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I am referring to "Causes of Autistic Spectrum Disorders. In my case, born October 1962 with congenital rubella syndrome, it seems evident that the rubella in the second month of my mother's pregnancy has lead to my alternatively wired brain, for me it has resulted in Asperger, which I personally consider is a gift.

I am referring to "Asperger's = genius?". My own article, "Asperger, an outstanding personality", was written before I read the above mentioned one. I was very happy to read the article "Asperger = genius?". My own words are only my own thoughts about having Asperger. It was moving to read rather similar thoughts and expressions.

Referring to initial thread question [how many adults diagnosed with AS work?] I am 42 years old, and I have barely been into working life. Psychologist said I could eventually manage to work in a pizza bakery, right wing psychiatrist said I would benefit socially from working on a post with many people.. Socially I am an observer, I rarely participate, and I am still, as ever, very confused as to the social rules and cues, this making me a 100 % unfit for working life. I am receiving pension from the assurance office, and when I first received it in 1997, I got a huge amount of money as it was calculated with impact back to 1990. I don't know the diagnosis, and I am very curious to know. I am however very happy, have always been, being able to absorb deeply in my special interest as I have a lot of time to do so.

I agree wholeheartedly, as I look at autism as a personality type, not an illness. I have Asperger, but I am not ill, I am fine. I am proud of having Asperger - proud of the marvellous unique qualities that this personality type represents. I try to cultivate my interests fully, and I am very happy.

Hi Zemanski, I think it is very interesting that you have noticed a north-european langage pattern, as I am interested in languages and expressed formulas. I am glad that you think my english is good. Yes, there are nice landscapes to see in Norway. The coastal express liner, "Hurtigruten" is also an alternative. I am very fond of going up to the north of Norway with the ships. I am very strongly connected to nature. Regarding prosopagnosia, I will try to read about it on the Internet. Being born with congenital rubella syndrome due to rubella infection which my mother had in her second month of pregnancy, I have an organic brain dysfunction, probably the 'reticulo-frontal dysconnection syndrome'. I am not fond of groups, and I do slightly better when there is only one person present. The aspect of time also comes to light as to this, when I am almost unable to follow a group converasation; before I have managed to register what I actually experience, perceive, another response is being expressed by the next person. As to Tony Attwood, I have not managed to see his [icons] at the left hand side on his Internet site, the portal, so I may have missed information. Is his book well worth reading? Andreas

I was born in October 1962 with congenital rubella syndrome caused by prenatal rubella. Congenital rubella syndrome led to Asperger syndrome from which I as well suffer. I am socially very clumsy.

I am 42, and the other day it were 25 grades, I was wearing my lambs wool sweather and my windjacket too, so I didn't freeze I am shy and timid and like to be well dressed..

Hello, Silvertonque, I have no ideas as to action, but I have written an article 'Asperger - an outstanding personality'. It is on the forum. I like to focus on the brilliant aspects of the asperger personality.

Hello! I am also shy. I am 42.and have Asperger. When I read some of your posts, I instantly recognized a lot of my own personality. I am very withdrawn socially and very cautious as to which social environments I frequent. Mostly I find myself at home. I don't understand the social 'play', the 'codes', the irony, humour and understatements as well as the underlying nuances used in the language. In fact, as I am unable to grasp what is going on between people socially, I prefer to withdraw from social interaction. I have rarely tried to participate socially but have almost every time felt like an idiot. I always walk much alone, and I have very few friends. My main problem is always what to say, as I can't imagine the impact of the words I eventually would express. I am happy to use msn: andreas.wiggen@c2i.net Andreas

Hallo Zemanski, I am from Norway. You have put things clear for me, I am exactly as you describe. I am forty-two now, and daily my mother explains to me the nature of various social situations and gives me answers as to how I can handle them. Where are you from? Andreas

Hello Zemanski, To read what you write is to read about myself! I recognize so fully. I can't adapt to new social situations. I am unable to socialize. To learn socially from previous social situations is impossible for me. Every time I get into a social situation, which is not often as I prefer to withdraw from them, I try to reflect cognitively and logically upon what I have perceived. I am most confused every time. I stand on same bottom level ever; every new social situation appears as totally new to me, like I have to try to learn a new language, eg. greek. I like to reflect and to try to analyze, also social situations. I like very much to absorb deeply in a phenomenon. In fact, I am extremely happy with life and very proud of Asperger personality. I wouldn't have changed it at all.

I was born October 1962. In her second month of pregnancy my mother got Rubella (german measles), and consequently I was born with Congenital Rubella Syndrome, and I have Asperger syndrome.

I exaggerate my feeling of responsibility, I am always charging myself guilty when something happens. Eg when I was seven, I and a comrade accidentally crashed together in schoolyard. I felt very guilty, and it was not only my fault. I react similarly today; I am now forty-two. I find it still very difficult to forgive myself. Rational talk has no impact, the thoughts of guilt work hard in my brain, and they remain in my mind for a rather long time. If my mother says don't think of it anymore, it will take hours or days, eventually weeks before I again is put in mental balance. Having often the ideas of having said or done something wrong, this is one of the dark sides of my asperger mind. This state of mind puts me off, I get depressed and very sad. But I am most often indeed happy

I see your point as to the discussion about the terminology, syndrome or pesonality difference. Furthermore, I would have wished a society that take seriously the difficulties and needs of aspergers, that society be informed about that and be doing necessary things in order to create a society for all.

I am using much time reflecting on which impact my words will have, so before I try to interact, I always reflect intensely on the impact the different words and / or combination of words will have.

At bed-time, at 00:00, almost every evening I have to be reassured by my mother that I haven't done or said anything wrong or anything that could possibly have hurt her throughout the day. I addition, I say Good night 50 times....

hello florrie, It is good to hear I am not alone in having these anxiety problems. I feel it is difficult to recover from them but my other positive experiences balance up, so mostly I am glad.

I try to reflect logically and cognitively both prior to what I say and do and always after. Much energy I always put in trying to analyze what impact it might have had. Generally, I fail to participate socially because I need very much time to be able to sort out what I in fact perceive, ergo what is going on, and ,really I am almost unable to grasp what happens in social interaction because I don't understand the social clues, codes, the irony, jokes and understatements. Could I be intellectualizing because I don't understand what is going on between people?

I am 42, and I think I recognize what you write very well, because I think I also behave rather similarly, today! When bed-time comes, I want to prolong conversation with my mother, because I don't want to leave her for the day. I have separation anxiety.

Dear Elaine, I wish you all the best! Andreas

When I come into a social situation, I first have to sort out what I actually perceive before I can respond and participate emotionally "just there", and to sort out, I intellectialize, I reason cognitively.

Hello! Are you familiar with the term 'intellectualize'? In 1968, when I was six years old, the teacher in pre-elementary one year class said that I was intellectualizing. I am not sure of the substance within this term. Could it possibly be related to the fact that I cognitively try to reflect; to sort out and register social stimuli, instead of responding emotionally to them? I always feel I have to reflect cognitively prior to participate emotionally, regarding social interaction. Otherwise I feel it is socially speaking like an unknown map without knowing how to navigate, expressed differently like trying to learn a new, unknown language. Really, I rarely respond emotionally to a full extent, relaxing completely, together with persons, as the direct eye-to-eye contact appears more like an 'exam situation'; being there to 'perform'. Does it make sense?

Instead of Asperger syndrome, it could e.g. be named Asperger personality, as I really don't consider Asperger syndrome a syndrome or a disorder, just another way of behaving, maybe not always a hundred per cent adjusted to nevrotypical mainstream society but in fact a splendid alternative if given the premises to be unfolded, that one gets the possibility to absorb in one's interests and then cultivate them! Had I been a politician, I would have strived for enlarging as much as possible the notion of normality, that it be normal with a great deal of variations in behaviour, and not normal to regard normal behaviour as only one 'mainstream' like type of behaviour. In fact, it is perhaps about what society one wish to live in, a society with a place for all people, where we consider it be normal to behave rather differently, or a society with place for only NTs, 'mainstream' brains. Then Asperger could be regarded contrarily, as something outstanding, capable of obtaining the very finest result whatever subject, see my article 'Asperger syndrome, an outstanding personality', on the forum here. However, I realize I possibly may hurt someone experiencing that having Asperger or a child with Asperger is not always easy, but I only wanted to support, to express hope, to look at Asperger as something fine. I personally think I am as normal as anyone, only a bit different. In fact, I am proud of having Asperger.

Hello florrie, What you write I recognize well. I often have much anxiety, I over-dimension peripheral aspects of situations and try to reason clearly and cope, but my brain is very confused then and I have obvious problems with bringing order in the proportions of situations. I am anxious because I enlarge the proportions and thus somewhat distort the substance of the situations. I try to cope and reflect logically, but I can't, my brain gets overloaded. My mother says to 'use your head', but I have tried and I think it is very difficult, I am confused and scared and want to cry . Luckily, it does not happen every day. For the most part, I am happy. Hello Malika, I have not experienced tendencies towards paranoia, it is only as to distortions of thoughts.

Hello! Personally, I have been wondering for some time whether I may have traits of schizophrenia as well as Asperger syndrome; When I was in the early childhood years, I accidentally crashed with another pupil in a pre-elementary school; i.e. one year of schooling in order to be socially fit for starting in elementary school. The crucial point for me is that I remember well that I placed the whole guilt and responsability on myself, as if the episode was my entire fault, which it rightfully was not. Really, when things happen also today, I react similarly, charging myself very much for outside things happening in daily life. Another issue is that of not being able to understand the proportions of situatuons and things being said - I over-dimension peculiar aspects within situations so that I get a somewhat distorted idea of the substance of the situations. At the same time, my ability to reason is often absent, leading me to difficult brain work, much thinking. I wonder if these traits are related solely to the Asperger characteristics or if they could relate to a dash of schizophrenia. best wishes, Andreas