friend with adult aspergers...

[joko]

i suspect a pal of mine has adult aspergers... but i don't want to mention it much because i think he may just dismiss it...

i know its not really any of my business...but i just wondered it there is an information pack that i can get that explains it all...a hardcopy, not an online one... he has no access to the net and would not bother to look himself.

ive looked on a few sites but they all seem to be PDFs...or books to buy etc...

i just think he might benefit from knowing about it...an perhaps if he agrees getting tested an maybe treated...

all i want to do it give him the leaflets etc an leave him to make up his own mind.

thanks

[cazzz1975]

you can try the national autistic society, they have information sheets for aspergers

http://www.autism.org.uk/

getting tested and treated is not as cut and dried as you would think, treating aspergers is more about enlightening people around him and trying to help him with difficulties that he has.

there is no magic pill, diagnosis can take a long time

[Velvetee]

Hi Joko, what is it about your friend, which makes you suspect he has Aspergers?

Perhaps speak to someone at a help organisation, like The National Autistic Society.

http://www.nas.org.uk/nas/jsp/polopoly.jsp?d=2 12

[Schutzengel]

Joko, I think you are on dodgy ground with this. What are the symptoms your friend has that makes you think he has aspergers syndrome. He most likely wouldn't be pleased if you were to point out that you think there is something wrong with him. Alternatively, he could be very angry, and you could lose a friend. Suggest you think very carefully about either mentioning your suspicions to your friend, either by word or by handing him a leaflet. Also as you said yourself, it really isn't any of your business, and you don't know what he is aware of himself. Good luck.

[Ice.Maiden]

Cazzz is right. The diagnosis for Aspergers isn't an easy one. It'd take a professional quite a while to decide whether the symptoms fell into that category or not, and even then, it can be coupled with other conditions, such as aspraxia, dyslexia and so forth. People with Asperger's Disease can be very clever individuals, but perhaps unable to make friends easily, for example. That on its own though, is something which many people can't do, but it doesn't mean that they have any specific medical condition - so you can understand the probelms with diagnosis, and all these things are unfortunately still a largely unknown quantity.

[terambulan]

My friend is in denial re her daughter's autism. It's my opinion the girl has a problem but I wouldn't dream of expressing this to the mother.

If your friend has a problem it's not your place to point it out to them. Awareness and assistance only is acceptable by you but autistic people dont need tattoos on their foreheads.

You should read up on the subject for your own understanding.

[cazzz1975]

denial is a horrible thing, we live in a world where people feel bad because they are not perfect and others feel it is okay to be ignorant about disabilities.

you are stepping on dodgy ground joko, how well do you know this person?

[joko]

thanks all
i have done a lot of research on this subject - it is not a whim...
i know him very well

i know he has mental problems and always talks about being schizo an nuts and explains away things he does by saying hes mad... but he just thinks its depression..which i think he probably has too...but he ALL the symptoms of aspegers.

[Schutzengel]

Joko. So sorry about your friend. He's lucky to have you as a friend who cares about him. Without mentioning what you think is the trouble, can you persuade him to go to the doctors for some help.

[wolf63]

Look into Bipolar Disorder and Borderline Personality Disorder too. I have both and the symptoms are pretty similar in many ways to Aspergers.

It affects a persons ability to deal with life and other people - but many people learn strategies to help them cope.

It is a complex area - best wishes with your friend.

[JA]

I know a young man who has Asperger's, to my knowledge it does not seem as serious as a personality disorder like Borderline or Bipolar but then I am not an expert.
This young man is quite bright, good at computers and recently got admission to university to study History.

He seems affectionate enough, and considerate of others but speaks in a monotone, does not regulate his voice when talking (talks loudly when it's not needed), sometimes forgets to look around at people when he speaks to a group, instead focussing eye contact with one, and cannot relate to figures of speech, i.e. takes the literal meaning of what is said.

These are the points that his parents had concerns with when trying to help him as he was growing up.