Firstly, why the title - cogito, ergo sum?  Well, the phrase is the Latin translation of the famous French philosopher, René Descarte's, original philosophical statement: "Je pense, donc je suis", which he made when attempting to define the characteristics of a conscious entity.  In English, the most common translation is: "I think, therefore I am", so I thought the Latin version was a rather apt and fun title for an autobiography that explores the life of someone who frequently has problems believing she actually exists at all!

Why the autobiography?  Well, I decided to shout my stuff in the virtual world because I feel less able to be so real verbally "out there", in that matter type place, where I exist instead as a polymorphic personality in order to cope with the complexities of human interaction.  Living like that is kind of like having MPD (Multiple Personality Disorder), except that's not what I've got.  What I have "got" is Asperger's Syndrome (AS) - a type of autism that "they" describe as "high functioning".

If you are an "Aspie" yourself, then I hope my story might prove interesting; even encouraging!  Perhaps you are an "NT" ("NeuroTypical" in autism lingo) who has hit upon this site whilst surfing the web attempting to locate information to help you understand an Aspie to whom you may be close - or are trying to become close!  In that case, this story will certainly give you insight into the sorts of problems we Aspies encounter and how we tend to perceive the world and its people.  Perhaps you are a third category: you may be concerned that you, or someone you know, might have Asperger's Sydrome.  If that is the case, then this story might sound a little bit familiar!

If you are inclined to read my story, having read thus far, it is important to remember that Aspies vary in their personalities just as much as anyone else does.  Thus, the autobiography and the mental meanderings within it, shouldn't be taken as entirely representative of what it is like to have Asperger's Syndrome.  As you read my story, you will come to notice that there are certain fundamental behavioural patterns, and ways of thinking, reflected within it that appear to differ from "normal"; it is these that tend to lead to a diagnosis of Asperger's Syndrome.  However, the actual way in which such bahavioural patterns manifest is what can tend to differentiate one Aspie from another - similarly, NTs will have some hobbies and attitudes in common and some not!

There is diagnostic information on Asperger's, including some of my own theories, on the About Asperger's page.

Finally, I need to state that, although I do have scientific training, I am not a psychologist.  My opinions, where expressed in this autobiography, are based purely on a combination of anecdotal evidence, my studies of various branches of psychology (such as Transactional Analysis) over the years combined with phases in therapy (in order to keep myself sane!) and the extensive reading about Asperger's Syndrome I have undertaken since I was finally diagnosed with the syndrome in 2004 (aged 34 years).  As such my opinions, where given, will usually appear as paragraphs of italic text within the autobiography and should not be taken to be proven fact. They are merely the hypotheses and mental meanderings of someone who is constantly striving to get a little closer to understanding the apparently complicated world of NTs - and my own complicated world - in order to survive!

So, if at this point you would like to read the autobiography, Click Here.