Persistent deficits in social communication and social interaction across multiple contexts, as manifested by the following, currently or by history (examples are illustrative, not exhaustive; see text):
!.Deficits in social-emotional reciprocity, ranging, for example, from abnormal social approach and failure of normal back-and-forth conversation; to reduced sharing of interests, emotions, or affect; to failure to initiate or respond to social interactions.
2. Deficits in nonverbal communicative behaviors used for social interaction, ranging, for example, from poorly integrated verbal and nonverbal communication; to abnormalities in eye contact and body language or deficits in understanding and use of gestures; to a total lack of facial expressions and nonverbal communication.
3. Deficits in developing, maintaining, and understand relationships, ranging, for example, from difficulties adjusting behavior to suit various social contexts; to difficulties in sharing imaginative play or in making friends; to absence of interest in peers
I am 50yo, am a struggling recovering addict, and I totally suffer deeply from all 3 of these criteria and have for most of my life...
No one ever mentioned the word autism to me, and I've been to two high quality, long-term impatient treatment centers in my life.
I suffer from these to this day, and can't help but wonder how much of my addiction issues are directly related to them.
It feels to me, looking at the list through tear-clouded eyes, that almost all of them are.
That said, not all psychiatrists are created equal, and some of them suffer from the same biases as the rest of us. Try talking to an autism specialist.
If it's all you've ever known, it just is your daily life. How would you know any different?
They can tell if you are indeed outside the standard deviation for the population, and help you identify if and how to get back up to par.
I have heard that you will never find an addict who isn't trying to numb pain in their life. If you can deal with the pain you feel separately I hope that the addiction will become a much easier battle to win!
Numerous times when I have gotten to know people who interact with autistic kids, or have been a caregiver for an autistic child, they have spoken to me as though I have autistic tendencies (and knew about them) and so lately, as an adult, I have been wondering whether Im on the spectrum.
I know that life is a struggle, and some of the things I struggle with could be related to tendencies I share with others. I dont know why, but the thought that I might be even midly autistic fills me with hope, thinking that if I can learn to function despite my difficulties and I'm not alone, then maybe I can help others do the same.
I can't say whether you're autistic or not, but I can tell you that you have company (you are not alone) and you are appreciated!
http://www.autism.org.uk/labels