Son's Diagnosis Hit Home for Me!

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My son was diagnosed with Aspergers at the age of 10.

I learned a lot reading about his "disorder", I learned about myself!.

I was quite shocking seeing myself all over these books that are supposed to be about my son's "problem".

At 43, I learned that I have Aspergers.

It explains a lot.

I have learned how to use my strengths to forge a career. How to be accepted as "quirky" by out performing others. I have friends and enjoy certain social situations.

I was divorced just prior to diagnosis, and am currently engaged. I find that my relationships with my S.O. are the hardest hit.

More on that later, I am sure.

For now..hi!

Welcome to WP!

Welcome

Im sure my mum is asperger but she wont admit it. im also asperger with other stuff thrown into the mix.

Alexis

Funny!

I laid this all out to my Mom, who responded with "Maybe I'm AS too!".
She wasn't serious. She is beyond help.

I was 43 also when I finally discovered what has been "wrong" with me my whole life. It's a real kick in the head, ain't it?

But in a good way.

Welcome!

There seems to be a swelling wave of us middle-aged oddballs discovering what AS is and having that "Oh, wow - that's ME!" epiphany. I guess there were at least as many Aspie kids among the population back in the 60s and 70s as there are now, who've been wandering around undiagnosed all these years.

It's a strange feeling when you realize all those years you thought you were choosing to be an intentionally eclectic eccentric, you were being influenced by a different wiring sequence in the ol' cabeza. Its been a year for me since diagnosis made it official (at 49), and I'm still absorbing it.

Welcome aboard.

Greetings, and welcome aboard the Wrong Planet, jimb424.

I remember reading about the signs of autism when my son (now 4 1/2) was diagnosed.

I felt like Bruce Willis' character in the 6th Sense when he learns that he is a ghost (with all the flashbacks to the clues and signs indicating that, he indeed is a ghost). I am not a ghost (alive and kicking ), but looking back, I can see why I was having difficulty (especially in social situations).

I remember asking my best friend (a guy) to watch me talking to a fellow I fancied at church. I asked my best friend to observe from a distance and tell me whether he thought that this guy was possibly interested in me or was just talking to be polite. My best friend helped me out and gave me the straight good (the fellow was just being polite and was actually disinterested in talking to me...). I guess most girls/women would know if someone was interested or not - but it just wasn't that easy for me.

I would also often chided by people who wondered why I couldn't just tell that someone was upset/annoyed/disgusted/sneering, etc.

I am better at reading people now, but it all kind of falls into place when you realize that maybe it isn't just me being stupid - maybe I have a real reason for having this difficulty. (OH, there were other signs as well besides these social gaffs).

Incidently, I used to read a lot of material on communication (professional and social) and especially enjoyed a video series called "Faces" which was hosted by John Cleese (that Monty Python guy). I found these really enjoyable and funny! Some of the series had interviews with people who had neurological trouble reading expressions and there was actually a institute which studied subtle facial changes to indicate unspoken emotion. Anyways, it was available at the video store several years ago. If your video store carries it - it is worth a watch.

if i can get my mum to understand that disability isn't a negative thing she might change her mind. At the moment im trying to get her to try gf/cf diet. She is almost there with deciding to give up milk. Any behaviour that she displays that i dont and i know was due to milk addiction (bunged up, easily confused, memory issues) i say to her "giving up milk helped me with that".

Alexis

What you said there has been mentioned in the media and possibly research papers.

This is exactly like the way my dad discovered he had it (no official diagnosis, but it's pretty obvious). I was diagnosed last December, and my mom bought a lot of Asperger's books, one of which was "Look Me In The Eyes". My dad kept having to stop reading the book because it was resonating with him so much. Now that he's more used to it, we'll joke about it (Rain Man, Assburgers, all that), but it was really hard on him at first.

If you have any "quirks" that you aren't sure are caused by Asperger's, share them! It's always great to find you're not alone in them. Welcome to the forums!

To WrongPlanet!! !