Introductionary lessons in saying hello

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Joined: 20 Apr 2015
Posts: 2
Location: Philadelphia

26 Apr 2015, 3:04 pm

I decided to pop into this community and try to figure things out a bit more,specifically about myself. At this point I'm about 90% certain that I have Asperger's Syndrome. To give some background:

About ten years ago my friend got diagnosed with the condition and upon getting his diagnosis began insisting that I should consider the possibility of having it as well. At the time I claimed that it was nothing more than "just nerdy people" and that the criteria was too broad and open to be anything else. My view since then has of course changed.

More recently a very close friend of mine got diagnosed with Mild Aspergers. This caused me to re-evaluate the possibility of having it myself, due in part to noticing a /lot/ of similarities between the two of us as well as a number of observations that others have made about my own behaviors and mannerisms.

The specific observations made were:
I constantly take things very literally (the observation was made after a joke that I mistook as a real thing akin to "he leapt like ten feet straight up." To which my reply was a very curious "really?!")

My severely restricted interests (specifically Magic: the gathering, smash bros., and starcraft 2). This comment was made a few times by a few people, specifically in confusion as to why it annoys/upsets me so much when I can't actually play those games or participate in events.

My habit of rubbing fabric between my thumb and fore finger near constantly, the speed varying at times. This was specifically mentioned by my parents who claimed I was just nervous. I had grown up referring to it as "tasting the fabric" and preferring certain fabrics over others due to the texture.

I've gotten many comments on the "chicken scratch" that is my handwriting. After studying a bit of handwriting analysis I was able to get okayish at it as long as I put a lot of focus into it, even then I get complaints about the sloppiness of it.

I often avoid eye contact with people, even those I know well. After being in sales I learned that eye contact was important but took it too far and started staring people in the eyes which apparently makes them uncomfortable.

I wasn't able to ride a bicycle until I was 14, despite attempting it previously a few times. It got to the point where I basically decided not to bother with it and my parents forced me to learn.

I'm resistant to physical contact with others unless I have already formed a significant connection to them. Otherwise anything past a handshake is impossible for me, and even the handshake makes me feel awkward. It's to the point of even being unable to hug most of my friends or family.

I have very acute hearing and vision (despite being near sighted) and often notice a lot of things others don't seem to pick up on. Examples include hearing car doors closing from the second floor of my old apartment, noticing tiny details of objects and people, etc.

A close friend had commented on me having no empathy with people at all, and i do tend to not notice if people get upset or if they're joking, if they are bored or interested in what I'm talking about, etc.

I tend to go on and on about subjects after people want to change the subject, this can be in the course of a single conversation or me constantly bringing up the same subject for days because I want to discuss it more.

I've also got a terrible fear of things changing. It can be as simple as the hours at work getting shifted around or having to take a different route due to a detour, or as major as the dynamic of any relationship changing.

After arguments or debates I have also been likened to a robot or Spock (which dually amused and annoyed me).

I have previously been tested when I was younger and was diagnosed with ADHD as well as having an IQ of 168.

Since I started to take a deeper look at the possibility of having Aspergers I have taken numerous assessments online (which I take with a grain of salt) specifically at the aspietest site. I've catalogue the scores so far:
The Ritvo Autism Asperger Diagnostic Scale-Revised (RAADS-R): 220
Empathy Quotient: 7.0
Systemising Quotient: 99.0
Two Factor Imagination: 22.0

I'm sure that there's more that I've missed, but essentially I'm curious as to what you may think about the possibility of me having this condition. I can't say that I'm necessarily a fan of the idea but at the same time as some of my friends have said about it "It would explain a lot"