Hello doctor, I believe I have some form of social disorder. I do not have feelings like others. I do not feel empathy but can be empathetic on cue as I know the social cues. And I prefer to keep to myself. Can you please advise where I can be diagnosed? I have always thought it was anxiety as this has been a problem in the past. I realize I have never been in love and probably do not know what it really is. I have five kids and saw them all taking birth but I never felt joy or real happiness when they were born even though I knew I should be happy. I am taking Lexam 20 for anxiety.
Hi. With the limited information you have provided, it is difficult to give an accurate opinion. It is possible you are describing some features of autism spectrum traits or Asperger syndrome which can manifest as social communication difficulties and anxiety. It is not uncommon and the majority do not even know they have autism spectrum traits. But whether you actually have enough features to reach the diagnostic threshold can only be confirmed after a detailed assessment. Usually, people with autism spectrum traits would have displayed symptoms from their childhood and would have faced peer relationship difficulties at school. Check with your parents and siblings. Also, these traits can run in families. If your social difficulties and anxiety developed later on in life, it is unlikely to be due to an underlying neuro-developmental condition like autism spectrum condition. If you actually want to know whether you have the condition, speak to your local GP or family doctor about a referral to appropriate local specialist services.