MY ASPERGER'S Tom Mazanec I have told people at times that I have Asperger's and they ask me what that is. To help you understand a little about it, here are some symptoms and how I manifest them. Basically, they stem from my mind being like a laser pointer instead of a flashlight. I have to focus on what people say rather than how they say it, I am overwhelmed by certain sensory perceptions, and so on. I have an emotional condition as well, by the way. From http://mentalhelp.net/poc/view_doc.php?type=doc&id=8777&cn=20 A. Qualitative impairment in social interaction, as manifested by at least two of the following: (1) marked impairment in the use of multiple nonverbal behaviors, such as eye-to-eye gaze, facial expression, body postures, and gestures to regulate social interaction (2) failure to develop peer relationships appropriate to developmental level (3) a lack of spontaneous seeking to share enjoyment, interests, or achievements with other people (e.g., by a lack of showing, bringing, or pointing out objects of interest to other people) (4) lack of social or emotional reciprocity 1) I used to be teased about this as a child. They sometimes imitated me. 2) I had only one or two friends (and still do). 3) I did not do this much as a child. I am working to overcome my shyness, but it is hard. 4) I have been criticized for this as a child. Again, I am working on it. B. Restricted, repetitive, and stereotyped patterns of behavior, interests, and activities, as manifested by at least one of the following: (1) encompassing preoccupation with one or more stereotyped and restricted patterns of interest that is abnormal either in intensity or focus (2) apparently inflexible adherence to specific, nonfunctional routines or rituals (3) stereotyped and repetitive motor mannerisms (e.g., hand or finger flapping or twisting, or complex whole-body movements) (4) persistent preoccupation with parts of objects 1) I have had this feature all my life. Some persist throughout the decades, such as astronomy. Others are what I call "flares", where I will be unable to think of anything else for a few weeks. I cannot control these flares, they just happen. Once I saw a commercial for a Sly Cooper video game. I just changed the channel and forgot completely about it. A year later I saw another commercial for Sly Cooper. I was unable to think about anything else for almost a month. If I could pick my flares, I would be a lot better off. 2) I do not have this one so bad. I do like to count objects sometimes, though. 3) Before I received medication, I used to have what is called dermatotillomania, where I would pick and chew on my hands until they would bleed. It felt very pleasurable, and I was unable to stop for long, especially under stress. Since receiving treatment, I have been cured of this problem. I also used to rock as a child, and "bounced" my bed with my toes till I wore the paint off the ends, while listening to music. UPDATE: I have subsequently had my medication changed because of low sodium levels in my blood, and have redeveloped dermatillomania around my fingernails. 4) I do not display this symptom much. I like things to be symmetrically arranged, though. C. The disturbance causes clinically significant impairment in social, occupational, or other important areas of functioning. I have had a history of numerous jobs, and was barely able to keep my present one until my diagonosis and medication. D. There is no clinically significant general delay in language (e.g., single words used by age 2 years, communicative phrases used by age 3 years). My language acquisition was faster than normal, if anything. E. There is no clinically significant delay in cognitive development or in the development of age-appropriate self-help skills, adaptive behavior (other than in social interaction), and curiosity about the environment in childhood I was near the top of my class and have two B.S. degrees. My dificulties precluded success in Graduate School, however.
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