What is Asperger’s Syndrome?

Asperger’s is often referred to as high-functioning Autism, which basically means that people affected with this disorder do not experience some of the significant limitations and delays in cognitive development apparent in other forms of Autism. Asperger’s Syndrome can affect both adults and children, and it often manifests with a person having a hard time engaging in social situations, significantly restricted areas of interest, and exhibiting repetitive behaviours stemming from deep-rooted compulsions.

Often times, the existence of mental illness can be overlooked because of the person’s aptitude to function in society, with often high intelligence regarding specialized areas of interest. But there are clear signifiers to mental illness that can alert you to an underlying problem. As discussed in our article ‘what is good mental health‘, we touched on factors like having a sense of control over life, the ability to adapt to change, and the mental
capability to deal with everyday stresses.

With Asperger’s Syndrome, these aspects of mental health breaks down and significant limitations can be seen in these areas. A person with
Asperger’s is prone to feelings of anxiety and depression as they struggle to adopt healthy coping mechanisms for dealing with life and its problems.