Hello...

Hi everyone, I'm really nervous right now but I'll try my best.

I'm an 18 year old guy and I live in New Zealand. I've been to mental health places before, and the only diagnoses I've had are 'traits of aspergers' and social anxiety. I used to see a counsellor (is the correct term therapist?) and she thought I had full aspergers, but I disagreed with her. I stopped seeing her a while ago because she didn't seem to know how to help me. She kept saying that I was refusing her help and that I have a choice, but I really don't feel like I have a choice sometimes.

I've always had trouble with school, because of social anxiety but also anxiety related to schoolwork too, so school is full of problems for me. I've been stuck at home for over 2 years so far, and I see no future for me. I don't see how I could ever go to school or get a job, or anything really. I have depression (probably from being so isolated for years) and very low motivation.

I seem to have trouble maintaining friendships. Well, I have trouble making friends at all because I'm never around people, but in the past several months, I made a few online friends, and I realised problems that I never knew I had. The way I think seems a lot different from other people sometimes, and I'm paranoid, and too trusting, and I take things too seriously, and get angry too easily. And it seems that no matter how careful I am, I consistently say or do stupid things. I've also noticed that often when I first make a friend, I think they're really great, and then eventually I realise that I was exaggerating.

This post is probably a badly structured mess and too long for an introduction... everything seems so hopeless and I don't know what to do, I don't know what's wrong with me.

So... I see this forum has a lot of different sections, but I have no actual diagnosis of anything, so what should I do next?

Hello

I think your next step could be looking at some forum threads and, when it strikes your fancy, making witty, insightful replies. Or you could post something in the Asperger's syndrome forum, or one of the Anxiety forums, maybe connect with people through shared experience or get some advice. They don't check your ID at the door, don't think that not having an official diagnosis makes your shrink's opinion any less valid, or your experiences and feelings any less important.

Really, it's the internet, so there isn't really much of a limit as to what you can do, as long as you respect the rules and the people around you

Also ... you might want to move this post/ have it moved to the introductions forum. You will probably get more replies that way -- I'm not sure how many people will see it here!

Have fun!

I don't have a diagnosis either. I started where I found people who wrote like me. And have gone on from there. I agree with wellhellothere that asperger-syndrome/ would be worth checking out. But have a look round in general and see where you might feel comfortable. Some people get going by writing about anything except their problems. off-topic/ is good for that.

I'm glad you've found us. And hope it's helpful to be here. Let me know if you'd like the topic moved, as suggested. I can do that too.

Yes you can move this topic, thanks Ada.

Hello.

I have a tendency to diagnose myself when I see other people with the same symptoms but st least I can relate - which helps a lot.

I hope you can find some new online friends here. Good luck! Stay strong.