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[Mantonio]

Title says it all. I'm a dude, and I have Asperger Syndrome. At least, that is the most likely explanation for my odd condition. (Don't know what the Ay-Ess is? Go here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asberger_Syndrome ).

See, I recently found and promptly lost a job as a reservations agent at a company that sells airfare and that kind of thing. I didn't even make it past training. This got me to thinking, "WTF? Why can't I do such a simple thing?" That line of thinking got me to reminicing about all the times I was odd and/or failed at something in the days of yor. I go into more detail on my blog: http://cleanbootleggingcoils.blogspot.com/2006/07/unified-theory-of-me-in-which-your.html

I figured I'd let all y'all know since this seems to be a good place to bring it up.

Edit: messed up the HTML, then fixed it.

[jough]

This doesn't sound like a real disease.  I mean, is this the clinical definition of "shyness"?

Sorry, I do not mean to malign anyone's illness, but how do you know if you have AS and aren't just a socially awkward and clumsy nerd?

[AlohaDawg]

Get it all checked out. Even if it's one of those "boutique" diagnoses, if it's something that helps you clarify your life, frame your experiences and move forward with a better understanding of how you deal with situations and people, that's a good thing. If you decide to call yourself disabled and demand all kinds of special treatment because of it, that'll piss me off. But it sounds like you're looking for ways to help yourself succeed, and that's commendable.

Reading this, I kind of fit the profile too. I've developed a couple of personal methods for coping with what I know is <my> problem dealing with supervisors and coworkers. Mainly, it involves suffering a lot of foolishness and a self-imposed  listening-to-talking ratio of 75/25. And maintaining a high level of artificial positivity. I've been lucky to be in Federal employment for most of my working life (Going back in August! w00T!) so it's been less of an issue - it's really different on the Public Teat.

I think most everyone can stand a little self-observation and introspection along the way - good to get it out of the way at a  youngish age. Good luck.

[Mantonio]

Get it all checked out. Even if it's one of those "boutique" diagnoses, if it's something that helps you clarify your life, frame your experiences and move forward with a better understanding of how you deal with situations and people, that's a good thing. If you decide to call yourself disabled and demand all kinds of special treatment because of it, that'll piss me off. But it sounds like you're looking for ways to help yourself succeed, and that's commendable.

Reading this, I kind of fit the profile too. I've developed a couple of personal methods for coping with what I know is <my> problem dealing with supervisors and coworkers. Mainly, it involves suffering a lot of foolishness and a self-imposed  listening-to-talking ratio of 75/25. And maintaining a high level of artificial positivity. I've been lucky to be in Federal employment for most of my working life (Going back in August! w00T!) so it's been less of an issue - it's really different on the Public Teat.

I think most everyone can stand a little self-observation and introspection along the way - good to get it out of the way at a  youngish age. Good luck.

Yeah, I don't really feel sorry for myself or anything like that. I find it facinating more than anything else. Now that I have strong reason to suspect AS may be what makes me what I am (fwi I have a cousin who is further along the whole spectrum than I am. Don't try telling my aunt and uncle he's nothing more than a "socially akward and clumsy nerd".) As for Jough's suggestion that AS is not a "real" "disease", I'd urge him to learn a bit more about it. The Wikipedia link is a great place to start. Sure, it's Wikipedia, but the entry is worthwhile as an introduction if nothing else. I'm getting ready to head out in a minute so I don't have time to go into more right now. For now just remember, education is your friend.

BTW, Dawg, thanks for the kind words, and mad props for getting back with the Feds.

[misterqueue]

AS is the current in thing with the geek crowd it seems as I saw it start popping up on the radar more and more a few years back.  Basically, as I understand it, it's sort of like a mild form of autism.

With that being said, a lot in the profile fits yours truly as well, but I just base my outlook on humanistic misanthropy which is I guess my way of dealing.  Best of luck to you on the introspective front indeed as AD has pointed out it is usually a good thing.  Strangely enough I have a similar thing in person in that I am generally pretty quiet and don't really talk with many people.   Secondly, I found something that I was good at which required slim human interaction (and most of that is telephone conferences really where it's easy for me to fake it). 

Whatever you do, definitely talk it out with someone and seek what works for you.  Good luck.

[AlohaDawg]

I'm adopted, with no information about my parents or a family medical history...so for awhile there, I was really susceptible to every 'fad' diagnosis that came down the pike, notably ADHD and Fetal Alcohol Syndrome - both of for which I demonstrate a number of markers - and Asperger's as well.

The trick isn't to live with your 'diagnosis' but to live with yourself...everyone on the planet is diagnosable! But only a few have the ability to observe themselves and see how they are, and then make adjustments in order to be as functional, tolerable, and successful as possible. And that's a good road to be on. This has been another PSA for Wellness from the 'Dawg.

[CortJstr]

I'm adopted, with no information about my parents or a family medical history...so for awhile there, I was really susceptible to every 'fad' diagnosis that came down the pike, notably ADHD and Fetal Alcohol Syndrome - both of for which I demonstrate a number of markers - and Asperger's as well.

Lack of medical history is hell of lame. I can't even donate sperm because of it. Yeah, my mom was allergic to penecillin, that's great but isn't there anything else you could tell me?

[theinevitable]

yeah, I am hell of Interested in the whole "medicalization of personality" thing. Mostly because I read a book about it for this summer course I took last summer.

Anyway, yeah. I have a good family friend who has AS. It really explained a lot when they told us that, actually. I don't know how well I agree with using the term "disease" for something like this, though-- personality things like this aren't really illnesses, as far as you can't really Catch them or anything. Obviously you are not looking at is as some kind of I Am Disabled thing, so really it's a good way to classify a Problem. But some people are all "You have ADD. Take pills! *hands me large bottle of pills*." And really, I don't see it as that much of a problem. It's just how I am.

I heard a similar point of view from a guy who runs a group called something like Autism Awareness. His comment was that he doesn't consider it a disease, and he wouldn't "cure" himself if it were possible. He essentially said that he just considers it a part of his personality, albeit one which others have classified as a Syndrome or whatever.

I am really bad at explaining myself about this kind of thing. And I got in a huge fight with someone about this, because this person somehow took this as "they shouldn't let people take medicine." Which is not at all what I am saying.

[pmcd9]

I've got a friend who has aspergers syndrome.  He's a super nice guy and the dude is insane with car stats.  I mean seriously, he can tell you what is wrong with your car just by listening to it and then he can tell you the part number of the part you will need to buy to fix the problem.  If you want to know anything about a car ask him.  He'll tell you stuff like (i'm paraphrasing because I can't remember this kind of shit) "they had the two headlamp system up until the 74 model.  That's when they changed to a single headlamp.  That's the same year they stopped offering the 283 motor on that model.  You could only get the 283 in the broughm."  And on and on.  He's amazing.  But he's also pretty awkward and shy and I don't think he has a job.  He lives with his parents.

~Paul

[Doc]

I Get you Inev and I agree. I think it comes from trying to handle mental diseases the way we handle physical ones. If there is something wrong with you physically you try to fix it. If you can't fix it often becomes some sort of constant burden that can often have a pretty defining effect on your life. 
I think because of this people have decided that mental diseases need to be immediately 'cured' too and if they have something that can't be cured people tend to look at the disease as a handicap. I think that in many ways some mental diseases can be just a useful way of classifying a group of people. This is good for the people who have a particular condition because it means there are general guidelines on how they can cope with some of the downsides of their condition and possibly even pharmaceutical options if they want to swing themselves a bit more towards the population mean. If people deal with their quirks though and be quite happy living their lives (and of course not endanger themselves or others) there is no reason it needs to be treated.
We're not going to be all the same, we all have mental diseases of varying severity, it's called personality.

[AlohaDawg]

I Get you Inev and I agree. I think it comes from trying to handle mental diseases the way we handle physical ones. If there is something wrong with you physically you try to fix it. If you can't fix it often becomes some sort of constant burden that can often have a pretty defining effect on your life. 
I think because of this people have decided that mental diseases need to be immediately 'cured' too and if they have something that can't be cured people tend to look at the disease as a handicap. I think that in many ways some mental diseases can be just a useful way of classifying a group of people. This is good for the people who have a particular condition because it means there are general guidelines on how they can cope with some of the downsides of their condition and possibly even pharmaceutical options if they want to swing themselves a bit more towards the population mean. If people deal with their quirks though and be quite happy living their lives (and of course not endanger themselves or others) there is no reason it needs to be treated.
We're not going to be all the same, we all have mental diseases of varying severity, it's called personality.

I think it's worse than this.

I think we have too narrowly defined 'normal' and now, people with personality quirks or who are just flat out different are often considered 'ill'  because of it.  For all the supposed love and celebration of diversity, we choose to isolate or medicate highly talented and capable people because their gifts, for whatever reason, don't outweigh their perceived shortcomings.

People who are dangerous to themselves or others, or who have behaviors that tend to attack order is one thing - but people who are, mainly, socially awkward, clumsy, or shy should have a better shot at being integrated without having to live under a label. Like I said, everyone has some kind of potential diagnosis.

[Doc]

Yeah, for that matter when did being introverted start being a problem anyway?
Have you met people lately? Most of them are stone cold dicks man!
Fuck them.

[AlohaDawg]

Be careful what you say about the normal people. The 'Norms' will institutionalize you if you step out of line.

[theinevitable]

man, I really enjoyed the book I read about this-- Listening to Prozac by Peter Kramer. Pretty awesome.

and for balance, An Unquiet Mind by Kaye Redfield Jamison. That one is about a lady (Ms Jamison herself, actually) straight-up screwing herself over by refusing to take medication, and thinking that she is Too Smart to be Bipolar.

They form a pretty good continuum. I enjoyed both way too much.

[misterqueue]

I heard a similar point of view from a guy who runs a group called something like Autism Awareness. His comment was that he doesn't consider it a disease, and he wouldn't "cure" himself if it were possible. He essentially said that he just considers it a part of his personality, albeit one which others have classified as a Syndrome or whatever.

I am really bad at explaining myself about this kind of thing. And I got in a huge fight with someone about this, because this person somehow took this as "they shouldn't let people take medicine." Which is not at all what I am saying.

I have a similar feeling on this matter which is why I have stayed the hell away from any sort of psychiatric perscriptions that have been recommended to me in the past.  The way I look at it is that I'm not a danger to anyone else so, you know, I'll just deal.

Not that I would judge anyone who does so though, cause man; some days... woooo.

But yes, essentially utilizing medication to reach some kind of "norm" seems silly to me.  If someone is really non-functioning then most certainly, but social awkwardness, hyperactivity, hell even the occasional mild mood swing nature.  Pfft.. keeps you interesting.