How can I tell between social anxiety and aspergers?

Ive hqad alot of trouble with mental health in the past, and still suffer alot from an anxiety disorder.

A few years ago I was diagnosed by a doctoras having aspergers syndrome. He said it was a very mild case, and ive always accepted it.

But now I think maybe its not aspergers. I have alot of anxiety in social situations, have trouble with eye conact and am very obsessive, which may point to aspergers, but also social anxiety disorder. How can I tell between the two?

People with social anxiety, as the name suggests, struggle socially because of anxiety. They often worry about being judged or rejected. People with Asperger’s have social problems because of the way their brains are wired, and this occurs whether or not they experience anxiety. The social difficulties people with each disorder have tend to be different. Aspies have more trouble with understanding social situations and reading nonverbal signals, with people with social anxiety are usually okay with. Both groups often have problems with eye contact, but with Asperger’s it generally has less to do with anxiety or lack of confidence.

And there are lots of non-social symptoms that distinguish Asperger’s from social anxiety disorder. Intense interests, need for routine, repetitive behaviors, poor coordination, tendency to take things literally, abnormal sensory processing, etc. Someone who is familiar with both conditions probably wouldn’t confuse social anxiety with Asperger’s.

It’s not an either/or situation. I have both, and you might too. Social anxiety isn’t uncommon in people with Asperger’s.

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