gerland

leeds_demon: Is it possible for you to go back and speak to the psychologist again, or maybe a different one who is clued up on AS? A diagnosis of AS is a big thing - it was for me - and it is natural (and healthy, I think) to reflect on it. But you also have to be honest with yourself and the psychologist, especially as there is no easy way to diagnose AS. I suspect AS could be 'faked' in an assessment, but it can also be hidden: many people with it have spent much of their adult lives trying to compensate for or mask their 'differences', succeeding to greater or lesser extents (I count myself among that group!). BTW, I can look people in the eye - it is a conscious effort to do so, and I do often find it disconcerting and uncomfortable - but they are not mutually exclusive. As a spectrum condition people are affected in very different ways, and a well-trained psychologist/psychiatrist is best placed to gauge that, but can only do so with the full cooperation of the person being assessed. Only you can decide what's best, but if it was me, I'd want to go back to the diagnosing person for a serious chat.

Hi kateg - what you describe is something that can happen in some children with AS, in that they are able to internalise their anxieties during the day in the relatively structured environment of school, but then the stress all comes tumbling out at the end of the day when the child is tired and in with his/her family. I have read about this but am now racking my brains to think where I saw it ... PM me if you want me to see if I can track it down. Of course, this in itself does not mean that your little boy has AS, but while perhaps a lesser known pattern of behaviour, it is one that has been reported.

Will do ... done. I have saved my message so will get it to you eventually

Just tried again and it says "member cannot use the messaging system". Mine seems to be OK, as I got a message yesterday. Just wondering if there is a blip in the system ... it might be something in the settings

Hi there - I would like to send you a message but the system won't let me. Please could you get in touch via PM? Thanks

Oops, I've reposted to your 'hi' message!

I hate those pysychometric tests! Some may disagree, but if you know what an employer is looking for (and it's often relatively easy to find out), it is straightforward enough to make sure your answers "fit" their criteria. Interaction in group situations is always much more difficult at interview, and this is where I have come a cropper in the past, as I guess I was less aware of how I was supposed to be interacting with others in specific work situations (although I think this can sometimes be "learnt" too). As butterfly73 says, having AS can have huge positives for employers - and it does not have to be a bar to leadership positions - if only they tried a little harder to understand. Where I work has an above average number of people on the spectrum, including me, although I suspect most are undiagnosed. I guess times are changing, slowly, but for the better. Good luck for the future - I'm sure you will succeed!

If you can't get it on the BBC any more, it is on YouTube in its entirety - just google it. A good programme and sensitively done, I think. Oops, just realised it is still on the BBC too, sorry!

Me too, and I still wonder now if they can, especially if I'm being a bit economical with my version of events (I find telling a lie massively stressful, so tend to be very truthful). My adult head tells me they probably can't read my thoughts, but I do ask myself the question now and again. Thanks for all the replies. They have been very interesting. TBH, I never realised I didn't look at people much until relatively recently. I can look at people in my immediate family easily enough though.

Sorry to hear that and I know it must be really annoying to know you were so close! However, according to a site I've just seen, only 43% of people pass, and the figure is lower for people who take their test for the first time, so you are in a majority there. There is also an article in the Daily Mail that claims you are actually a safer driver if you pass the second time, so try not to take it too hard. I'm sure you'll pass the next time around

Yes, it is good when you realise that people can accept you with any "differences" you may have - the majority of places I have worked in have not been like this, BUT my current workplace is, and I have to say that (apart from catching a few quizzical looks from time to time - I tend to stare out of the window in order to concentrate), they are remarkably accepting and seem to like my work, which I guess is the clincher, although sadly not everyone seems to be this inclusive.

Totally agree with you there. I never knew I had an issue with it until I thought about it (I had never actually thought about it until relatively recently, other than as a gut-reaction uncomfortable feeling), and then realised that I really do struggle, especially when I'm tired, stressed, upset. This has been quite a revelation to me! I find quite often that people seem to stare at me too, but am never sure why, or whether am I misinterpreting the situation, did I stare first??? And yes, I prefer to avert my eyes pretty quickly once I've made that "necessary" social contact. I also agree that finding a compromise between staring and coming across a bit shifty is easier said than done

Hello, First post here, although I have lots of questions I was wondering how eye contact makes you feel inside. I was taught from a very young age to look at people when they spoke to me, and this has definitely become engrained to the extent that (I think I do it more or less automatically these days), but I'm not at all sure what other people think. So, I can make eye contact, but it is often uncomfortable, particularly with people I don't know or like. If it's people I know well or like, it's not too bad, but I can end up staring instead. For me it is a little like trying to eat something that doesn't taste good ... I can do it, but it's not nice and I will stop it as soon as I can. Any thoughts?