Anyone Else Feel Like They Have Asperger Syndrome?

[jillio]

You are very welcome!

 

[EsthersCrown]

Finatic

Ive always had a hard time interacting with people. I always thought it was cuz of my hearing loss. Could I have Asperger? I have fanantical interests in cars.

You don't have to have Asperger symptoms to be a finatic about cars. i do not have asperger at all and i love cars. i love their smell , the way they look shiny and new,and clean. i love the smell of them when they are new. Different colors, WoW!, their rims, the way certain cars rev their engines, the way the engine sounds Wow!, the way certain cars drive on the freeway, certain cars with certain shapes,certain colors wow sometimes i think i look more at cars then i do men... i was driving one day on the freeway onto another freeway and this 5 series BMW came right up behind me, i was in the far left driving lane and for about 20 miles we played cat and mouse. WHOOOOO!, i think if he would have pulled me over i might have had to go to the hospital, i was in such Awe.. i can feel the excitement rush right through not only my bones but right deep into my gut. so finatism not the same . i think we all can be a little finatic about something. everybody has a different finatic side, to some women it may be shoes, or men or other stuff. So relax about the cars sydrome. be at peace about that.
EsthersCrown

 

[euclidean_lake]

I am extremely skeptical of Asperger Syndrome being as prevalent as it appears to be, unless someone has an extreme case of it, like that guy hovering around in your dorm room, watching you clean. That's just....weird. Either that guy had a really SEVERE form of it, or he could just have been crazy. But seriously, what that guy probably had was a SEVERE form of autism. I really think that people who have severe AS should really have acute characteristics of it. In fact, I really don't think there should be a distinction between AS and high-functioning autism. I think that if people have one or two characteristics of the syndrome, they don't have the full-blown thing. Furthermore, I honestly think that AS is just a composite of several different diagnoses, such as OCD, ADD, dysgraphia, and things of that sort, as opposed to autism which features dyspraxia (poor motor coordination), prospopagnosia (inability to recognize facial expressions, due to a discrepancy in the right hemisphere, which is the sector devoted to facial recognition), and impaired social skills. But I honestly think that people with AS don't necessarily have poor social skills. In fact, the people I knew with it were far too social, which is interesting. But seriously, I really don't think that AS even exists, as it is a composite of random syndromes. It's just a disorder fabricated by the psychiatric industry in liaison with pharmaceutical companies and insurance corporations to deceive susceptible clients into thinking they have something wrong with them simply because they deviate slightly from the sociologically-constructed 'norm' which society invents. Seriously, this disorder is all a ploy by the psychiatric industries. And it is strictly a behavioral disorder, so it can be 'unlearned'. This is the logical contradiction I have observed with the conventional wisdom of the psychiatric enterprise: they utterly disregard the dynamics that propel and reprogram the human mind. The mind is in a constant state of flux; we naturally change over time, and assume many different roles in this lifetime. WE are not all one person; thus we do not have one sense of 'self' but instead have many 'selves'. This isn't a form of multiple personality disorder, it is just that the dynamics of the human mind mandate that we must change; we have to in order to advance our species. Thus, there is no such thing as a 'fixed' psychological complex as we are constantly changing.

With me, I always had difficulty with novel tasks, but once I acquired it, I mastered it. So I became multi-talented in myriad fields, and I am also extremely athletic and musically inclined. So yes, there is no such thing as a 'fixed' disability. Unless you have something acute like schizophrenia, or extreme forms of autism. But I really think that people either have a severe form of autism, or they don't. I suppose there's such a thing as having Asperger-affective disorder, where people have some of the characteristics of AS associated with autism without having the full-blown thing. But I really don't think that Asperger's exists, because I don't think that people can have one or two characteristics of AS without having the full diagnosis. I really don't think that even exists, as it is a completely different syndrome from autism. And as someone who has studied this intently as a psychologist and social worker, and someone who knows people who have been misdiagnosed with AS but have none of the characteristics of autism, I can honestly tell you that Asperger Syndrome doesn't exist. Because people can honestly have the characteristics of it, but thenalter their behaviors such that they unlearn it. So the diagnosis is merely a contrivance of the psychiatric industry.

 

[jillio]

Yeah, I dont really think I have Asperger but I feel so socially awkward. Anyone ever hear of Avoidant personality Syndrome?

Following is the Diagnostic Criteria for Avoidant Personality Disorder:

1) avoids occupatioanal activities that have significant interpersonal contact because of fears of criticism, disapproval, or rejection.

(Given that you are a nurse, you obviously don't meet that criterion)

2) is unwilling to get involved with people unless certain of being liked

(I've seen you risk considerable disapproval by honestly stating your opinions on this forum, so you don't meet that criterion)

3) shows restraint within intimate relationshios because of the fear of being shamed or ridiculed

(I'd need more input from you on this one, but have seen nothing from you to date that would indicate that you would meet this criterion, either)

4) is preoccupied with being criticized or rejected in social situations

(Again, you would have to clarify, but the fact that you even started this thread would be an indication that this criterion does not hold true for you)

5) is inhibited in new interpersonal situations because of feelings of inadequacy

(You have given no indication of feelings of inadeqaucy in any situation, so again, I'm going to give this criterion a "no")

6) views self as socially inept, personally unappealing, or inferior to others

(A possible "yes" to the first qaulifier in this criterion)

7) is unusually reluctant to take personal risks ir to engage in new activities because they may prove embarrassing.

(the key here is "unusually" which means more than the normal amount of fear, and the "because". I'm going to give you a "no" on this one, too)

So, you possibly meet one of the criertia for Avoidant Personality Disorder. However, you would need to establish a pervasive pattern, and meet 4 or more of the criteria. So, you can relax. You don't have Avoidant Personality Disorder.:P

 

[jillio]

I am extremely skeptical of Asperger Syndrome being as prevalent as it appears to be, unless someone has an extreme case of it, like that guy hovering around in your dorm room, watching you clean. That's just....weird. Either that guy had a really SEVERE form of it, or he could just have been crazy. But seriously, what that guy probably had was a SEVERE form of autism. I really think that people who have severe AS should really have acute characteristics of it. In fact, I really don't think there should be a distinction between AS and high-functioning autism. I think that if people have one or two characteristics of the syndrome, they don't have the full-blown thing. Furthermore, I honestly think that AS is just a composite of several different diagnoses, such as OCD, ADD, dysgraphia, and things of that sort, as opposed to autism which features dyspraxia (poor motor coordination), prospopagnosia (inability to recognize facial expressions, due to a discrepancy in the right hemisphere, which is the sector devoted to facial recognition), and impaired social skills. But I honestly think that people with AS don't necessarily have poor social skills. In fact, the people I knew with it were far too social, which is interesting. But seriously, I really don't think that AS even exists, as it is a composite of random syndromes. It's just a disorder fabricated by the psychiatric industry in liaison with pharmaceutical companies and insurance corporations to deceive susceptible clients into thinking they have something wrong with them simply because they deviate slightly from the sociologically-constructed 'norm' which society invents. Seriously, this disorder is all a ploy by the psychiatric industries. And it is strictly a behavioral disorder, so it can be 'unlearned'. This is the logical contradiction I have observed with the conventional wisdom of the psychiatric enterprise: they utterly disregard the dynamics that propel and reprogram the human mind. The mind is in a constant state of flux; we naturally change over time, and assume many different roles in this lifetime. WE are not all one person; thus we do not have one sense of 'self' but instead have many 'selves'. This isn't a form of multiple personality disorder, it is just that the dynamics of the human mind mandate that we must change; we have to in order to advance our species. Thus, there is no such thing as a 'fixed' psychological complex as we are constantly changing.

With me, I always had difficulty with novel tasks, but once I acquired it, I mastered it. So I became multi-talented in myriad fields, and I am also extremely athletic and musically inclined. So yes, there is no such thing as a 'fixed' disability. Unless you have something acute like schizophrenia, or extreme forms of autism. But I really think that people either have a severe form of autism, or they don't. I suppose there's such a thing as having Asperger-affective disorder, where people have some of the characteristics of AS associated with autism without having the full-blown thing. But I really don't think that Asperger's exists, because I don't think that people can have one or two characteristics of AS without having the full diagnosis. I really don't think that even exists, as it is a completely different syndrome from autism. And as someone who has studied this intently as a psychologist and social worker, and someone who knows people who have been misdiagnosed with AS but have none of the characteristics of autism, I can honestly tell you that Asperger Syndrome doesn't exist. Because people can honestly have the characteristics of it, but thenalter their behaviors such that they unlearn it. So the diagnosis is merely a contrivance of the psychiatric industry.

Everything occurs on a spectrum, and your post is evident of that. It is not so black and white as either having a severe form of a disorder, or not having the disorder at all. What you are describing is a cognitive process that is indicative, in and of itself, of distorted thought process.

 

[fredfam1]

Everything occurs on a spectrum, and your post is evident of that. It is not so black and white as either having a severe form of a disorder, or not having the disorder at all. What you are describing is a cognitive process that is indicative, in and of itself, of distorted thought process.

Are you saying that just because this person disagrees with current diagnostic processes that they have a distorted thought process? I disagree with a lot of psychiatric diagnostics and I think that a lot of the psychiatric industry is just a psudo medical industry, based on my education in the field and personal experience. That doesn't make my thought processes distorted! Please clarify!

 

[jillio]

Are you saying that just because this person disagrees with current diagnostic processes that they have a distorted thought process? I disagree with a lot of psychiatric diagnostics and I think that a lot of the psychiatric industry is just a psudo medical industry, based on my education in the field and personal experience. That doesn't make my thought processes distorted! Please clarify!

My post is clarification in and of itself. I repeat: it is not so simple as either having a severe form of a disorder or no disorder at all. To view anything in such black and white terms as either/or is indicative of distorted cognitive processes. If one sees everything in the terms of black or white, one does not see the many grey areas that life contains, and it is indeed, distorted cognitive processes to do so.

 

[fredfam1]

My post is clarification in and of itself. I repeat: it is not so simple as either having a severe form of a disorder or no disorder at all. To view anything in such black and white terms as either/or is indicative of distorted cognitive processes. If one sees everything in the terms of black or white, one does not see the many grey areas that life contains, and it is indeed, distorted cognitive processes to do so.

There is also the distorted cognitive process that presupposes there are no black and whites. There are. While I would agree that many cognitive disorders occur in a spectrum, there are also many things classified as disorders that are simply behavioral anomalies. And they are made into disorders by unnecessary treatments. I think that categorically saying someone has a disordered thinking process because you disagree that things don't come in black or white is "the pot calling the kettle black".

 

[jillio]

There is also the distorted cognitive process that presupposes there are no black and whites. There are. While I would agree that many cognitive disorders occur in a spectrum, there are also many things classified as disorders that are simply behavioral anomalies. And they are made into disorders by unnecessary treatments. I think that categorically saying someone has a disordered thinking process because you disagree that things don't come in black or white is "the pot calling the kettle black".

Of course there are blacks and whites. There are also numerous shades of grey in between. That is what is meant by occurring on a spectum or a continuum. I never stated that there are no blacks and whites. I stated that there are shades of grey in between, and those shades of grey cannot be ignored. It is not a matte of being black or white, but of a continuum.

Can you provide an example of a "behavioral anomaly" that is made into a disorder through treatment?

 

[fredfam1]

Of course there are blacks and whites. There are also numerous shades of grey in between. That is what is meant by occurring on a spectum or a continuum. I never stated that there are no blacks and whites. I stated that there are shades of grey in between, and those shades of grey cannot be ignored. It is not a matte of being black or white, but of a continuum.

Can you provide an example of a "behavioral anomaly" that is made into a disorder through treatment?[/QUOTE

example 1: A personal friends daughter was taken to the doctor because she stated she had tried to commit suicide but had failed in the attempt. We were all over that. Mom, dad, friends. Good family, suicidal behavior not congruent with curcumstances of family life. Doctor prescribes antidepresents. Child has horrible night mares about chainsaws. Doctor changes prescription 3 times. Third time nightmares are about dad and abuses. Clinic secretly takes child in for female exam because they assume the nightmares are due to real abuse. Father is investigated for abuse before exam. During a video taped exam of child the state doctor says, "There is no way this can be happening this child has never been sexually active." The child gets dumped from the clinic, (A Janet House) and the family is left to try and pick up the peices. On my advice mother takes child to naturopath and tells the story. After exam ND stops meds and diagnoses "Malabsorption Syndrome" places child on TPN therapy. And a strict vitamin and dietary regimine. In three months said child is as happy and content as other children in the family. Assumptions were made. Family was traumatized. Child was nearly made into a psychiatric patient due to misdiagnoses and inappropriate medications.

 

[jillio]

Of course there are blacks and whites. There are also numerous shades of grey in between. That is what is meant by occurring on a spectum or a continuum. I never stated that there are no blacks and whites. I stated that there are shades of grey in between, and those shades of grey cannot be ignored. It is not a matte of being black or white, but of a continuum.

Can you provide an example of a "behavioral anomaly" that is made into a disorder through treatment?[/QUOTE

example 1: A personal friends daughter was taken to the doctor because she stated she had tried to commit suicide but had failed in the attempt. We were all over that. Mom, dad, friends. Good family, suicidal behavior not congruent with curcumstances of family life. Doctor prescribes antidepresents. Child has horrible night mares about chainsaws. Doctor changes prescription 3 times. Third time nightmares are about dad and abuses. Clinic secretly takes child in for female exam because they assume the nightmares are due to real abuse. Father is investigated for abuse before exam. During a video taped exam of child the state doctor says, "There is no way this can be happening this child has never been sexually active." The child gets dumped from the clinic, (A Janet House) and the family is left to try and pick up the peices. On my advice mother takes child to naturopath and tells the story. After exam ND stops meds and diagnoses "Malabsorption Syndrome" places child on TPN therapy. And a strict vitamin and dietary regimine. In three months said child is as happy and content as other children in the family. Assumptions were made. Family was traumatized. Child was nearly made into a psychiatric patient due to misdiagnoses and inappropriate medications.

You are talking about a physical illness that manifests as a mental disorder.
Earlier, you referred to a "behavior anomaly." Physical illness is not a "behavior anomaly", and the behavior that results from psychiatric manifestations of a physical illness is not a "behavior anomaly."

If this child truly had Malapsorption Syndrome, the symptoms certainly did not come on overnight. It had to reach a severe degree before the child began to exhibit suicidal and depressive symptoms. Perhaps if the physical illness had been tended to prior to becoming so severe as to create psychiatric symptoms, the child would not have had to go through a suicide attempt.

Any time a child attempts suicide it is a crisis situation. First and foremost, protocol is to treat the psychiatric symptoms leading to a suicide attempt. Thank God for psychiatric intervention in this case. Without it, the child might actually have succeeded in committing suicide, as the parents were obviously not aware that there was a physical illness present in this child. It took a psychiatric crisis (e.g. suicide attempt) to get their attention and get her any help at all.

And this is exactly what I am talking about when I say that disorders occur on a spectrum from mild symptoms to severe. This child obviously exhibited some mild symptoms that were ignored or unrecognized. It certainly doesn't mean that she didn't have the disorder.

 

[fredfam1]

Psychiatric Drug Facts with Dr. Peter Breggin - Medication Madness (2008)

The above link describes a good book on this subject.
ADHD is another one. This is a condition that is neurological and treated like a psychiatric illness. These kids should not be drugged! By drugging them you have the potential for creating psychiatric problems where none existed. In these kids it is the parents who have the problems. If I had a nickle for every time I had to run outside chasing after my severely affected ADHD toddler who had cleared two fences before I was off the porch, I'd be wealthy. I had to sit on her, read to her while moving, strap her in a 4 point harness carseat, hook her to a leash and harness system so I didn't loose her in the airport, etc. I was 20 and she took every bit of energy I had! I could have drugged her. In fact for a brief time I did. But the zombie that it produced was not worth the compliance in the classroom. That is what led me to homeschool. But this story could have had a different out come. And who knows what the drugs would have done to her emotionally. She was pure work, but the outcome was worth it.

 

[jillio]

Psychiatric Drug Facts with Dr. Peter Breggin - Medication Madness (2008)

The above link describes a good book on this subject.
ADHD is another one. This is a condition that is neurological and treated like a psychiatric illness. These kids should not be drugged! By drugging them you have the potential for creating psychiatric problems where none existed. In these kids it is the parents who have the problems. If I had a nickle for every time I had to run outside chasing after my severely affected ADHD toddler who had cleared two fences before I was off the porch, I'd be wealthy. I had to sit on her, read to her while moving, strap her in a 4 point harness carseat, hook her to a leash and harness system so I didn't loose her in the airport, etc. I was 20 and she took every bit of energy I had! I could have drugged her. In fact for a brief time I did. But the zombie that it produced was not worth the compliance in the classroom. That is what led me to homeschool. But this story could have had a different out come. And who knows what the drugs would have done to her emotionally. She was pure work, but the outcome was worth it.

ADHD is not treated a "psychiatric illness." It is treated as a neurological disorder that manifests in behavioral and cognitive symptoms that are best treated with a combination of medication and behavior modification techniques. And if medication is unnecessary in cases of ADHD, how do you explain the correction of the neurological functioning as evidenced on CAT scans when the medication is provided?

And you think sitting on her, strapping her down, and harnessing her to a leash didn't cause emotional problems?

Likewise, you have yet to provide an example of a "behavioral anomaly" that has worsened through treatment. You are talking about illness with a biological base.

And while we are at it, let's keep in mind that treatment of mental disorders does not always include psychotropic medications. Dr. Bregin, himself, engages in the most often used method of treatment....talk therapy.

 

[fredfam1]

You are talking about a physical illness that manifests as a mental disorder.
Earlier, you referred to a "behavior anomaly." Physical illness is not a "behavior anomaly", and the behavior that results from psychiatric manifestations of a physical illness is not a "behavior anomaly."

If this child truly had Malapsorption Syndrome, the symptoms certainly did not come on overnight. It had to reach a severe degree before the child began to exhibit suicidal and depressive symptoms. Perhaps if the physical illness had been tended to prior to becoming so severe as to create psychiatric symptoms, the child would not have had to go through a suicide attempt.

Any time a child attempts suicide it is a crisis situation. First and foremost, protocol is to treat the psychiatric symptoms leading to a suicide attempt. Thank God for psychiatric intervention in this case. Without it, the child might actually have succeeded in committing suicide, as the parents were obviously not aware that there was a physical illness present in this child. It took a psychiatric crisis (e.g. suicide attempt) to get their attention and get her any help at all.

And this is exactly what I am talking about when I say that disorders occur on a spectrum from mild symptoms to severe. This child obviously exhibited some mild symptoms that were ignored or unrecognized. It certainly doesn't mean that she didn't have the disorder.

This child was considered normal by the doctoon previous exams. And her only other symptom was asthma. I know that I as a parent would never have thought there was any problems just to observe her. But the use of medicine as an intervention in a field where practitioners are just going in blind is criminal. The intervention made matters worse, not better. It was the ministrations by a trained natropath that helped her.

 

[fredfam1]

ADHD is not treated a "psychiatric illness." It is treated as a neurological disorder that manifests in behavioral and cognitive symptoms that are best treated with a combination of medication and behavior modification techniques. And if medication is unnecessary in cases of ADHD, how do you explain the correction of the neurological functioning as evidenced on CAT scans when the medication is provided?

And you think sitting on her, strapping her down, and harnessing her to a leash didn't cause emotional problems?

Likewise, you have yet to provide an example of a "behavioral anomaly" that has worsened through treatment. You are talking about illness with a biological base.

And while we are at it, let's keep in mind that treatment of mental disorders does not always include psychotropic medications. Dr. Bregin, himself, engages in the most often used method of treatment....talk therapy.

Do you think loosing her in a crowded airport would have been safe? The child was born running. Sitting down with a child and holding them there safely while they struggle is a recomended procedure. Have you ever tried to lay a child down who was screaming and kicking? My process was to lie with her against the couch and hold one arm around her, one leg and turn my ear away till she quieted. Ten minutes and she was asleep. The rest of the day we ran, played, what ever I could do to entertain her. This child could disapere in a heartbeat and end up on the roof! Have you ever dealt with this type of child? Of my 7 kids she was the only one with these types of behaivors. Thank goodness for learning ASL because I could keep her busy with that later. None of my responses to her was ever done in anger. My job was to keep this kid from harming herself as well as trying to love her.

 

[fredfam1]

I will have to research this but I am willing to bet that talk therapy is the least used form of therapy, (except by Dr Bergin). I will get back to you on this after I do a bit of research.

 

[jillio]

This child was considered normal by the doctoon previous exams. And her only other symptom was asthma. I know that I as a parent would never have thought there was any problems just to observe her. But the use of medicine as an intervention in a field where practitioners are just going in blind is criminal. The intervention made matters worse, not better. It was the ministrations by a trained natropath that helped her.

She experienced no GI symptoms? Was the asthma treated? A suicide attempt was the first and only symptom of Malabsorption Syndrome?

Do you have an example of a behavioral anomaly?

 

[jillio]

Do you think loosing her in a crowded airport would have been safe? The child was born running. Sitting down with a child and holding them there safely while they struggle is a recomended procedure. Have you ever tried to lay a child down who was screaming and kicking? My process was to lie with her against the couch and hold one arm around her, one leg and turn my ear away till she quieted. Ten minutes and she was asleep. The rest of the day we ran, played, what ever I could do to entertain her. This child could disapere in a heartbeat and end up on the roof! Have you ever dealt with this type of child? Of my 7 kids she was the only one with these types of behaivors. Thank goodness for learning ASL because I could keep her busy with that later. None of my responses to her was ever done in anger. My job was to keep this kid from harming herself as well as trying to love her.

And, if she had ADHD, then her behavior was the result of a neuroligical disorder, and not a behavioral anomaly.

You still haven't explained how meds correct the neurologic deficits shown on the CAT scans of diagnosed ADHD patients when they are medicated and when they are not medicated, if, as you so claim, meds are completely uneccesary.

 

[jillio]

I will have to research this but I am willing to bet that talk therapy is the least used form of therapy, (except by Dr Bergin). I will get back to you on this after I do a bit of research.

And you will be wrong. Mental disorders, except for the severe psychotic disorders, are most often treated by LPCCs or psychologists. They don't prescribe.

 

[fredfam1]

ou are talking about a physical illness that manifests as a mental disorder.
Earlier, you referred to a "behavior anomaly." Physical illness is not a "behavior anomaly", and the behavior that results from psychiatric manifestations of a physical illness is not a "behavior anomaly."

Well you yourself stated that things occured in spectrums, and with that I agree. But who decides what is a "behavioral anomaly" and what is a mental
disorder. I have seen people with weird individual behaviors who had otherwise normal lives. What caused them? Neurological malfunctions? Poor parenting? Malabsorption? Does it need to be treated? Some would say if it interferes with their function in their daily lives. But who makes that call. I see the patients doing it. That old song where the wife goes, "Doctor please, some more of these, outside the door, she took four more". This is where another spectrum disorder occurs, the gradual and increase of intervention for the problems in our lives. You've heard the comercials, "Are you sad? Do you no longer find pleasure in things you used to? You may be depressed."
Yes there is real depression. And intervention needs to occur. I am saying that our culture is moving in to a dangerous area where negative emotions are denied expression and only healthy ones are allowed. It is not a good thing.