My family always thought my younger brother has schizophrenia but now I'm pretty sure its aspergers

[Mika55]

Ok so I am new here and im sorry if I'm not going about this right but mental illness runs in our family. We have multiple uncles, cousins, g.pa, great g.pa, and an aunt who have obvious mental problems . Some have actually gotten diagnoses and have been in mental hospitals, in jail, homeless, on drugs (I believe this actually triggered psychosis or mixed mania in some of my cousins) or suicide attempts (2 family members actually were successful in this) because of how bad it got. My younger brother has always been more in his head and appeared to not be listening or paying attention when you speak to him. He also used to do this thing with his hands when he would get excited or nervous, it was like this floppy spazzy thing he did it almost looked like jazz fingers but more floppy.

Unfortunately our family has a get over it attitude about mental illness (possibly to not make the people in our family who struggle with it not feel so weird or spend money on meds that might take years to work). However, some of us noticed how he talked different from us (most of us have a more .. "Oakie" accent), he didnt speak much but when he did he'd repeat certain phrases and talk carefully if that makes any sense. Basically he had no accent and sounded smart. His awkward speech and lack of social cues (and tendency to isolate himself even around others if that makes any sense) and random aggression reminded us all of our great grandpa who suffered from catatonic schizophrenia. He was in mental hospitals a majority of his life and his speech (when he could talk) was somewhat like my brothers; rigid, blunt, somewhat awkward. He too would randomly get bursts of motion (he would be stuck for HOURS in the same position unable to talk or even notice anything around him). I do not think my brother has this. Hes older now and is better at socializing and talks more. He still struggles with certain things like eye contact and aggression (err its more passive, like he isn't violent towards others but he'll stomp and slam doors or throw stuff). But I believe he has aspergers possibly other mental illnesses (his school asked our family to get him tested for ADD but he was diagnosed with GAD & Depression, we didn't do any other appointments with therapists or psychiatrists after that out of fear of them wanting to put an elementary school kid on antipsychotics because we thought he was schizophrenic). But I also dont know that much about it. I only suggest aspergers because of a friend who said he seems to display symptoms of high functioning autism. So what I guess Im trying to get at is-

TLDR; Is it bad to leave someone with aspergers undiagnosed/untreated? What are you even supposed to do for aspergers? What signs, symptoms, struggles are there? Is there any way I can help him? How do I even suggest this to him without making him feel like somethings wrong with him because I love him and I don't want him to feel like he needs help but does he?

I have no idea what goes on in his mind because he tries to keep his feelings to himself (but he can talk your ear off about music or science lol). I don't have aspergers (but I have been diagnosed with bipolar 1 by multiple psychs and have been on different meds for it and am currently in therapy so Im not sure if I count as neurotypical but IDK what that completely means) so I don't know how it feels to have it.

Ok I just looked up what neurotypical means and I am neurotypical my bad.

 

[Gritches]

Schizophrenia is a common misdiagnosis for autism (actually, it's a catch-all diagnosis for anyone who doesn't behave themselves, but that's another rant entirely). I could especially see the catatonic subtype being misdiagnosed. But what you describe sounds very much more like Asperger's than Schizophrenia. I think you'd be perfectly in the right going in that direction.

If you want to introduce him to it but you think he might be less than receptive, keep this is mind: lots of us self-diagnosed after reading about Asperger's and realizing that it described us to a T. Subtle hints usually don't work on us, but since he's smart and probably knows it you could maybe try asking him to read some stuff you found about Asperger's and ask him to see if he can make sense of it. I don't know, I'm not a good trickster, but just get some basic literature about ASD in front of him and get him to read it would be my general advice about how to go about it, however you accomplish it.

 

[LucyPurrs]

Schizophrenia is a common misdiagnosis for autism (actually, it's a catch-all diagnosis for anyone who doesn't behave themselves, but that's another rant entirely). I could especially see the catatonic subtype being misdiagnosed. But what you describe sounds very much more like Asperger's than Schizophrenia. I think you'd be perfectly in the right going in that direction.

If you want to introduce him to it but you think he might be less than receptive, keep this is mind: lots of us self-diagnosed after reading about Asperger's and realizing that it described us to a T. Subtle hints usually don't work on us, but since he's smart and probably knows it you could maybe try asking him to read some stuff you found about Asperger's and ask him to see if he can make sense of it. I don't know, I'm not a good trickster, but just get some basic literature about ASD in front of him and get him to read it would be my general advice about how to go about it, however you accomplish it.

I could especially see the catatonic subtype being misdiagnosed.

This caught my attention- am really interested to know more, can you elaborate?

 

[Gritches]

This caught my attention- am really interested to know more, can you elaborate?

A shutdown can look a lot like a catatonic state. At least my shutdowns do.

 

[LucyPurrs]

A shutdown can look a lot like a catatonic state. At least my shutdowns do.

Thanks! OK now it makes sense to me.

 

[Judge]

A shutdown can look a lot like a catatonic state. At least my shutdowns do.

It's been a while since my last shutdown. Yet when on rare occasion I may experience a certain "loss of time" it makes me wonder about such things. Where I completely cut myself from all contact with anyone and everyone.

Perhaps at times even comparable to sleep walking, while it's something I've observed in the past regarding others I lived with. Pretty strange thing to witness.

 

[LucyPurrs]

It's been a while since my last shutdown. Yet when on rare occasion I may experience a certain "loss of time" it makes me wonder about such things. Where I completely cut myself from all contact with anyone and everyone.

Perhaps at times even comparable to sleep walking, while it's something I've observed in the past regarding others I lived with. Pretty strange thing to witness.

Are you saying that shutdowns involve a loss of time, or a sense that less time has passed than in reality?

 

[Judge]

Are you saying that shutdowns involve a loss of time, or a sense that less time has passed than in reality?

Potentially both I suppose. At times when a shutdown can become a very murky thing to me. Though not like an alcoholic losing an entire weekend.

 

[Buzzerfly]

This sounds very similar to my aut husband, family and all. His mother and grandfather also committed suicide. I don't support psychiatric medication!

 

[the_tortoise]

Autism (including Asperger's) is technically not a mental illness, it's a developmental disability .... you can have autism with or without mental illness.

There isn't actually any treatment for any kind of autism, per se, there are just therapies and educational strategies to teach skills and manage symptoms/difficulties (the only medications for autism are, as far as I know, just meant to help manage behavior rather than actually treat the autism).

What are you even supposed to do for aspergers?

Understand, support, accomodate, teach coping strategies for difficulties and assist with learning skills that don't come naturally. (Like with social skills, for example, you can be helpful by explaining things to your brother when he looks confused or misses social cues -- be discrete and explain in private if he is socially anxious or sensitive to the judgement of others, though.) Beyond that, just accept it.

I have no idea what goes on in his mind because he tries to keep his feelings to himself (but he can talk your ear off about music or science lol).

Some ASDers are literally unable to talk about their feelings, even if they are very articulate about other things.....in which case it is a language issue (so even if someone wants to share feelings, they don't have the words and/or the social scripting) .

Some ASDers have co-occuring alexythemia which means they have trouble identifying their feelings in the first place, and this leads them to not talk much about their feelings even if they would have no problems with the scripting/language required to communicate about feelings.