Are you an adult with High-Functioning Autism or Asperger's? Are you in a relationship with someone on the autism spectrum? Are you struggling emotionally, socially, spiritually or otherwise? Then you've come to the right place. We are here to help you in any way we can. Kick off your shoes and stay awhile...

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Interventions for Adults with Asperger's and High-Functioning Autism

Each person on the autism spectrum is unique, so interventions need to be individualized. People come to this awareness at different ages and stages of their lives, which can influence the approaches they choose.

Click here to get creative in the combination of interventions you use, and simplify your life.

Adults with Aspergers / High-Functioning Autism: Self-Test

A Self-Test for Adults Who "May" Have Aspergers or High-Functioning Autism

Do you have Aspergers (also called high functioning autism)? Has your spouse suggested to you that you may have it? Are you beginning to wonder?

If you have Aspergers and don’t know, it affects you anyway. If you do know, you may be able to minimize the negative impact and leverage the positive. Without the knowledge that one has Aspergers, one often fills that void with other, more damaging explanations such as failure, weird, disappointment, not living up to one’s potential, etc.

It is never too late for an individual to increase self-awareness in order to capitalize on strengths and work around areas of challenge. Knowing about Aspergers gives the individual an explanation, not an excuse, for why his or her life has taken the twists and turns that it has. What one does with this information at the age of 20, 50 or 70 may differ, but it is still very important information to have.

Take the (rather lengthy) self-test below to determine whether or not a formal diagnosis of Aspergers should be pursued. We strongly recommend that you seek a diagnosis from a professional if you answer ‘yes’ to most of these questions (this is a long test, so go get a glass of iced tea, because you'll be here for awhile):

1. Are you bothered by clothes tags or light touch?
2. Are you easily distracted?
3. Are you poor at interpreting facial expressions?
4. Are you bothered by criticism, correction and direction?
5. Are you hypo- or hypersensitive to physical pain, or even enjoy some types of pain?
6. Are you impatient and have low frustration tolerance?
7. Are you poor at returning social courtesies and gestures?
8. Are you naturally so honest and sincere yourself that you assume everyone should be?
9. Are you often surprised what people's motives are?
10. Are you or have you been hyperactive?
11. Are you prone to getting depressions?
12. Are you sensitive to changes in humidity and air pressure?
13. Are you sometimes afraid in safe situations?
14. Are you somewhat of a daydreamer, often lost in your own thoughts?
15. Are your eyes extra sensitive to strong light and glare?
16. Are your views a lot different from your peer group?
17. As a child, was your play more directed towards, for example, sorting, building, investigating or taking things apart than towards social games with other kids?
18. As a teenager, were you usually unaware of social rules & boundaries unless they were clearly spelled out?
19. Before doing something or going somewhere, do you need to have a picture in your mind of what's going to happen so as to be able to prepare yourself mentally first?
20. Do you easily forget verbal instructions?
21. Do others often misunderstand you?
22. Do people comment on your unusual mannerisms and habits?
23. Do people often tell you that you keep going on and on about the same thing?
24. Do people sometimes think you are smiling at the wrong occasion?
25. Do people think you are aloof and distant?
26. Do recently heard tunes or rhythms tend to stick and replay themselves repeatedly in your head?
27. Do you avoid talking face to face with someone you don't know very well?
28. Do you become frustrated if an activity that is important to you gets interrupted?
29. Do you bite your lip, cheek or tongue (e.g. when thinking, when anxious or nervous)?
30. Do you dislike being touched or hugged unless you're prepared or have asked for it?
31. Do you dislike it when people drop by to visit you uninvited?
32. Do you dislike it when people stamp their foot in the floor?
33. Do you dislike shaking hands with strangers?
34. Do you dislike when people walk behind you?
35. Do you dislike working while being observed?
36. Do you drop things when your attention is on other things?
37. Do you get bored with gossip?
38. Do you dread meeting new people?
39. Do you enjoy mimicking animal sounds?
40. Do you avoid team sports?
41. Do you enjoy walking on your toes?
42. Do you enjoy watching a spinning or blinking object?
43. Do you expect other people to know your thoughts, experiences and opinions without you having to tell them?
44. Do you feel an urge to correct people with accurate facts, numbers, spelling, grammar etc., when they get something wrong?
45. Do you feel an urge to peel flakes off yourself and / or others?
46. Do you fiddle with things?
47. Do you find it difficult to figure out how to behave in various situations?
48. Do you find it difficult to take messages on the telephone and pass them on correctly?
49. Do you find it difficult to take notes in lectures?
50. Do you find it disturbing or upsetting when others show up either later or sooner than agreed?
51. Do you find it easier to understand and communicate with odd & unusual people than with ordinary people?
52. Do you find it difficult to describe your feelings?
53. Do you find it difficult to do more than one thing at once?
54. Do you find it hard to be emotionally close to other people?
55. Do you find it hard to recognize phone numbers when said in a different way?
56. Do you find it hard to tell the age of people?
57. Do you find it unnatural to wave or say 'hi' when you meet people?
58. Do you find it very hard to learn things that you are not interested in?
59. Do you find the norms of hygiene too strict?
60. Do you find yourself uncomfortable in romantic situations?
61. Do you get confused by several verbal instructions at the same time?
62. Do you get frustrated if you can't sit on your favorite seat?
63. Do you get very tired after socializing, and need to regenerate alone?
64. Do you have a fascination for slowly flowing water?
65. Do you have a difficulty knowing the right thing to say or do in social situations?
66. Do you have a hard time knowing how much pressure to apply when doing things with your hands?
67. Do you have a monotonous voice?
68. Do you have a tendency to become stuck when asked questions in social situation?
69. Do you have an alternative view of what is attractive in the opposite sex?
70. Do you have an avid perseverance in gathering and cataloguing information on a topic of interest?
71. Do you have a lack of interest for the current fashions?
72. Do you have atypical or irregular sleeping patterns that deviate from the 24-h cycle?
73. Do you have certain routines which you need to follow?
74. Do you have difficulties filtering out background noise when talking to someone?
75. Do you have difficulties imitating & timing the movements of others (e.g., when learning new dance steps or in gym class)?
76. Do you have difficulties judging distances, height, depth or speed?
77. Do you have difficulties with activities requiring manual precision (e.g., sewing, tying shoe-laces, fastening buttons or handling small objects)?
78. Do you have difficulty accepting criticism, correction, and direction?
79. Do you have difficulty describing & summarizing things (e.g., events, conversations or something you've read)?
80. Do you have extra sensitive hearing?
81. Do you have one special talent which you have emphasized and worked on?
82. Do you have poor awareness or body control and a tendency to fall, stumble or bump into things?
83. Do you have problems filling out forms?
84. Do you have problems finding your way to new places?
85. Do you have problems recognizing faces?
86. Do you have problems starting and / or finishing projects?
87. Do you have problems with timing in conversations?
88. Do you have strong attachments to certain favorite objects?
89. Do you have trouble reading clocks?
90. Do you have trouble with authority?
91. Do you have unusual sexual preferences?
92. Do you instinctively become frightened by the sound of a motor-bike?
93. Do you have difficulty knowing when it is your turn to speak when talking on the phone?
94. Do you have difficulty knowing when you are expected to offer an apology?
95. Do you misjudge how much time has passed when involved in interesting activities?
96. Do you mistake noises for voices?
97. Do you mix up digits in numbers like 95 and 59?
98. Do you not fit into the expected gender stereotypes
99. Do you need lists and schedules in order to get things done?
100. Do you need periods of contemplation?
101. Do you need to do things yourself in order to remember them?
102. Do you notice patterns in things all the time?
103. Do you often don't know where to put your arms?
104. Do you often feel out-of-sync with others?
105. Do you often have lots of thoughts that you find hard to verbalize?
106. Do you or others think that you have unconventional ways of solving problems?
107. Do you or others think that you have unusual eating habits?
108. Do you pace (e.g. when thinking or anxious)?
109. Do you prefer to do things on your own even if you could use others' help or expertise?
110. Do you prefer to wear the same clothes or eat the same food many days in a row?
111. Do you repeat vocalizations made by others?
112. Do you rock back-&-forth or side-to-side (e.g., for comfort, to calm yourself, when excited or over-stimulated)?
113. Do you see your own activities as more important than other people's?
114. Do you sometimes have an urge to jump over things?
115. Do you sometimes lie awake at night because of too many thoughts?
116. Do you sometimes mix up pronouns and, for example, say "you" or "we" when you mean "me" or vice versa?
117. Do you stutter when stressed?
118. Do you suddenly feel distracted by distant sounds?
119. Do you talk to yourself?
120. Do you tap your ears or press your eyes (e.g., when thinking, when stressed or distressed)?
121. Do you tend to become obsessed with a potential partner and cannot let go of him/her?
122. Do you tend to express your feelings in ways that may baffle others?
123. Do you tend to get so absorbed by your special interests that you forget or ignore everything else?
124. Do you tend to interpret things literally?
125. Do you tend to look a lot at people you like and little or not at all at people you dislike?
126. Do you tend to notice details that others do not?
127. Do you tend to say things that are considered socially inappropriate when you are tired, frustrated or when you act naturally?
128. Do you tend to shut down or have a meltdown when stressed or overwhelmed?
129. Do you tend to talk either too softly or too loudly?
130. Do you wring your hands, rub your hands together or twirl your fingers?
131. Do your feelings cycle regularly between hopelessness and extremely high confidence?
132. Does it feel vitally important to be left undisturbed when focusing on your special interests?
133. Has it been harder for you than for others to keep friends?
134. Has it been harder for you to make it on your own, than it seems to be for most others of the same age?
135. Have others commented or have you observed yourself that you make unusual facial expressions?
136. Have others told you that you have an odd posture or gait?
137. Have you been accused of staring?
138. Have you been bullied, abused or taken advantage of?
139. Have you been fascinated about making traps?
140. Have you have had long-lasting urges to take revenge?
141. Have you taken initiative only to find out it was not wanted?
142. If there is an interruption, can you quickly return to what you were doing before?
143. In a conversation, do you tend to focus on your own thoughts rather than on what your listener might be thinking?
144. In conversations, do you need extra time to carefully think out your reply, so that there may be a pause before you answer?
145. In conversations, do you use small sounds that others don't seem to use?
146. Is it hard for you to see why some things upset people so much?
147. Is your sense of humor different from mainstream or considered odd?

As a rough estimate, if you answered 'yes' to approximately 80% of the questions above (about 117 questions), then you may want to seek a formal diagnosis, because you're in the ballpark range for having an autism spectrum disorder.

==> Living With Aspergers: Help for Couples

Aspergers in Adulthood: What Other Family Members Need To Know

Aspergers is typically first diagnosed in children. In contrast to those with autism, adults with Aspergers usually acquire language skills normally, develop appropriately in cognitive abilities and tend to have higher-than-average verbal skills. 

Click ==>  Adults With Aspergers: What Other Family Members Need To Know

Aspergers Adults in the Workplace

"I want to better understand one of my employees who has Asperger Syndrome. He is a valued member of our company, but without going into detail here, we're currently having some issues that will need to be resolved. Let's just say that the relationship he has with some of the other coworkers is conflicted. Any tips for providing the best working environment for this gentleman?"

Click here for the answer...



==> Living With Aspergers: Help for Couples

Do I have High-Functioning Autism?

High-Functioning Autism: Self-Test

Many adults with High-Functioning Autism (HFA) have received an incorrect diagnosis (e.g., schizophrenia, depression, a personality disorder, etc.). With no (or few) features from the list below, one does not have the disorder.

Even with a high score, a diagnosis cannot be accurately made on this basis, but requires a comprehensive psychiatric evaluation. Answer ‘yes’ or ‘no’ to the questions below (if you answer ‘yes’ to 10 or more, an evaluation by a professional is warranted).

Have you experienced any of the following:

1. Abnormal speech rhythm?
2. Attachment to animals or things other than humans?
3. Bitten by dogs?
4. Capable of sustained rigorous hard work?
5. Clumsy or exaggerated gestures when talking?
6. Depression or on anti-depressant?
7. Diagnosed with any Personality Disorder?
8. Diagnosed with Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder?
9. Diagnosed with Schizophrenia?
10. Drug addiction or alcoholism?
11. Eating disorder (e.g., anorexia)?
12. Educated below ability level?
13. Employed below ability level?
14. Fetishism?
15. Flat or monotonous voice?
16. Highly sensitive to criticism?
17. Homelessness?
18. Lack "common sense"?
19. Lack sensitivity to nonverbal cues and social codes?
20. Little eye contact?
21. Little or no facial expression?
22. Longing for death or suicidal thoughts?
23. Low "social skills"?
24. Motor clumsiness?
25. Neurotic habits or tics?
26. Never had a steady job?
27. Never had a long-lasting romantic relationship?
28. Never married?
29. Not emotional?
30. Not taken seriously or misunderstood in face-to-face situations?
31. Not well able to read another's facial expression?
32. Use tranquillizers?
33. One-sided eating habits?
34. Oversensitive to particular sounds?
35. Peculiar or (for males) too high-pitched voice?
36. Perfectionism?
37. Poor work record?
38. Read full manual before taking equipment into use?
39. Read reference works from A to Z?
40. Rigid day or week schedule (i.e.,repetitive patterns)?
41. Savant-like traits?
42. Was severely bullied at school?
43. Shy?
44. Sleeping problems?
45. Social isolation?
46. Still a virgin?
47. Stilted and overformal in social interaction?
48. Strong interest in mysterious subject matter (e.g, scientific, occult)?
49. Talk too little?
50. Talk too much?
51. Teased by children in adulthood?
52. Was unjustly punished at school?
53. Very honest?
54. Write complaint letters to authorities, professionals, companies, etc.?
55. Have always felt "odd"?

==> Living With Aspergers: Help for Couples

==> Skype Counseling for Struggling Individuals & Couples Affected by Asperger's

Adults with Aspergers and High-Functioning Autism



COMMENTS: 

==> I am 43 now i have a male adult child with aspergers and a teenage male child with it as well , we are carbon copies pretty much, when I started to try to learn more I started putting the pieces together, it has been a challenge for years for me and i have gone through melt down after melt down when I was working in the career i chose. I have been trying for over a year to get diagnosed and its been one road block after another, i think I have appeared more normal because my wife has done so many things for me over the last 17 years it appears like I am able to function on my own, but I have so many challenges it is overwhelming. Hopefully i will get my answer soon. 
 
 
==> Though being on the spectrum has been challenging for me it has also literally saved my life. I'm gay and came of age in the mid 70's, years before anyone had known of AIDS. I am very socially inhibited. But if I were more socially normal in meeting guys and doing the things sexually that many of the guys were at that time I would have certainly contracted AIDS just as many of them did. So, there is always another, more positive way to consider what being on the spectrum has brought to my life.
 

Wife's Letter to Aspergers Husband

Here is an awesome letter from a wife to her husband with Asperger's. I hope Danielle and her husband have found the happiness they deserve. This is an example of what a difference it is for loving NT spouses to gain insight into Asperger's. It's like opening a window in a dim room. Suddenly everything makes sense, and the sunlight can get in.

Click here to read Danielle's letter...

High-Functioning Autism: Diagnosis in Adults

Many High-Functioning Autism grown-ups happen to read, hear some information, or be told by a family member or friend about the disorder. Some may believe that the information matches their history and their current situation, and as a result, may self-diagnose. Others are not so welcoming of the diagnosis. Sometimes family members suspect that their adult child, spouse or sibling has this form of autism - and wonder how to tell them about it.

Click here for the full article...



==> Living With Aspergers: Help for Couples

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