SimonJC

Ok, so I used the term 'Idiots' rather loosely. In any case, what Messrs McKinnon and Cleary did (if they did), clever as it may or may not be, was clearly misguided (maybe even idiotic), as both of these guys obviously thought they weren't going to get caught. Whilst I agree that the UK was wrong to give in to the US with extradition issues, the fact is that these guys both allegedly broke the law. To what extent will be for a court or otherwise to decide.

A sense of right and wrong there may be, but although it's wrong to use a DX as a defence for a crime, there is an inherent naivety amongst AS sufferers. IIRC, there was a case a few years ago of a chap with AS being radicalised by fundamentalist Islamics, who attempted a bombing in a restaurant (Can't remember his name). However, although his defence tried to use AS as an excuse, the guy himself admitted responsibility for his actions. Now I for one freely admit to being easily led, and so, it seems, may these two 'hackers' have been. It still doesn't negate the responsibility one should take for one's own actions. In any case, we are striving to be accepted as equals, when two idiots come along and try to be excused based on how different AS sufferers are.

I think the debate on whether one should seek a diagnosis and the reasons for doing so will always be a controversial one. The guidelines state that an ASD diagnosis should only be given where there the condition has a negative impact on the sufferers life. I myself am seeking diagnosis because firstly, I feel my lack of concentration is affecting my abilty to work properly and could potentially be a risk to myself or others, and secondly, because of the immense stress I feel under and my inability to deal with it. Are these two points enough to justify my seeking diagnosis? I'm sure not everyone would agree.

Do you suffer with repetitive or restricted interests? This is I'm told, one of the criteria for ASD diagnosis, along with the social issues and the need for routine you already described. I'm in a slightly similar position, although I'm actually in the process of seeking diagnosis. It's very easy to self diagnose, indeed I'm told that there is a propensity for sufferers to "Look up" their symptoms. I, like yourself, find myself trapped outside of the real world, although it sometimes seems as though I'm inside a giant bubble instead. I spend literally hours daydreaming and have trouble sleeping because of it. However, my social problems aren't that I don't want to mix with people, far from it. I like being around people, it makes me feel safe. I just find it very difficult to mix because I feel that I can't relate to people, or that they overlook me because of my awkwardness. I have an IQ of 137, so I can't be stupid, but yet sometimes I find it difficult to follow some of the simplest tasks. With regards to "Reading" people, people with ASDs are said to appear lacking in empathy. In reality, it's believed that they are actually OVER empathetic. A friend of mine describes it as being a "Mood sponge", where they feel the emotions of others. It may be that this is why it feels like you would know how a person is feeling. Hope that helps, although I'm sure that others will know a lot more than me.

Just submitted application, though have to try and get days off work. Hope I can, as I think that this could be very beneficial to me. There is no support for adults on the spectrum in this area, so this could be something to look forward to. Fingers crossed.

I used to take things apart, with no forethought of putting them back together. It was really my desire to see how things worked, although a lot of stuff I butchered were complex items that I would never learn about in a million years. My dad said this was just me being destructive. Ok it's taken me until my adulthood to finally find out that an ASD was the likely cause, so I can only offer hindsight as evidence. What I really believe is that there is this inquisitive nature in an ASD brain that wants to see what happens when one carries out a certain action, and that they keep on doing the same thing because of the repetitive nature of ASDs. I know that when I repeat an action, it's rather like coming back to a familiar place. There's comfort in that feeling, almost a self-stim in a way.

In my quest for a diagnosis for a possible ASD, I have been advised by many people, including members of this forum, to seek out a local support group in order that I may be able to better assess myself and maybe find a few comforting words during this stressful stage of my life. Now it's all well and good conversing via forums such as these (and they do definitely help), but there are times when you need to be able to talk with people face to face, albeit with some difficulty in making the initial approach as is normal with ASDs. So a self-help support group for ASD sufferers would be ideal. The problem is that to date, I have found no such groups in Northumberland or North Tyneside that are still holding meetings. I am writing this post to see if anyone on this forum knows of any such services in the above area. If not, are there any people in the area that would maybe be interested in getting together at some point? I know this may be a tall order, but surely there must be other adults in the same boat as me. Even parents of children who are on the Spectrum would maybe appreciate coming together with adult sufferers also.

A fairly difficult subject matter to answer objectively. It would be unwise for me to vote in your poll, but I can use some of my own life experiences to hopefully go some way towards giving you some sort of answer. I had a girlfriend about ten years ago who was dx'ed with Aspergers. It never dawned on me until it was suggested that I seek a dx just how similar in personality we actually were and why we were attracted to each other in the first place (and why, ultimately we were probably too alike for it to work well). The most striking similarities were things like having a young mindset but using mature language, the naivety and failure to "get" sarcasm, and the bullying we both had at our respective schools. So in that respect, I think that there are very little differences, particularly where a similar degree of ASD is prevalent. As for intellect, my ex-girlfriend and myself were fairly evenly matched, save for an age difference which meant that she was slightly less world-wise than me.

Yeah I've looked into support groups before and unfortunately, I'm not living in one of the better areas of the country. To date I've been unable to find any groups that hold meetings in Northumberland or North Tynside. I could travel a bit further afield but I'm constrained by my work hours too. I'll keep looking.

Jomica I think I might try with PALS. Hadn't heard about them before, but I've just checked on the PCT website and got a number so I'll give them a shot. I must say I'm disappointed so far with the whole process so far. The trust in Northumberland operates an IAPT (Improving Access to Psychiatric Treatment) scheme, which was designed to speed up the assessment procedures for adults. Plus, the Psychiatric nurse made the whole thing sound so easy. Was she just saying that because she wanted to make me feel better, or did she truly believe that it really is that simple? Either way, I'm already feeling lost within the system. Eastern Moon I was afraid that I'd start hearing horror stories about others' experiences. I'm so sorry that you've been let down so far and I hope that things improve. Does anyone know what sort of counselling exists either inside or outside of the NHS that would serve patients in the waiting phase? I must admit I'm feeling a little happier today on the account that I did manage to convey some of my feelings to my wife. She's not a professional however and I'm back to work in the morning so expect me to be on edge by at least tomorrow night SIMON

I have previously posted about my "Symptoms" and my first steps in gaining a possible diagnosis for AS or other ASD. http://www.asd-forum.org.uk/forum/Index.php?/topic/26196-diagnosis-at-41/page__view__getnewpost So I've seen doctor and I've been assessed by a psychiatric nurse. She was really nice about the whole thing and promised to get me referred on for a diagnosis. In fact, she made it sound unbelievably easy. Would take a few weeks she said. Unbelievable was right. A few weeks down the line, I hadn't heard a thing. On chasing up, I found out I'd been referred on to the wrong department. So here I am, in this limbo phase and still waiting. I wish I could afford a private dx, but times are hard right now. I'd be interested in knowing what others' experiences with the NHS system are. I'm feeling so stressed since I started this process. The problem is who I can talk to about it. Most of my family are miles away and I'm terrible at communicating with them at the best of times anyway. My wife is sympathetic to a point, but she still doesn't really understand what's going on (and I think she's just hoping it "Goes away" and that everything's ok - that I'm imagining it all). I have almost nothing in terms of friends, apart from a few people I talk to on Twitter (and I'm in danger of overusing those). It's really hard to find access to the right people to talk to. I do feel optimistic about the future, but at the same time I feel so desperately alone. Need some advice. SIMON

If it's just the first appointment (ie asessment with Mental Health team / IAPT) then it shouldn't take more than a couple of months depending on where you live. I saw my GP only a month ago and I have an appointment with a local treatment centre next week. I'm told that getting referred on to a specialist after that is very hit and miss. Hope that helps. Simon

I have a hugely diverse love of music, which I put down to my extreme open-mindedness (as well as my entertainer father and the fact that I have perfect pitch). But there is one area where I seem to fall into my comfort zone. I love the Scandinavian euro-pop sound that seems to have been all over the charts in the last couple of decades. If you think early Britney Spears and Backstreet boys sound with those big harmonies and intricate production. Even other "Wall of sound" pop production like Abba and Phil Spector. I used to think this was just some strange obsession, but there are always elements of repetition, be it in the style or the beat. Also it's faceless pop. It's interchangeable in that any pop star or group could sing it and it would sound the same. I guess that's probably what appeals to me.

Thanks for all your replies. I finally took the plunge and went to see my GP on Thursday. Luckily he was very understanding, as I was shaking like a leaf and couldn't really explain myself very well. He said he would put in a referral for an initial assessment. I guess I just wait now. @Trekster. I've read all the AS related stuff on the NAS site and yes, it's not particularly geared towards the adult sufferer IMO. It did however, point me in the right direction about how to approach a GP. Even if I did make a total mess of explaining it when the time came.

Easier said than done in my job unfortunately. One small mistake can cause hours of downtime... Something the bosses aren't too happy about. Just out of curiosity, does anyone know what the north east is like for AS diagnosis?