Do I Have Autism?

[jimmyboy92]

Hi Guys,

Basically, I'm wondering if I my problem might be a bit more than 'social anxiety', which I have kinda self diagnosed with the help of an internet friend.

I found an internet mate on a car forum who is an awesome guy and has really helped me with a lot of stuff....he is a bit older than me but we have similar problems. Now he was recently diagnosed with asperges, which made me wonder whether I have some form of autism. And after reading some threads on here I'm even more intrigued!!

I cant stand crowds or social situations and a lot of the time I just feel like there is so much 'noise' in my head that I get real fuzzy and lightheaded while I'm out, for example in a supermarket or in the town centre.

I also HAVE to keep to a routine, but that might just be coincidental OCD, I definately have OCD (undiagnosed but its pretty obvious).

Any kind of socialising makes me awkward and I don't really talk to anyone. It's not so bad in an open enviromnment (outside or garage workshop) but when people sit next to me (in class, in the car or PC room), male or female, I just can't react properly, I lose the ability to write/type, I feel scared and I can't speak to them which must make me seem like a rude git although I can't help it!! I also can't look anyone in the eye, ever, and when I'm in a social situation my face can't do what I want it to, something as simple as a smile just won't work, got this when I was made to stand infront of the class to deliver a presentation I couldnt speak and I couldn't even smlie, actually reaaly worried me.

I also find it hard to understand things unless they are physical and I'm shown them, someone can explain stuff for ages but it won't go in unless I'm actually shown the physical side.

So after all that rambling lol, what do you reckon? Do I just have social anxiety and OCD, or do you reckon I could have autism? Also is there a test or something to do without going to the docs?

Cheers
Jimmy

[christcenteredlife]

your school most likely would have noticed autism by now. if you can function without the dx, do so. and if you do and you've made it this far in life, it's probably extremely mild.

i have autism myself, dx'd around 5. from what you're saying, i see more social anxiety, but if you are really concerned talk to a doctor, they can help you. an internet forum can't.

by the way, autistics don't realize their differences. i know i don't smile, wave, or look people in the eye, but i'm not aware i'm not doing it when i'm doing it.

and most autistics DO make eye contact, but quick glances.

did you have a speech delay?

[jimmyboy92]

your school most likely would have noticed autism by now. if you can function without the dx, do so. and if you do and you've made it this far in life, it's probably extremely mild.

i have autism myself, dx'd around 5. from what you're saying, i see more social anxiety, but if you are really concerned talk to a doctor, they can help you. an internet forum can't.

by the way, autistics don't realize their differences. i know i don't smile, wave, or look people in the eye, but i'm not aware i'm not doing it when i'm doing it.

and most autistics DO make eye contact, but quick glances.

did you have a speech delay?

Ah well I'm guessing it'd only be mild if I do have it cos as you say, someone should've noticed by now.........but then, I have spent mst of my life on my own (ya know the weird kid that always has a table to himself hiding at the back corner of the class? Yeah thats me lol).

I didn't realise a lot of this stuff until really recently, I mean I've always been 'quiet' and told that at every damn parents evening lol and I've never been one to go out anywehere. But recently started trying to socialise (cos Im so damn lonely) and started noticing this stuff, especially the eye contact thing, and also had some nervous ticks pointed out to me at a car meet a few months which I genuinely didn't realise I did until someone said about it. Just 'crunching' my neck and knuckles, stuttering, and clearing my throat constantly for no reason.

Not sure if Im just being thick now lol....whats dx??

Also, I really hate docs, and didn't go for about 10 years until very recently I was fed up with this anxiety (which I belivevd it was), and went to see if I could get some pills for it (as I had to quit my job, thinking about quitting college cos Im never there, and really have hit the bottom now...can't drop any further I hope!). The problem is the doc totally ignored me, ignored the fact I could barely get a word out, was swaeting like a pig, shaking like hell and couldn't stop the nervous ticks that I mentioned above...and he just said, 'you're underweight so we'll have to do some blood tests and see whats up', so I suggested to him that I think I have toilet phobia as part of the anxiety, and going to the loo a lot is gonna make me lose weight lol!! He simply said its unlikely that I have TP and wrote down that i was having these tests and to come back in a week. NO help at all, and I'm properly scared of needles so won't be having the tests...but now theyre on my records I can't face going back to the docs. Eurgh...fml. :/

I'm not sure what you mean by speech delay? So I guess I don't!

[christcenteredlife]

i have autism, tourette syndrome (which sounds like something you might be struggling with), and ocd.

mostly likely you have social anxiety and a nervous tic disorder.

dx means diagnosis.

speech delay means you didn't talk "on-time" and struggled when you did learn. i didn't start saying words until 5 and putting them together until 6/7.

[jimmyboy92]

Ok, thanks for the help kai. :)

I'm not aware of a speech delay (parents have never said) so I guess not.

I'll stick with original self diagnosis of social anxiety then, probably with some other smaller problems.

[christcenteredlife]

you shouldn't "self dx" it isn't healthy. if social anxiety is really that intense for you, you'd be willing to get help. regardless of the hatred for doctors. i can't handle docs either, but i desire getting over my issues with their help to letting my mental issue's hold me back.

[jimmyboy92]

you shouldn't "self dx" it isn't healthy. if social anxiety is really that intense for you, you'd be willing to get help. regardless of the hatred for doctors. i can't handle docs either, but i desire getting over my issues with their help to letting my mental issue's hold me back.

Yeah I know you're right mate, of the few people I've told, they've all said go to docs. But I would rather run hide from the truth, blissful ignorance is the easiest way out I guess.

I'm good at running away from stuff....which i'be been doing for years......I'm not so good at facing problems, hence getting this far before even being able to admit that I have problems. Kinda wish I had a real life friend to give the kick up the backside that I need to sort myself out. If it wasn't for my internet mate I mentioned earlier I would probably still be in denial about it. :/

[christcenteredlife]

that response tells me you don't have autism. you are too aware. but, not having autism is a good thing.

[jimmyboy92]

that response tells me you don't have autism. you are too aware. but, not having autism is a good thing.

Yeah I was hoping not to have it! Puts my mind at ease a bit though, that someone with autism thinks I don't have it. Thanks again for your help dude. :). I'll have to concentrate on trying to do something about this anxiety though!

[christcenteredlife]

yea it's called seeing a doctor. you can also try using breathing methods.

google -

cleansing breathes
and
calming breathing

[Luke wright]

i have no autism, tourette syndrome (which sounds like something you might be struggling with), and ocd.mostly likely you have social anxiety and a nervous tic disorder.

[Dimentio]

Hey Jimmy :)
Well i suffer from Anger, Depression, ADD and Anxiety, But all them or just one makes me not want to leave the house, Not want to see family and when i am outside i have my head down, But manners to me are a HUGE thing and although i hated looking people in the eye while talking, I kinda slowly but surley did it and now, I can talk to people easily while looking them in the eye :)
So try that for the eye one, And for people sitting next to you i am kinda the same except i do not mind so much i just like to have my own space, But if someone sits next to me, I just look out of the windo and go into my own world until the journey has stopped, That helps a lot and finally for the routine one, The school ALWAYS say this and so do my family, I am someone who HATES change, And when change happens, I get depressed and the anxiety and anger kick in and i do not know what to do, After a few months i go back to my old self, But other then that i am not too sure how to help that one or any of the others, Sorry :(

[christianteen]

You CANNOT base any self-diagnoses on stuff you found out on the internet. You MUST go to a qualified doctor or psychologist and tell them your problems. I don't know why you want to avoid a doctor or psychologist but if you want to find out the truth, you have to go to either one of them.

[jimmyboy92]

yea it's called seeing a doctor. you can also try using breathing methods.

google -

cleansing breathes
and
calming breathing

Yeah but as I said....seeing a doctor didn't help last time!

Tried those brething teqniques but didn't to make much difference. :(

Hey Jimmy :)
Well i suffer from Anger, Depression, ADD and Anxiety, But all them or just one makes me not want to leave the house, Not want to see family and when i am outside i have my head down, But manners to me are a HUGE thing and although i hated looking people in the eye while talking, I kinda slowly but surley did it and now, I can talk to people easily while looking them in the eye :)
So try that for the eye one, And for people sitting next to you i am kinda the same except i do not mind so much i just like to have my own space, But if someone sits next to me, I just look out of the windo and go into my own world until the journey has stopped, That helps a lot and finally for the routine one, The school ALWAYS say this and so do my family, I am someone who HATES change, And when change happens, I get depressed and the anxiety and anger kick in and i do not know what to do, After a few months i go back to my old self, But other then that i am not too sure how to help that one or any of the others, Sorry :(

Cheers Kieran. :)

I think part of the eye contact thing may be that I'm hiding stuff from people...I guess because no-one except for internet people know what problems I have (except for one tutor at college, but he doesn't even know half!) and I just kinda feel like I'm lying to them when I'm telling them I'm fine or whatever.

The sitting next to people thing, I do try and look elsewhere instead, but I often sit next to a wall if possible (feel paranoid if I'm in the middle of a classroom where people can see me) and staring at a wall doesn't help much lol. Also on journeys, I can't really go into my own world while driving, not really safe haha!! :D

And lastly, yes, change is one of my big problems and I do not cope at all well with it, but ltierally everything seems to be changing over the last year or two, which sets off the anxiety, which starts the bad guts, then I get obsessive that theres something really wrong which makes the anxiety worse, and that makes the bad guts worse.....it just keeps going round in circles!! I think is whats put me back to square one tbh, as I'm worse now than I was 3 or 4 years ago!

You CANNOT base any self-diagnoses on stuff you found out on the internet. You MUST go to a qualified doctor or psychologist and tell them your problems. I don't know why you want to avoid a doctor or psychologist but if you want to find out the truth, you have to go to either one of them.

If I'm being totally honest, I don't want to know the truth. :what:

That probably sounds odd, but what if my 'bad guts' are more than just anxiety triggered or IBS? Then I'd have to have pills/operations/needles and lots of change to sort it out, which I just cannot cope with, I would honestly rather die of something (quick and painless) than have to have needles stuck in me and painful operations and stuff.

I DID go to the docs, as I said in my first post, just to get some pills for anxiety, but he didn't listen and started looking for physical problems, and thats the exact reason I didn't want to go in the first place! I can't even go to the dentist any more, as I'm too scared they'll find a problem somewhere, and they'll have to jab me with needles and cause a lot of pain.....for something that isn't even causing me pain to start with!

Also, I would be OK with talking to a psych (afterall, they can only find mental problems right!) but apparently you can't just go to one here in the UK, you have to be 'sent' to one by your doctor. I'm sure they actually try to make life difficult over here lol. :(

[peace.love.starving]

I hate when people self Dx. Because most the time they are just looking to have a disorder, and like people said if you really think you have a problem you'd be willing to go to the doctor.

[Magenta]

The issue with self-diagnosis is that you can actually start displaying the symptoms you've read about because you read about them, not because you actually had them before.

A doctor will look for physical problems when you mention anxiety because anxiety triggers physical symptoms. They want to make sure nothing else is wrong first because that is their job. They also will not just give you pills because there are other ways of treating anxiety without being reliant on medications. I firmly believe that medications are a last resort in many situations, one of them being anxiety.

If you honestly think you have a problem, stop reading things on the internet, go to your GP and get a referral to a psychiatrist. There's often a waiting list but it's worth it if you really want these answers. If you don't think it's that severe then I can understand not wanting to go through the process. However, there are no home tests you can do. Anyone who claims there are is very wrong.

Also, you may just be better suited to therapy. You don't need a referral to a therapist. I've honestly found, through personal experience, that social anxiety (and OCD but not as much through personal experience) can be treated without the label. Often what getting a diagnosis is is just having someone repeat all your symptoms and give you a label. Unless it's so severe that you absolutely cannot function, it doesn't change anything. Therapy will give you the tools to cope not with a disorder as a whole but with individual symptoms that cause you problems. A new word in your vocabulary and maybe some meds don't do that. You could take the meds as the easy way out but when you decide you don't want to have to take a pill everyday or if the doctor decides to take you off of them, you still won't have any of the skills to combat things if they come back.

Anyway, just my two cents.

[Rawiyah]

I hate when people self Dx. Because most the time they are just looking to have a disorder, and like people said if you really think you have a problem you'd be willing to go to the doctor.

I agree with this.
Seriously, if you believe there may be something wrong, it's best to go to your psych and ask about it, or call up your CPN about it.

They can probably help you a lot more than we can. Also, with disorders like OCD, I still think getting an official dx. rather than dx. yourself is also better. A lot of times, symptoms of disorders tend to overlap, so if you suspect you have one disorder, you may actually have a completely different disorder with similar symptoms.

Bottom line, seeing your psych would be the best if you suspect you may have Autism. My guess is that normally, your school psych probably would have had you tested by now, though.