Online Tests

[ksheehan88]

I like to know things, in all aspects of my life - uncertainty makes me very anxious. xx

 

[WereBear]

I started with this test:

https://everydayaspie.wordpress.com...pergers-syndrome-checklist-by-samantha-craft/

Geared towards females. Then I scored high on the RAADS-R test. Then I got a formal diagnosis.

I needed an official diagnosis because I am so well adapted no one believed me. However, the toll it was taking on my brain was making me a near-invalid.

I spoke and walked early, have totally normal eye contact and social interaction. However, I had no idea this was all "overclocking my processor" and pointing me towards a nervous breakdown.

 

[ksheehan88]

I started with this test:

https://everydayaspie.wordpress.com...pergers-syndrome-checklist-by-samantha-craft/

Geared towards females. Then I scored high on the RAADS-R test. Then I got a formal diagnosis.

I needed an official diagnosis because I am so well adapted no one believed me. However, the toll it was taking on my brain was making me a near-invalid.

I spoke and walked early, have totally normal eye contact and social interaction. However, I had no idea this was all "overclocking my processor" and pointing me towards a nervous breakdown.

Thanks WereBear. I did the RAADS-R online and scored high enough it recommended a follow up. I'll have my partner go through that checklist with me x

 

[Judge]

Good points raised. It seems relatively easy for Aspie females to "escape the radar" to be detected. Makes a follow-through on investigating all that more imperative.

 

[ksheehan88]

Reading through that checklist it appears I identify with many of them. I will have my partner go through and check which he believes are reminiscent of my behaviours aswell.

More and more I'm starting to wonder!

 

[ksheehan88]

WereBear, part of the reason I've felt unsure about the possibility of me being on the spectrum is because its not something anyone - including myself - has ever or would think of me.

I mentioned the possibility to a friend, who told me everyone has some autistic traits and she thinks its nothing at all, it made me worry that everyone will jsut think I'm being overdramatic or something.

 

[Judge]

I mentioned the possibility to a friend, who told me everyone has some autistic traits and she thinks its nothing at all, it made me worry that everyone will jsut think I'm being overdramatic or something.

Neurotypicals can have some autistic traits and behaviors. That much is certainly true.

However Neurodiverse people are apt to have many more such traits and behaviors. And in the case of Aspie females more well known traits and behaviors may be at a lesser amplitude...making it potentially much more difficult to detect. Keep reading here about others' traits and behaviors. You're likely to discover many more that you weren't even aware of.

As far as self-discovery and self-awareness of your own potential autism goes, just remember that above all it's what you think. Not what others think.

It is YOU who must come to terms with all of it. Not anyone else. It's neither a "badge of honor" or a fashion statement. Your neurology is simply who you are in terms of what your brain is hard-wired to tell you.

 

[ksheehan88]

Neurotypicals can have some autistic traits and behaviors. That much is certainly true.

However Neurodiverse people are apt to have many more such traits and behaviors. And in the case of Aspie females more well known traits and behaviors may be at a lesser amplitude...making it potentially much more difficult to detect. Keep reading here about others' traits and behaviors. You're likely to discover many more that you weren't even aware of.

As far as self-discovery and self-awareness of your own potential autism goes, just remember that above all it's what you think. Not what others think.

It is YOU who must come to terms with all of it. Not anyone else. It's neither a "badge of honor" or a fashion statement. Your neurology is simply who you are in terms of what your brain is hard-wired to tell you.

No I understand it isn't Judge. I've only asked said friend what she thought because I didn't want to go to the doctor and waste time, nor feel silly asking them to test me for no reason... Probably wasn't the smartest move though.

 

[Judge]

No I understand it isn't Judge. I've only asked said friend what she thought because I didn't want to go to the doctor and waste time, nor feel silly asking them to test me for no reason... Probably wasn't the smartest move though.

The best thing you could do was to come here. It's just my opinion, but I think you're much better off making such inquiries with people on the spectrum.

And take your time. It's a complex thing to figure out. Not worth rushing. I'm in my fifth year of discovery....still learning things as I go.

 

[LittleLemon]

I needed an official diagnosis because I am so well adapted no one believed me. However, the toll it was taking on my brain was making me a near-invalid.

I spoke and walked early, have totally normal eye contact and social interaction. However, I had no idea this was all "overclocking my processor" and pointing me towards a nervous breakdown.

I LOVE this--all of this! "Overclocking my processor" is exactly how I am feeling at the moment and this nervous breakdown I feel creeping up on me is making life very difficult--especially having an autistic child that I'm supposed to be doing 425842 things for and I feel not up to the task. I'm doing everything I can for her, but it's taxing me and I'm not functioning well anymore.

 

[LittleLemon]

No I understand it isn't Judge. I've only asked said friend what she thought because I didn't want to go to the doctor and waste time, nor feel silly asking them to test me for no reason... Probably wasn't the smartest move though.

I know this wasn't directed at me, but that's my experience with a few people and I'm keeping my mouth shut. I'm getting a whole lot of, "well, I do ___ and ____ too" and that it's a waste of time to get assessed.

 

[ksheehan88]

I know this wasn't directed at me, but that's my experience with a few people and I'm keeping my mouth shut. I'm getting a whole lot of, "well, I do ___ and ____ too" and that it's a waste of time to get assessed.

Its frustrating because only my other half sees everything... theres even things he doesn't see/know tbh.

I don't see what little friends I have enough for them to really KNOW me, and much of what I feel/think I keep to myself to avoid irritating them or pushing them away, so I guess I can understand why they might say "nah, you're not".

I second-guess myself so much, one minute I'm certain I should follow it up then I lose that certainty and wonder if its just all in my head.

 

[LittleLemon]

Its frustrating because only my other half sees everything... theres even things he doesn't see/know tbh.

I don't see what little friends I have enough for them to really KNOW me, and much of what I feel/think I keep to myself to avoid irritating them or pushing them away, so I guess I can understand why they might say "nah, you're not".

I second-guess myself so much, one minute I'm certain I should follow it up then I lose that certainty and wonder if its just all in my head.

I could've written this. You're definitely not alone! My husband knows me better than anyone, yet there's still a ton of odd things he doesn't know that I'd be embarrassed to tell him.

 

[ksheehan88]

I could've written this. You're definitely not alone! My husband knows me better than anyone, yet there's still a ton of odd things he doesn't know that I'd be embarrassed to tell him.

It kind of proved how little I let on to even him when he went through that checklist... So many things I thought, "thats me!" he didn't even consider. Its quite sad really to think no one actually knows me x

 

[Mia]

Also went through the checklist with my husband. It was funny, he read it then looked at me; 'I don't get it, none of these are like you.' Then I went through the entire list again, giving concrete examples. Then he nodded, finally.

 

[ksheehan88]

Also went through the checklist with my husband. It was funny, he read it then looked at me; 'I don't get it, none of these are like you.' Then I went through the entire list again, giving concrete examples. Then he nodded, finally.

Thats what I did, I read back through them with him and pointed out examples. He realised then lol

 

[artfull dodger]

I took a couple online tests after my formal diagnosis, my therapist who diagnosed me gave me the links to the quizzes. They just further confirmed how squarely I was on the spectrum to those that doubted her diagnosis. I retook them in a formal enviroment to get my vocational rehab qualification, scored the same as when I took them on my own. Results are in my signature. Mike

 

[ksheehan88]

I think what I will do is print out my results along with the checklist and highlight the ones I feel are "me" to take with me to therapy.

If I don't have a list of things I need to say or something to show them my mind goes blank and I can't articulate what I needed to say and miss things.

 

[LittleLemon]

I think what I will do is print out my results along with the checklist and highlight the ones I feel are "me" to take with me to therapy.

If I don't have a list of things I need to say or something to show them my mind goes blank and I can't articulate what I needed to say and miss things.

Good idea. My therapist (not related to diagnosis ) asked why I thought I had AS and my mind went blank and I couldn't really think of much. I focused on the obvious social issues, but there was so much more I couldn't articulate. It's like hundreds of reasons were crowding around in my brain and creating a traffic jam and there was no way I could organize my thoughts. So yes, definitely bring a list!

 

[WereBear]

WereBear, part of the reason I've felt unsure about the possibility of me being on the spectrum is because its not something anyone - including myself - has ever or would think of me.

Exactly my situation. I spent most of my childhood being geeky and shy, which I figured was explained by how much of my childhood we moved around and I was always the "new kid." Even then, we usually lived way in the country, with no other kids to play with, so the situation wasn't noticed.

On top of that, my age meant no one had even heard of autism when I was a child. To quote Temple Grandin, "Everything was emotional issues at that time."

Then, I moved from a small town to working in NYC; where it is "assert or die." And I became very assertive. No one could believe I was once shy. My social skills are stellar for an NT, much less someone on the spectrum.

Little did I know that I was faking it so well even I didn't know!

I think this is a far more common situation than anyone realizes; especially for women, older people, and those with enough social ability to pass as Neurotypical. Which is all me.

A hormone problem at menopause knocked me off my game, and I started getting all these exhaustion, anxiety, and stress issues. Even after I sorted out the hormone thing, I was getting worse and worse. It took reading about a diagnosed autistic's sensory issues for me to say, "Gee, I have sensory issues like someone with autism." And then I went to the Feminine Checklist and scored 89%. I was blown away by how many of those applied to me.

I think this realization saved my life, because I am slowly, slowly, getting better with autism-tailored strategies like a weighted blanket, cognitive behavior therapy, and binaural brain wave treatment.

Formal diagnosis or not (that's up to you) I think you need to satisfy yourself about your situation, if nothing else.