under the Persons with Disabilities Act, because unlike a Neurotypical (such as myself) Aspie's can have a real tough time with change or redefinition of perameters. Not that he CAN'T but it can take training and patience.

No, he wouldn't get the little wheelchair licence plate.... even if I would beg him on my knees (he likes me there too.):devil:

~Anjel~

 

[PhotonWrangler]

I've read that there's been a noticeable spike in AS in the Silicon Valley area due to the propensity of nerds marrying like-minded nerds and producing, well... little nerds! I'm not saying that all nerds have AS, of course, but there is a noticeable pattern here, regardless of whether you consider it a pattern of behavior or an actual condition. The fact that there is this spike might actually make it a little easier to spot the causative factors.

BTW, I've met a small handful of people who have been diagnosed as mildly symptomatic. They're quiet, gentle, bookish types of folks and I like them as friends.

 

[Fallingwater]

Some characteristics include not maintaing eye contact, poor social skills ie interacting with others, appear to be in their own world alot, and an interest in detail, almost to obsession

I had all of those when I was little, although I wouldn't call my interest in details obsessive.
Either it was an extremely light form, or it was just my personality, cos it went away when I was about 18.

 

[AlexGT]

Gosh! I scored a 32 and my son has been diagnosed with ADHD, maybe he got it from me?

Thanks for the link!

AlexGT

 

[PhotonWrangler]

I just toook the quiz and scored a 21 - "Average Male or Female computer Scientist."

 

[geepondy]

I got a 28. From reading initial and previous posts, I think I tend to lean a bit to Aspergers as I definitely don't like social gatherings with many people unless I am very familiar with the gathering. Likewise I am not a touchy/feely person with family members although as mentioned I don't have a problem in that regard with girlfriends and non family members. More so, I think I tend to be mildly bi-polar, I wonder if there's a test for that. I think most of these syndrome's are brain chemical imbalances in which I don't think is really understood yet.

 

[mossyoak]

i got an 18.

 

[PhantomPhoton]

I scored a 30. I'm close.

I agree in principle with Mossyoak. There is no such thing as normal.
While I personally do believe in some cases of ADHD, I think it is mis-diagnosed and over diagnosed.
I find it is a common scapegoat to label some kids because they lack the mental skills to focus. Just like a muscle can be "exercised" and a certain weak or slow kinetic body motion enhanced, so can the mental skills of most people be practiced, exercised and enhanced. I work with kids, and I have some that don't focus or listen very well. While I have many parents who claim their kids have ADD or ADHD, I believe few of them.

I have no opinion on Aspergers for now as this is the first I've heard of it... some of the traits definitely fit me. I'm quite sure it is a valid classification for some people, but I would gather it is becoming a popular scapegoat to label children who have trouble socializing or multitasking.

Again I am not saying there aren't valid cases. But its easier (for some parents especially) to label a kid into this category or that category as an excuse for behavior rather than to work with the child to recognize and correct the behavior; rather than to look at the child's whole situation and find the root causes of the behavior in the first place. Nature vs. Nurture

 

[Coop]

I scored 34 on the test.

I have been diagnosed with ADD (as an adult, not as a kid). I hate it when people use ADHD or ADD as an excuse for poor parenting. I hate it when people have hyperactive kids and say it's AD(H)D. Hyperactivity is just a small part of AD(H)D. Usually when someone uses AD(H)D as an excuse, I ask from which side of the family the kid got it, because many people don't know that most cases of AD(H)D are genetically inherited.

 

[mossyoak]

teachers are typically the ones that suggest ritalin or whatever to the parents first. thats what my 5th grade teacher suggested for me, because teachers dont like the kids to kids they prefer motionless easily teachable zombies.

 

[Diesel_Bomber]

Interesting thread.

I scored 24............ a little less than I was expecting. I never fit in and just plain don't enjoy crowds of people. I can feign it well and play the socialite, but it's just a mask and I'm not happy doing it. I think I notice the same amount of details as most people, it just seems that the details I do notice, look for, and think are important are different than most people. I despised group projects in school and for the most part got put in a "group" by myself; generally I finished weeks ahead of the other groups and scored far higher. I don't know anything about touching family members, my family just didn't touch. Obviously I have no trouble touching my wife, but other than her I'm pretty distant.

My wife looked at the test, thought for a second, and then nailed the number I scored exactly.

:buddies:

 

[TedTheLed]

15.

I knew i was the only sane one around here...

It's all you guys that are the crazy ones...CRAZY! CRAAAY - ZEEEEE I tell you!!

But I'm quitting eating Angus Burgers from now on just to be on the safe side....

 

[DieselDave]

I see both the over and under diagnosis. We are asked (wife and I) about AS and Autistic behavior quite often. School districts love the labels so they can get the additional funding so they are quick to jump on a label. However, they also need some of the labels to get help for the kids that really need it.

The school districts need a financial incentive to get kids off the label. I sincerely believe that would help by getting the kids more intense therapy to get better or just grow up which is often the only problem.

The scariest cases are the ones that really have a problem but like some here, refuse to accept the diagnosis. Believe me, just deciding you don't have it or want it doesn't make it go away. We tried that early on for about 6 months with our son and despite our best efforts it got worse. He is severely autistic despite being normal until age 2.

I guess it boils down to function. Does your "quirk" have a negative impact on your daily activities, school, work, relationships? If so, try and fix it yourself and if that fails, seek medical help. Keep in mind medical help doesn't always mean drugs. My son doesn't take any prescription drugs to regulate, calm or sedate him. For our son we decided to put up with the very poor behavior and try to help him with therapy. Each case is different and you have to decide your own path.

For a different perspective. I recently met a family with triplet boys that are all autistic. The boys are 6-7 years old and my uneducated assessment would be mild to moderate autism. As a parent can you imagine 3 autistic kids at once? They also had about a 10 year old normal daughter and 3-4 year old normal younger daughter. Oh my gosh would that be a challenge or what?