aspergers and vaping.

[WattWick]

Have you or has someone you care about seen a lot of psychiatrists?

While not on my own account, the answer would be 'yes', and my view is shared among at least a couple of them. (Or rather, shaped by a couple of them) Forms are tools, not definitive be-all end-all answers that tell you what you are able to and not. We're all different. Even those of us who may or may not fit in certain clinical categories.

A diagnosis may act as a ball and chain. Some will try to break free. Others will simply concede and accept that their life is limited because "they are like this or that". This is one of the reasons some psychiatrists feel it's counterproductive both to fit their patients into narrow labels - and to share these limiting labels with them. While some do indeed have to learn to live with limitations, others may simply need help getting some insight to break free. Which is why one-size-fits-all labeling may - again - be counterproductive. It's about treating the individual, not the entire spectrum of i.e autism.

Don't get me wrong. I'm not questioning anyones psyche. What I'm doing is (I guess) just giving the basic warning of "don't go diagnosing yourself on the internet". Chances are - depending on mood and daily feel - you'll find you're pretty close to qualifying for some mental anomaly or the other. But, by all means: If anyone's struggling with something hindering their life - seek help.

 

[Boden]

Well y'all were chatty last night

I come from a long line of Aspies, Dad, grandfather, great grandfather, etc. I was diagnosed in the 80's with traditional Aspergers so I may be a bit different from the spectrum Aspies.

I find the differences fascinating actually, a forum full of traditional Aspies would be rather boring.


Carry on

 

[NoFumus]

I was diagnosed in the 80's with traditional Aspergers so I may be a bit different from the spectrum Aspies.

Wow, you must have been among the first.

 

[Boden]

Wow, you must have been among the first.

I was lucky, back then the world wasn't on a crusade to fix us. Long term hyper-focus was seen as a positive trait.

 

[AXIOM_1]

While I support anyone in learning more about themselves and getting help with problems...


I want to caution against online tests and to some extent form-based psychiatry. Lots of people fill out their form - get something along the lines of "close but no cigar" for several different diagnoses - and pick the closest. For some it may be of help - borderline enlightening. For others it may only present obstacles, not solutions.

nah, I don't especially care for online diagnosis myself but I do think it can be helpful in determining if a person could "possibly" be in the spectrum. If someone takes said test and it's indicative of Asperger's then I don't automatically assume they are one of them. But it would be a suggestion that they may be in the spectrum somewhere. Only dedicated autism specialist's can determine where they are on the spectrum and too what degree.

Some psychiatrists these days seem to throw dice in the autism spectrum whenever they get a patient they can't connect with.

Don't know anything about that... All as I know is that it has been the opposite from what I have seen. Most of the shrinks I have ever seen seem to have no clue about Asperger's and so don't diagnose people with it. You may have experienced a different set of psychiatrists. I only know what I have seen. Went to various shrinks for years for my anxiety disorder and you would think that one of them somewhere along the line would have picked up on it No, they are too busy wanting to throw anti-anxiety medications and anti-depressants down my throat. But the female Dr I am seeing now was sensitive enough to pick up on subtle clues that the others seem to have failed at.

Because to look at me, and perhaps talk to me, you would never know I was any different from Joe blow down the street. I am not deformed in any way, and I have good speech. Not to brag (well maybe ) I have always been told I am a very good looking dude. That being the case, then I don't imagine that I appear any different than most folks.

It's taken me two years to even remotely believe what the croaker diagnosed me with. I simply didn't want to believe it. Slowly though, and at random times, I have bumped into an Asperger person from time to time and I have slowly started to realize that I am in fact very much like what they claim I am. So, who is correct, the Doctor or myself? I don't know but I do know that I do not have the medical knowledge about Asperger's like they probably have because psychiatry and medicine are not my forte. I wouldn't want to be a shrink or a physician.

But yes, I agree about your concerns with online tests. Personally, I don't think one way or another about my diagnosis. I am still living my life as I always have and I do not lean on it as a crutch. Nor do I assume that it somehow makes me a better person. I simply don't assume anything about it. The only thing I can say is that lots of my denial about having it has faded away in the last couple of years.

 

[Robert Cromwell]

I was lucky, back then the world wasn't on a crusade to fix us. Long term hyper-focus was seen as a positive trait.

Some of us would welcome some fixing.

 

[AXIOM_1]

Some of us would welcome some fixing.

correct, yeah brother, but only those of us who have suffered enough understand your line of thinking.

 

[WattWick]

@AXIOM_1

Things may be different here in the Land of the Introverts. Or I may have met different people than you. Either way it's just my impression, not an attempt at forming facts.

 

[AXIOM_1]

@AXIOM_1

Things may be different here in the Land of the Introverts. Or I may have met different people than you. Either way it's just my impression, not an attempt at forming facts.

nah, I assumed as much ---- I was just telling what I have seen and experienced from shrinks is all. Where is the land of Introverts, if I may ask? It's all good brother and I know you mean well and are helping with input. All as I know is there are many things that are similar to Asperger's but not Asperger's and so a person has to be careful if they desire an accurate diagnosis.

But in my way of thinking, it doesn't matter what label is hung on me.... All of my life, the label I wore was "anxiety disorder" and it didn't bother me in the slightest. I only knew that what I was experiencing was very real..... When the label of Asperger was hung on me it was also no different. It did however explain many things that I casually wondered about from time to time. The croakers always told me I had an anxiety condition. Well and good but my question was always "what is causing it"...... They never could answer that question.... The Asperger label does in fact provide an answer to that question, at least partially.

 

[WattWick]

The Land of Introverts would be Norway

As long as a label helps give some insight into how one works - it's a good thing in my mind.

 

[AXIOM_1]

The Land of Introverts would be Norway

As long as a label helps give some insight into how one works - it's a good thing in my mind.

Hey, I am Norwegian..... Maybe there is a weird genetic thing and being an introvert?

 

[Robert Cromwell]

The Land of Introverts would be Norway

As long as a label helps give some insight into how one works - it's a good thing in my mind.

Or in some of our cases how one does not work.

 

[AXIOM_1]

Or in some of our cases how one does not work.

That's one way to view it brother

 

[Tom Forde]

Wow I'm late to this thread. I'm an ex ...... addict (I don't believe in being an addict for life like NA would lead you to believe), with a masters in clinical psychology, and have been labeled as ADHD (not self diagnosed). I was going to pursue my PsyD, but my work in the music industry started taking off and making me more money than I would have been spending on grad school. I like to think of myself as a "high functioning ADHD," which isn't uncommon, it basically means I focus on a specific pursuit at a time, master it, then move on to the next thing.
My work in managing musical artists & owning my management firm is a very high stress job. I'm basically the middleman between the artists (who can be premadonnas/divas oft) and the labels, venues, hotels, publicists, media, etc. My business parnter and I also oversee 5 of our employees, who are constantly bringing new musicians to us to see if we want to take them on. Music has always been my passion, and the fact that I get to work in an industry I love is great. But the work that goes into this industry is VERY stressful.
I don't sleep much and when I do I wake up constantly during the night, which is why I keep my Sig50w & Atlantis right next to me on my bed stand. I take a few quick hits and it helps me get back to sleep. Vaping itself definitely helps my stress levels because it's fulfilling my body's demands for nicotine. But coil building is also an aspect of vaping that helps me out with stress because I enjoy it.
I don't quite know where I was going with this but yeah vaping in general helps calm me down & helps me sleep. It's the last thing I do before sleep & the first thing when I wake up.

 

[NoFumus]

My work in managing musical artists & owning my management firm is a very high stress job. I'm basically the middleman between the artists (who can be premadonnas/divas oft) and the labels, venues, hotels, publicists, media, etc. My business parnter and I also oversee 5

Welcome to the thread @Tom Forde. High functioning, indeed. Those are a lot of demands on executive functioning.

 

[Tom Forde]

Welcome to the thread @Tom Forde. High functioning, indeed. Those are a lot of demands on executive functioning.

I accidentally hit the post reply button before I finished typing. Dam iPhone. Forgot to mention, BPD - borderline personality disorder, is up in the diagnosis of me as well. But I'll be damned if I let a diagnosis say who I am or what I can or can't do, think, and feel.

 

[Robert Cromwell]

Wow I'm late to this thread. I'm an ex ...... addict (I don't believe in being an addict for life like NA would lead you to believe), with a masters in clinical psychology, and have been labeled as ADHD (not self diagnosed). I was going to pursue my PsyD, but my work in the music industry started taking off and making me more money than I would have been spending on grad school. I like to think of myself as a "high functioning ADHD," which isn't uncommon, it basically means I focus on a specific pursuit at a time, master it, then move on to the next thing.
My work in managing musical artists & owning my management firm is a very high stress job. I'm basically the middleman between the artists (who can be premadonnas/divas oft) and the labels, venues, hotels, publicists, media, etc. My business parnter and I also oversee 5 of our employees, who are constantly bringing new musicians to us to see if we want to take them on. Music has always been my passion, and the fact that I get to work in an industry I love is great. But the work that goes into this industry is VERY stressful.
I don't sleep much and when I do I wake up constantly during the night, which is why I keep my Sig50w & Atlantis right next to me on my bed stand. I take a few quick hits and it helps me get back to sleep. Vaping itself definitely helps my stress levels because it's fulfilling my body's demands for nicotine. But coil building is also an aspect of vaping that helps me out with stress because I enjoy it.
I don't quite know where I was going with this but yeah vaping in general helps calm me down & helps me sleep. It's the last thing I do before sleep & the first thing when I wake up.

I was only addicted to cigarettes. And the job you have I could NEVER do because of the disjointed focus required and the stress level. I avoid confrontations because they just mentally lock me up. And from what I know about musicians there is a lot of confrontations involved.

 

[Tom Forde]

I was only addicted to cigarettes. And the job you have I could NEVER do because of the disjointed focus required and the stress level. I avoid confrontations because they just mentally lock me up. And from what I know about musicians there is a lot of confrontations involved.

Yeah there are but before going into psychology I was studying prelaw and planned to go to law school. I take confrontation for what it is; I take a stance and stay with it. Too many artists think that full artistic control over their work is going to sell when the truth is the industry changes trends about every 3-4 months. I never give full artistic control to any of my producers. There's no point in making a product I can't sell. If they want to make a hardcore disco track they can as long as their other works fit with the current & predictable future trends and comply with their set sounds and genres they create, but I'm not going to push it to a label.

 

[AXIOM_1]

I was only addicted to cigarettes. And the job you have I could NEVER do because of the disjointed focus required and the stress level. I avoid confrontations because they just mentally lock me up. And from what I know about musicians there is a lot of confrontations involved.

yeah brother, I know all about the confrontation issue because I "had" been like that my entire life. Whenever anyone would want to argue, fight, or confront me, I would shrivel up like a warming piece of plastic... Not so much now days. I don't know what happened to me but in the last few years, I started arguing and fighting back when it concerns things that I know to be facts. If any of you have read some of my posts on other threads, then you know that I will fight tooth and toenail for what I know are facts.... But, like I say, I was Never like that before. I got totally sick of being walked on. Somehow inside I found a way to overcome that aspect of my personality.

 

[Robert Cromwell]

yeah brother, I know all about the confrontation issue because I "had" been like that my entire life. Whenever anyone would want to argue, fight, or confront me, I would shrivel up like a warming piece of plastic... Not so much now days. I don't know what happened to me but in the last few years, I started arguing and fighting back when it concerns things that I know to be facts. If any of you have read some of my posts on other threads, then you know that I will fight tooth and toenail for what I know are facts.... But, like I say, I was Never like that before. I got totally sick of being walked on. Somehow inside I found a way to overcome that aspect of my personality.

I too am not as bad about confrontations as I once was. Maybe it is just a part of getting old and not giving a big rats ... as much?