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Original poster

Just taken an Asperger's test

67 replies

Introvert · 08/12/2005 12:29

I'm a regular, but I've changed my name because I really don't know what I think at the moment or whether it's all bollocks. And I just need to get my head round this...

I don't know why, but a couple of things have made me think recently and I've been looking into a test for Aspergers. I found one here .

But when I took it I scored fairly high (33 out of 50) and it's freaked me out a bit. I've always just viewed myself as rather socially inept, an introvert, self-sufficient. Someone who's rather obsessed with routine and organisation. But a couple of (minor) things that have happened recently have suggested to me that I'm rather detached too ... oh, I can't explain it. Sorry.

What I don't know, is what do I do about it? Is it worth as an adult going for a diagnosis? Am I just being a hypochondriac? I'm fairly happy about my life (apart from giving myself high standards I never seem to reach, but that's by the by) - I don't know if I've just opened a can of worms or if this test is fairly discredited anyway as a form of diagnosis.

Hmm.

OP posts:
Avalon · 08/12/2005 12:40

I suppose the bottom line is, if you're happy with who you are, you don't need to know.

On the other hand, I've just taken that test and I scored 26 (with most women scoring 15!) and I'd like to know more. I'd stop short of going to my GP about it though.

misdee · 08/12/2005 12:44

i scored 34, which like you is very high. i am very shy and not great with people, tho i have learnt. sometimes i wonder about myself, but i dont want to take it further.

Witchycat · 08/12/2005 12:46

I'd say if it's going to continue worrying you then ask your GP about it. BUT, if you can put it aside then do.

I don't know too much about Asperger's but I have heard of adults who have had the diagnosis when in their 30s or 40s and have said it's been a real relief to be able to explain certain character traits, help loved ones understand their behaviour and learn mechanisms for overcoming them - things like learning techniques for reading another person's emotions.

A friend of mine is currently having her 6 yr old tested for Asperger's as he has had some difficulties at school. The jury is still out but one of the interseting things that has come up is everyone says how similar he is to his Dad and how he behaves just the way his Dad did at that age. She has always thought her husband has 'odd traits' but no more than that (he is a highly successful barrister) but it's made her question the whole spectrum thing - where's the line between 'on the spectrum' and 'normal' (whatever that is).

For what it's worth, I'm not sure there is a dividing line and so, like Avalon said, I think it comes down to 'are you comfortable with yourself'?

COPPERfeelunderSantasTOP · 08/12/2005 12:47

I guess it depends on whether you feel that a diagnosis would help you in some way. You say that you are generally pretty happy so it probably isn't worth taking things any further. There is very little help out there for adults with AS.

My dh was told that he almost certainly has AS (during the assessment of our ds1 who was diagnosed with autism). He felt relieved to have an explanation as to why he had always felt 'different' but hasn't felt the need to make it official IYSWIM. Others will want/need access to help and so for them an official diagnosis is a key factor in getting them that help.

RTKangaSantaMummy · 08/12/2005 12:51

I scored 28 and am very very shy and hate chatting to people making small talk and cannot go into a circle of people and say hello even if I know them

I don't really know what to advise you to do, sorry

Original poster
Introvert · 08/12/2005 13:01

Thanks for not telling me I'm being stupid Felt very weird writing the initial post.

I really relate to Witchcat's post about the relief of feeling "well that explains it a bit", but also a nagging doubt that it's a nice easy catchall to excuse me from trying.

The other thing, that frankly worries me a fair bit, is that I have two sons. Now my youngest doesn't show any traits at all, but we've always jokingly said that ds1 could be on the fringes of the spectrum for various different reasons, but mainly being obsessed by routine and knowing what's going on. As ds2 is getting older and is clearly so very different, it does make me wonder.

More recently, there've been some changes at school running up to Christmas and it has really freaked ds1 out and his teachers have needed to sort out a strategy of reassuring him what's happening each day.

So, I don't know if there's any benefits finding out or not. As I said, it opens a huge can of worms and in some ways I'd rather live in blissful ignorance!

OP posts:
ParrupupumScum · 08/12/2005 13:03

Does being "detached" affect important things in your life? I'm thinking relationships with partners, children, friends?

misdee · 08/12/2005 13:03

my dd2 pre-school has also suggested that she has austistic traits. so know what u mean about opening a can of worms.

bootsmonkey · 08/12/2005 13:06

I've done it twice - the first time I got 19, the second 27. Answered truthfully both times. Make of that what you will....

Curmudgeonlett · 08/12/2005 13:08

I just did it .. I consider myself to be quite extrovert and socially confident, I am self-sufficient but don't think I'm obsessive about anything .. I got a reading of 21 which is also above average

OComeOliveFaithfOil · 08/12/2005 13:10

I got 27 and am fairly outgoing.

But I do lists of everything and am a bit obsessed with routine and a bit anal. I also add things up in my head when travelling on the bus, for example I will add a phone number up from an ad, or count points on tiles etc. That looks odd reading it back!

I line things up on my desk and at home everything is in lines.

Original poster
Introvert · 08/12/2005 13:12

ParrupupumScum: good question. And I'm not sure how to assess it. It feels normal for me

I don't have many friends. I have a great number of online friends who have later become real life friends - but then text is a much more level playing field, don't you think? Those that I have in real life - I don't know, I consider them friends but I'm not sure if they'd consider me more than an acquaintance? They seem to have a much wider social circle than me anyway! I don't particularly miss having a wide social set though - I've always loved home best.

Partner - he is my best friend, he's a techy so I suppose we're just socially incompetent together

Children. Sometimes I worry about not being demonstrative enough to them - but suspect that's me being over navel gazing, to be honest. I mean, what mother thinks she's doing a fantastic job with her kids? I love them to pieces, but I also am fairly jealous of "me" time when I get it, to the point where I have to know when my next scheduled "me" time is in the day... but isn't that fairly normal?

I guess what I mean about detached is that I seem to have two states of emotional involvement. I'm either all in, where every slight emotional dent in someone else's life wounds me deeply and makes me want to do everything for them. Or I'm detached - and I can make the decision to detach.

Recently with a lot of world events, personal life events, I decided being emotionally available was just too painful and damaging. So I made the decision to only focus emotionally on me and my family. It's been pretty successful. But the thing that's made me think about it is suddenly realising that I'm fairly emotionally cold and indifferent now to anyone outside my family as a result of that decision - and that can't be good, can it? That's what I think I mean by detached.

OP posts:
NotQuiteCockney · 08/12/2005 13:14

Huh, I got 9. But when I was younger I would have scored higher, as I used to dislike social situations more then.

I think this quiz is a bit leading, though, there are lots of leading questions like "I notice details others don't". Well, duh - we remember noticing details that others don't. If others notice a detail, and I don't, how would I know that?

NotQuiteCockney · 08/12/2005 13:15

Eh, Introvert, I crave "me" time. And I certainly can "detach" from people as well.

NomDePlumPudding · 08/12/2005 13:16

I came out at 11

Original poster
Introvert · 08/12/2005 13:17

Okay so the "me" time and detaching is normal then - ignore that

OP posts:
NotQuiteCockney · 08/12/2005 13:19

I think it's all normal, Introvert. If you're coping fine, then you're fine.

I don't know a lot about Asperger's, but I do think that there's a spectrum there, with people more or less "autistic".

In my old job as a professional geek, I certainly worked with quite a few people who were pretty autistic-y (really really bad at social cues), without being diagnosed.

MaryChristmas · 08/12/2005 13:23

I had 27.

CaptainDippyInTheSnow · 08/12/2005 14:06

I scored 21, which is above the average, but not worrying. I am not good in social situations and I am a bit pants when it comes to having to go and talk random crap to a bunch of people I have never met before. I much better at it now that I am mummy ( desperate for any kind of conversation that doesn't involve the other person puking on me or babbling randomly!!) - I think we all have some strange quirkyness when it comes to the way we behave and the way we interact eith others, but I do not think that it is anything to get overtly alarmed about!! Don't worry introvert!!

SueW · 08/12/2005 14:12

I got 14

Enideepmidwinter · 08/12/2005 14:18

I did the first four questions until I realised I so clearly dont have autism to any degree

foundintransleightion · 08/12/2005 14:27

I got 12. I also found a lot of the questions rather leading and a lot seemed to refer to preferences rather than genuine difficulties (eg theatre vs museum - wtf?) I am certain my score as a teenager would have been higher due to having been pretty isolated then, in contrast to generally confident and sociable now.

Witchycat · 08/12/2005 14:35

Introvert - I don't know if this will help. It's a link to a radio 4 programme featuring a couple where the husband got an Asperger's diagnosis a few years after they were married. It has a link to the Autistic society website too.

I'm not necessarily suggesting you should follow this up - that's your decision (you sound pretty 'normal' to me)- but thought this might help if you do want to take it further.

thecattleareALOHing · 08/12/2005 14:39

I got seven and I think I should have got more.

elliott · 08/12/2005 14:42

I got 27 and I wouldn't have said that I am particularly autistic - I like socialising and generally think I'm fairly good at understanding other people - but I also like patterns and numbers and collecting etc.

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