PDD, Asperger, and Geek Syndrome?

brainWaves asks "Recently I found out I have some Pervasive Developmental Disorders, especially Asperger disorder or a 'PDD-Not Otherwise Specified' (PDD-NOS). Doing some research on the web pointed me to some Wired pages, like the Autism-Spectrum Quotient, or AQ (where I scored 35, average being about 16). At the end of the test, there is a link to a 6 pages article entitled The Geek Syndrome which basically discusses the Asperger Syndrome, relating it to geeks. The article is somewhat old, but in a recent news, autism in California has increased 100%. Do 'geeks' have a higher tendency toward conditions like PDD/Asperger? I saw a lot of me in the Wired article, and was wondering if others on Slashdot have the same problem in their life, or if they have been diagnosed with a PDD?" Note that Asperger Syndrome is not the same as ADHD but methods useful for coping with one may be useful in coping with the other. Also, please don't take an internet test seriously when attempting to diagnose any kind of mental instability. Instead, if you are worried about such results, share them with your family doctor.

Comments

Asperger's Syndrome

[Anonymous Coward]

I just took the test and scored 40 - yes I know that this is only a simple test etc etc however it does not surprise me as every test of that nature I take gives similar results.

I believe that I have "Asperger's" which is a conclusion I came to this year after it was reported on in the press prompting me to carry out my own research - yes I am very aware of the self diagnosis thing, however it was one of those things that just explained everything. My directness (rudeness), my obsession with computers which I have had since childhood (my childhood memories include a lot of "FOR $%@%$'s SAKE WILL YOU STFU ABOUT COMPUTERS!!"). .. and so on. I was always abysmally bad as reading social situations, and as a result was bullied a lot at school.

It's not all bad though - I get some extra abilities like the ability to remember every password and bank account number I've ever had, and once learned, I can play rather complicated Bach pieces (which naturally I can see patterns in..) on my piano from memory. I can also simply listen to any piece of music and play it.

I definitely identify with Aspergers, but I wouldn't want a formal diagnosis in case I end up with any problems as a result. For example, it I get classified as autistic, I believe UK law prevents people with autism from inheriting.

Yeah, right.

[pmz]

Instead, if you are worried about such results, share them with your family doctor.

Family doctors are generalists and are not qualified to answer specific psychiatric questions or, really, specific questions of most any kind.

I'd trust a doctor to provide misdiagnoses at least as frequently as correct ones. Doctors also have financial conflicts of interest that lessen their ability to provide honest opinions. Sometimes, especially at nursing homes, doctors will kill off less profitable patients, just because.

Now, I certainly do go for an annual physical, to the dentist, etc., but this article and the one about ADD, recently, just reinforce--irreponsibly--the notion that there are diseases where there usually aren't ones, that people should see doctors unnecessarily, and that people should consider prescription drugs needlessly.

People genuinely affected by this PDD and ADD stuff, in truth, are very few and far between. Most of you, believe it or not, are normal, plus or minus a little.

Re:Yeah, right.

[Mr. Piddle]

Sounds like you need to find a better family doctor. Christ, what kind of quacks are you dealing with?

I don't think the grandparent post was referring to personal experience so much as the frequency of people diagnosed with depression, ADD, etc., when there are truly better reasons for the patient's search for some diagnosis--any diagnosis--that might dissolve their own insecurity about why they don't fully live up to whatever imagined idealism they have.

It takes practically no effort to get an anti-depressant prescription from a doctor. The same is also true of weight-loss drugs, high blood pressure drugs, sleeping pills, pain medication, you name it. I've seen generally healthy people who have a cabinet full of prescriptions, most of which are for kinda-sorta-my butt hurts prescribed remedies.

One reason is that the true cost of prescriptions is almost invisible to any patient with comprehensive health insurance. Even patients that don't have insurance can get hand-outs from the local health department or samples from doctors. Drugs are like candy to these people. All they need to do is hold out their hand and say "gimmie." Why should the doctor refuse? It's all part of the circle of money surrounding the pharmaceutical industry. And, most doctors simply place faith in the FDA process, thinking the odds are low that unnecessary prescriptions are going to be dangerous.

Two things

[Otter]

1) These conditions (autism, Asperger's, ADD) are extremely slippery in non-extreme cases. They're poorly understood and the sweeping statements about their pathology and prevalence are far less clear-cut than they're made out to be. Like in the Wired article you linked, the idea that they increase in autism is due to increased diagnosis is always dismissed, but there's never an explanation of why it's not possible.

2) Not to dismiss anyone's problems, but to offer perspective -- paying attention is HARD. Getting along with other people is HARD. Understanding people is HARD. Having relationships is HARD. They're hard for all of us and require a lot of work. Calling yourself a "geek" doesn't let you off the hook.

(Oh, and I got a 20 on the test. If being able to remember phone numbers and birthdays is a disease, I'm the picture of health.)

Causality

[genomancer]

Do 'geeks' have a higher tendency toward conditions like PDD/Asperger?

FWIW, that's totally backwards. The question is if people with slightly different ways of thinking tend towards becoming geeks because of aptitude, etc. (Looking at it the other way might be an interesting sociological experiment w/r to diganosis, but it's certainly not the main question).

Sorry if that's nitpicking, but people getting hypothesis backwards like this is way too common in pop-science.

G

Not to state the obvious

[John M Ford]

But,

"Eighty percent of those diagnosed with autism or a related disorder scored 32 or higher." != "If you score 32 or higher, you are eighty percent likely to be autistic."

Just a thought before you run out and take the test.

John

Re:Don't take it too seriously. (INTP)

[bluGill]

What do you mean just enough to know I could finish it if I wanted to? I will finish that project I started 3 years ago, someday, unless I die first. First though I have this new project that is more important...

Seriously, yes. It is a big problem, I know several open source programs I have the smarts to contribute to, and they have the need. I just don't have the motivation to get far enough along with any of them to do make a contribution. I once got so far as to not crash when I compiled my stuff into the kernel. (never used it though, so I don't know if it would have worked. Eventially someone else did the same thing, but finished the job)

Neurotypical emulation

[Qwaniton]

Asperger's is definitely something you can work through. However, it isn't about "controlling Asperger's." What it is is simple:

Pretending to be neurotypical.

The thing about Asperger's is that quite a lot of us, never truly understanding them neurotypical (Aspie-speak for 'normal'), learn how to bullshit our way through everyday life by emulating neurotypicals. Many young and impressionable Aspies have taken or are currently in social skills classes. I had for about 8 years. The benefits of social skills classes are, well, social skills, and more importantly (*cough*) a bunch of Aspie friends. I have a ton of friends also with Asperger's Syndrome thanks to social skills group. However, I left social skills group this year because I didn't have enough time for it since I became involved in the school plays.

Which brings me to the next thing. Yep, I'm an actor. An autistic actor. No matter how much you think that totally is not at all possible and totally completely oh-mi-god impossible, quite a few Aspies out there are in plays. Granted, I'm not that great of an actor....but.... still. My acting is kinda solid, not that vivid, but I'm better than some of the other chums there, who are neurotypical. So yep, I've been a husband over the years, kind of a deadbeat, but I still acted my part. However, I was also Professor Willard in Our Town.

Oh yeah, and did I mention that Aspies tend to go off on tangents?