Does this sound like high functioning autism?

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Of course you can. I'm diagnosed with both asperger and add

That's a bit harsh. You probably meet criteria for both. Also, many people find (such as myself) that many diagnoses have the same symptoms. This apparently, is making it harder for me to be diagnosed.

DSM says no, it gets diagnosed anyway.

Not sure what we use in the UK; but I do believe it's possible to be diagnosed with both.

My memory's always been crap, I'm not on medication at the moment but I was put on medication twice. I think it was called risperdal, wasn't very nice.


Sorry...

I would really recommend seeing a doctor for your memory issues, if you haven't. That degree of memory impairment is not normal.

I would say that you have ADHD according to the traits that you have typed out however you can have high functioning autism (HFA) as well as ADHD.

I am hesitant to suggest this as an AS trait, but some of us do have unusually good long term memories. I have been told that I myself have a photographic memory (which I do not personally believe), but I do commonly remember things that others have long forgotten and I do remember things visually and events as movies. Take a look at the movie "Mozart and the Whale" sometime. I do not like this movie about autism (too stereotyped) but there is one scene in it in which Donald is driving his taxicab down the road and sees the route up ahead very visually as a map projected by his mind almost like the heads-up display of a fighter aircraft (too highly exaggerated, but it gets the idea across).



Psychs are not infallible by any means. You will ALWAYS know yourself better than they do and it is not at all uncommon for those of us with some form of autism to recognize the fact before anybody else does, especially when it has gone undiagnosed for a long time. In my case I met an individual whose behavior was so unusual that I tried to understand why. He treated me like his best (or only) friend in this world but was so avoidant and unable to communicate with me. I went through several possible explanations but eventually returned to an earlier thought of autism. I spent a month researching autism and Aspergers only to realize that what I was reading matched my own behavior perfectly. When I took my findings to a psych I had seen occasionally, she confirmed what I suspected. Take the online tests and do the research for yourself then see how well you fit the pattern. A psych will only be able to ask you the same questions in a knowledgeable manner that you can easily ask yourself.

Additionally as others have pointed out, it is not at all uncommon for those of us on the spectrum to have comorbids and not just a single diagnosis. Autism, ADHD and others can exist alongside each other, although some parts of the DSM definitions specifically exclude certain comorbid factors (for example a diagnosis of Aspergers specifically depends on the absence of schizophrenia). This is where a psych can help to refine what you may and may not actually have.

That salvo list is ADHD for sure.

I'd get re evaluated proper and meds will help with these memory issues. Being in that state unmedicated, may take many months to years to repair the damage.

I've seen a post on another board taking years when it's this deep. It can cut way into your personality as it alters everything about you.

Apart from poor memory, this is very much like... me.
I got diagnosed with HFA so there you go Katatonia, your not alone.
I had repetitive behaviour and hated change, do you have these too?
Do you know if you put items in a certain order?

No I don't have repetitive behavior, no I don't hate change unless it's very bad and no I don't put things in a certain order because I don't understand organization. I have a messy lifestyle. And medication isn't really my thing.

Okay...
You know, you could be HFA with other traits from ADHD or AS.
It doesn't have to mean that you were wrongly diagnosed. Autism is so broad that you could have a multiple of traits from lots of other types of Autism.
Personally I'd go by the diagnosis unless you are totally convinced you are not a HFA.

I had the executive memory problems in Grade School & Middle school. That got better with time, in general I have a memory that is WAY to good! LOL. Which is typical of AS/HFA as is seemingly 95% of my past behavior.
BTW, ADHD can be CO-Morbid with an ASD. Also, some ADD is pretty similar to autism itself.

Sincerely,
Matthew

You're quite young and obviously you don't have the means to explore this very likely possibility of attentional problems, on your own.

So I do hope your folks help you out with this, as what you outlined in this thread is a very serious set of symptoms.

Not to sound negative, but they may let it ride out, hence let it go, via that professional opinion.

I'd try to do something with it.

I am thinking that sometimes, although you desperately *want* change, change still makes you very uncomfortable. I *love* change... I want things to change because I don't like where I am right now...but I know once change does happen, I'm going to need a lot of down time to adjust. I'm not as good at adjusting as other people are.

I didn't even say change makes me uncomfortable, so why did you assume?

Please don't say that I don't have abilities because of my age, I find it offensive. Anyway I don't want to see the doctor who diagnosed me with this disorder because he's so rude towards me, he once started shouting out at me for no reason. He was talking to me, the talking became yelling and the yelling became shouting. I didn't talk the whole time he was having this so called discussion with me (seemed more like an insult).