Has anyone experienced permanent Aspergers-syndrome like symptoms after drug use?

blackchantilly

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Just wondering if anyone has experiences permanent Aspergers like symptoms after chronic drug use, though having functioned normally before drug use?

From my childhood up until the age of 13, i was a totally socially normal child, i had allot of friends, no trouble interacting with people at all, social ability flowed naturally and comfortably. Around the age of 14, when i started using drugs and also started antidepressants, i seem to have progressively lost my ability to feel comfortable around people, to have a conversation, to make new friends, to understand social interaction in general, or to make eye contact with people. I tend to look at more "biologically" now, and just observe and think about human social interaction rather than participate in it. Dissociation perhaps?
These social problems could be related to self-esteem or social anxiety i suppose, or maybe brain damage.

Any input?
 
Another mod mentioned to me that there's a thread here about Asperger's and drug use, but the person who started that thread was mainly wondering if people use drugs/alcohol to cope with Asperger's, or whether quitting improved Asperger's. But, who knows, it may still be of interest to you: Aspergers and substance abuse

As for your situation, if I understand correctly you are just talking about symptoms that sounded similar to the symptoms of Asperger's to you, as opposed to an actual diagnosis, correct? And you did not have these issues before you began using drugs.

I think it's fairly common to experience difficulties with social interaction after drug use. Whether they can be permanent or not is another story which depends on a ton of factors. Do you still use drugs? Take any prescribed drugs currently?
 
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" I tend to look at more "biologically" now, and just observe and think about human social interaction rather than participate in it. Dissociation perhaps?"

I can relate a lot. The last two to three years I've only been an observer, a voyeur and not participating in human interactions at all. I've been unemployed, depressed and mostly housebound during most of this time. But three weeks ago I started working and I'm seriously trying to do well on the job and interact with people and begin a new life. It is hard though. When I was housebound depressed I was in a comfort zone that it's being really hard to leave. I too feel that I have some Aspergers like symptons I have tremendous difficult not only interacting people but also maintaining a routine: sleep and waking at decent hours everyday, eating at the same time everyday, doing the things normal people do efortlessly is very difficult for me. The next few months are probablt going to be very tough on me because of this...
 
Hey dre, hope you are well.. IMO anything that is difficult get better with practice... so maybe think of making it a priority in your life to practice social interaction in an amount that hopefully keeps you moving forward, that is becoming more and more comfortable with yourself in social settings, I have so much respect that you have taken the initiative and began to confront this issue, way to go.. here is a cool little on line test that claims to be able to rate how far aspie ones personality is. I cant speak to its legitimacy but it only takes a second as I just took it. also noticed that there are aspie support networks in many us cities, so as i see you are most likely from the southern hemisphere you may want to look for resources in your area if you are able to receive a strong diagnoses as to your troubles, so I would also seek counseling buy a professional that specializes in autism to see if this is indeed what you are experiencing as well as a possible source to help you become more happy and well adjusted. Good luck and share the score of the quiz if you want http://www.rdos.net/eng/

Here is what mine was...

Your Aspie score: 76 of 200
Your neurotypical (non-autistic) score: 140 of 200
You are very likely neurotypical

poly12c.php
 
Here's mine:

Your Aspie score: 100 of 200
Your neurotypical (non-autistic) score: 103 of 200
You seem to have both Aspie and neurotypical traits

poly12c.php

But my behaviour has been constant since I was a child. Drug use hasn't amplified or diminished this in any way for me.

Blackchantilly, are you still currently using? If not do your behavioural patterns stay when you're sober for long periods? It might diminish with longer periods of sobriety.

You also mention that this all started around the beginning of your teenage years. It may have nothing to do with drugs at all as everyone goes through some major changes during these years of development.
 
What drugs were you using?

This may just be a confidence thing.. I know I lost all my happy go lucky confident me when i started abusing MDMA and amphetamine (and cannabis)..
 
I was fascinated by how specific some of the things on that quiz were. Here's my results:

Your Aspie score: 115 of 200
Your neurotypical (non-autistic) score: 118 of 200
You seem to have both Aspie and neurotypical traits

poly12c.php

But for what it's worth, I don't identify with Aspergers and people always say I have excellent social and communication skills, so... :?

Who decided what "neurotypical" was anyway? And typical for what society?
 
^^ buy the graph it shows you to have high communication skills in both Aspi as well as "typical", so that makes sense.. You also have a good comunication rating as far as "typical".. so thats not surprising... quiz tests like this always have me wondering their accuracy, but I think most carry validity as far as indicating possibilities.

Edit I wonder if it is possible and if so how many people receive a perfect 12 sided polygon - dudecagon (or dodecagon) as there graph?
 
It's interesting for sure :)

I'm do think some of my "Aspie" traits have been exacerbated by quitting drugs. And some were less noticeable or problematic while I was using drugs. Surely for many people the same can happen or the reverse could happen, (that some drugs may bring out these traits while using them). For me I would not say I was "normal" or "neurotypical" before I started using drugs though. I do think Re-Distributed made a good point in that if one begins using drugs in their teens it is hard to know how you would have developed without drug use, that's a period of huge change even for people who don't use any drugs.

I thought this was interesting, from that site's paper on "The Neanderthal Theory":

This theory approaches the problem from a new radical viewpoint. Instead of approaching neurodiversity conditions as disorders, brain defects or the result of poor socialization or parenting, it claims that neurodiversity is fully functional human variation.

Not sure I entirely agree with that, I think environment does play a huge role in many conditions and their degree of expression, but I like the above theory much better than saying it's a brain "defect".
 
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rite.. i should hope so.. neuro unvaried makes me think of robots or who the american education "no child left behind" is designed for... I bet the more diversity found in a species the greater it chances for survival.

OP do you have you any thoughts, have you found anything out about your suspicions?
 
Yeah i'm talking about the symptoms of aspergers syndome, not the actual disorder. I was kindof speculating if neurotoxicity from drugs could damage the areas in the brain which are different in people with aspergers syndrome.
No, I didn't have these issues before using drugs. I do believe these symptoms are permanent because i haven't used hard drugs for almost 6 years now. However, i am a pretty big binge drinker, though i mostly do this once a week or less. I've take escitalopram, an ssri, now for about 3 years, and since i was 13 i've taken prozac, effexor, citalopram, wellbutrin, agomelatine and zoloft.

Dre1990, i can totally relate to that, i cant seem to adjust to a normal sleep cycle, i tend to stay up all night and sleep all day (been that way for years) , not be able to do stuff that "normal" people do effortlessly, such as clean, do laundry, be on time for appointments. I am pretty housebound to, i think it has to do with having moved to a new country a year ago, i just stay in most days and lay in bed on the computer. I do have "friends" here, though i would consider them more acquaintances. i think they're boring and conventional because they don't like to get wasted and be reckless, which is pretty much my only idea of fun. I feel like they are judging me an don't really trust them, i feel like they are somehow better or smarter than me because they haven't destroyed their minds with drugs. I'm used to having friends who have used or do use drugs, and have some kind of mental issue such as depression.

Rickolasnice, the drugs i used where:
Pot (age 13 to 19, regularly), Alchohol (age 13 to present, regularly) Inhalents (age 13 to 15, about 6 times), Ecstasy (age 14 to 17, regularly), Muchrooms (age 15 to 17, 4 times), Cocaine (age 16 to 17, almost everyday for a year), Ketamine (age 16, daily for 3 months), Ritalin, Dexidrine, Oxycontin, Percocet, T3's, Barbituates, whatever i could get my hands on...(age 13 to 18, sporadically)

I have been diagnosed with major depression, social anxiety, adhd, borderline personality disorder, bipolar disorder not otherwise specified etc....
I cant help but feel my problems are just based on being brain dead.

poly12c.php
 
IMO I don't think you have destroyed your mind:)


Some of what you are experiencing sounds pretty familiar to me. If you can post the answers to some of these questions I can relate it to my personal experience and give you what ever insight I can. My personal opinion is that you have a really good chance of eventually finding some relief<3 I know from experience how lame some of those symptoms can be.. I think you have a good chance of getting to the bottom of this if you keep at it:)

If you can remember how did you feel on these stimulants.. the ritalin, dexedrine, coke??

During the time you used coke did the experience stay the same or did it change. If you did why did you stop using coke.

What was your reaction to the wellbutrin, prozac, effexor, zoloft?

Do you know of anyone that you are comfortable around, someone who you don't experience the social anxiety.

You say that you hadn't experienced any of these symptoms before you used drugs. Then what were you placed on the antidepressants for? you state that you started using drugs at about age 13 which if it was posted correct would have been the same time as you started the antidepressants.

Do you ever experience periods, even if brief and few and very far in between where you feel pretty good, like the haze lifted for a little bit.

When you talk about watching and thinking about social interaction, what are your thoughts, do you experience a common emotion when you watch and think about this behavior?

What experience did you have when you took the X.. did the experience change during the time of usage or did it remain constant?

When was the last time you didn't take any drugs or medications for a period and how long did you do that for?

Of Course I was am just requesting and do not mean to make you feel uncomfortable or pressured.. answer all, any, or none of the questions as you wish. I'm just trying to see if you have similar reactions as I do.. Hope you are doing ok today.
 
neversickanymore, thanks for responding.

On ritalin and dexidrine, i was super energized, motivated and was able to get things done. I distinctly remember one time when i snorted dexidrine in the bathroom at school ,i came back to class and was asked to read a paragraph of a novel out loud, i ended up finishing the whole chapter super fast because i didn't want to stop reading lol

On coke, i felt more able to open up, i felt able to express myself deeply, i was confident. I would also get super paranoid, staying up all night looking through the window, hearing things, nervousness, suspicious, paranoid and such ( I think this happened when i would do allot on binges). I ended up doing a few lines of coke half a year ago and as soon as i snorted it i just thought to myself, wow this is what it feels like to be alive again. I'm not really sure why i stopped using it, i just suddenly stopped one day, I think i stopped using it because i was worried about what it was doing to my mind, i was getting really paranoid, forgetting things alot.

My reaction to prozac, i remember being very irritable and pissed off and i tried to commit suicide a couple times.

My reaction to effexor, i didn't take it long because i didn't like the way it was making me feel, weird brain zaps, dissociated feeling, angry.

Zoloft, the first 3 days i felt really violent and annoyed for some reason, then after that, for the duration of taking it i felt really calm, almost too calm.

I took wellbutrin in combination with escitalopram, i didnt really notice much of a difference, just that i was like fixated on lights so i was worried i was going to get seizures so i stopped taking it. I always end up stopping antidepressants, or taking too low dosages because of the sexual side effects and i'm afraid they are screwing up my brain in the long run, then i end up going back on them cause i feel i cant function without them.

There was a period of a year when i was 15, taking celexa (i was living in a group home because my parents didn't want me living with them anymore) and i did really well, i wasn't depressed, i was super motivated, socialable, wanted to bake things and make things for people all the time. It was really strange. I took it again last year and didn't get the same effect.

I have one friend that i sometimes feel comfortable around, when i am on antidepressants we can talk really well and for a long time, when i'm not on them i tend to have very little to say and the conversation just dies out or i get suspicious about her motives for talking to me. But she is in my home country so we only get to talk on skype once in awhile.

Yes i do experience periods where i feel pretty good, today for example, i woke up and i was feeling like i was getting back into my energy and creative flow which i haven't experienced for awhile, i was able to get a few things done. I will have days at work where i just completely fuck everything up and cant remember things that i do everyday, am suspicious of customers judging or laughing at me, have nervous breakdowns and start crying and am totally nervous and dropping things. Then i will have days where i am super productive, getting things done easily, socialable and im really focused on everything.

I was placed on antidepressants when i was 13 by a counseler, i was already using pot and inhalents before then. I was placed on them because the therapist thought i had depression. I had a really bad relationship with my mother, we would fight alot, she always yelled at me, i started cutting my wrists, i think i was also starting to have insecurities because of my appearance.

When im watching people in social situations, i tend to find their conversations shallow, boring and uninteresting, i watch their behavior and their facial expressions, i think everything revolves around attractiveness, i notice people who are more attractive get more attention and are more confident, i think everything revolves around "reproduction", i analyze every reaction i get to something i say, every look. The most common feeling i get in these situations is anxiety, fear, i feel stiff, i'm overly conscious of every movement i make, i don't say much because i think everything i say is insignificant and will sound stupid. This is why i start drinking, to ease the anxiety and be able to talk. The problem is i end up saying/doing inappropriate things, like sleeping with people i'm trying to have friendships with, and then the possibility of a friendship gets ruined.

When i first started taking x, i would feel the usual lovey dovey effect, outgoingness, pleasure, empathy, energized. My last x experiences, were very paranoid, shitty, panicky, anxious. The very last time i used it i ended up going to the hospital because i thought my spine was breaking, i turned out to be completely fine, i thought i heard the nurses in the hospital laughing at me, talking about me and saying i looked like i had aids... :/

The last time i didn't take any drugs or medications was about 5 years ago, for a period of 2 years, i went back to finish high school, i did fairly well in school, but made no friends because i was so scared of everyone and felt beneath them, which is why i went to a psychologist again and got back on antidepressants.

Reading all of this i feel embarrassed, maybe i'm just self obsessed and i make all of these problems up subconsciously in my mind to feel more important than i really am because i don't want to accept that i'm really just nothing and no one actually gives a shit....if that makes any sense at all
 
Hey, I totally feel you now.. FIRST I WOULD LIKE TO STRESS that the advice I am giving you is based on the remarkable similarities that we share as far as the reactions to drugs. What I am suggesting must be explored with a professional.. since you are seeing one now you should bring this up if you believe that is a good idea.

First or similarities to different drugs.. cocaine,, the exact same. effects different ssri are really similar and I was placed on four of the same ones you were. effects of ecstasy were a little different but I did it much latter in my drug taking and it was immediately like you describe it being in your latter use. the use of the ritalin and dexedrine are the same. because of these similarities I would explore the fact that you are a Bipolar 2. This is what I am and the possibility fit with your reaction to the drugs you listed. THIS IS SOMETHING FOR YOU AND YOUR DOCTOR TO EXPLORE. But the medications that worked wonders for me were the mood stabilizers of lithium and lamictal.. ha not used together of course. These drugs may be able to make a huge difference for you and should definitely be explored.

My heart totally goes out to you if this is the case as I know all to well the hell of being given one anti depressant after another when you are BIpolar2 and all they do is make you crazy<3 I hope you figure and I hope this helps.

On the social anxiety. I also feel you here, I lived with this medicated and none medicated for 20 years and it is miserable but now its gone and im not on anything. The source is that you need the approval of others. This may come from the fact that you are self conscious of certain physical traits and it may include that you do not believe in yourself so you subconsciously look for the approval of others. If you learn to accept yourself and believe in yourself all your anxiety will disappear. I've been there and I would NOT MESS with you on this. I suggest that you see a professional and tell them you want to get counseling for social anxiety and you are interested in working on acceptance of yourself physically and development and acceptance of YOUR morals and values. If you do this you will thank yourself with tears of joy, I did.

You didn't screw up your brain, ha your brain screwed you up.. I have a bunch of confidence that you may experience a great change in your life.. Hang in there you are amazing!!!<3:)

EDIT: as you probaby have realized you are now beginning to have a bad reaction to stimulants IMO I would stay away from coke, X, and meth for good and limit any intake of other amps. But as you are working this out I would suggest that you stay off everything.. if you and you counselor click you will no longer need the booze to socialize comfortably.:)
 
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Just wondering if anyone has experiences permanent Aspergers like symptoms after chronic drug use, though having functioned normally before drug use?

Not even sure what Aspergers like symptoms are... I can almost guarantee that chronic drug use has influenced how I think though.

image_zpsca96715f.jpg


Your Aspie score: 51 of 200
Your neurotypical (non-autistic) score: 153 of 200
You are very likely neurotypical
 
^ its interesting though that we have yet to see a drug user/addit that doesn't have a spike in aspie social.. we will have to see what others post as far as there results? Also I wonder what questions we are all answering the same if that is the case?
 
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