Asperger's Friend?

Question

My friend has Asperger's Syndrome. He found out he had this a few years ago. He is the most difficult person to get along with sometimes. When we do get along its wonderful and we are the best of friends. His temper and mood swings are so out of control though. One day things will be great and the next he's mad about something I said a week ago that had no importance until now. He's lost almost all of his friends because of his condition and I'm the only one that has been able to put up with his nonsense. We recently had a horrible fight and i'm not sure if I want to continue my friendship with him. He says he cares for me but in an instant he can be very mean. I keep telling myself that its because he has Asperger's and he can't help it. I'm not sure what do to anymore. I care about him so much. I don't want to stop being his friend but then again he's almost impossible to get along with. I know that if I stopped talking to him he would be very depressed. What should I do?

Answer 1

I'll tell you waht people do with me. They don't be my friend unless they need me to take the fall for something I am too naive to see they're trying to get me to take the fall for. You should do what's in your heart; if you don't think you should be friends with him, then I guess you shouldn't. He might be depressed, but he probably already is if he has those mood swings even though he's not lonely (assuming you're really his friend....)

Answer 2

You don't own him. On the other hand, if you stop being his friend, then he has no friend.
If there is a car accident on the road, you would go help out, coz we don't want to see people dye or helpless. It's similar, except he is not in a life threatening situation, but yet he needs help and support. I know you are not a professional and you can't help him much on this symptoms. But I wish you can be there for him, to support him. You can help him in other ways, not necessary the professional psychological matters. A person who has no friend, if there is someone who can hang out with him shortly just for a coffee, would really help him, and make him feel better.

I am sure there are some Asperger's support group website.
May be thru those website, you can find a physical one (not online virtually online) near your city.

It's a long road for friend, he needs someone to be there for him. And I know, you can be tire too. I think there may be 2 different support groups, one for him, and one friends.

I understand that you may feel tire and depressed by him. Yet I personally dont want anyone left alone helplessly.

May be you can go find a counsellor and discuss on how to help your friend. Perhaps some ways to bring your friend to some professional therapy, and also learn some social skills to cope with his situation.

You may need to separate you emotion from his behavior, I mean not letting him affect you. I mean, don't let the situation, dry you up emotionally.

Hope my answer may sense. I may do some edit, update or additional information later on.

Answer 3

i work with kids who have autism and aspergers. maybe you could tell him exactly what he is doing/saying that is rude/irritating. you have to give him reasons why those things are hurtful/annoying and explain how it makes you and others feel. Don't be afraid to be very blunt. they don't undertstand the beating around-the-bush polite language thet people use to explain things in a nice way. people with this condition have an inability to pick up on social cues that other people do naturally. basic social skills need to be taught. for example when he was little he had to be taught to say hi to others and why people greet one another and how to exchange greetings including eye contact, voice inflection, reading other person's facial expressions, etc. sounds like he still has issues with this. not sure. you are doing an awesome thing by being friends with him. everyone with aspergers needs someone like you! : )

they think in pictures. i know you're not a speech therapist, but maybe you can research social stories and how to write them, talk in that way if he's willing to do that with you (may be too stubborn). take an issue he's having, write a social story with him to explain underlying social aspects of communication that he doesn't get naturally.

Answer 4

It sounds like your friend may have an additional disorder, as your discription does not fit into the information I just read on Asperger's Syndrome.

It sounds more Bi Polar.... which can co-exist with AS.....

Answer 5

Just out of curiosity how do you know what you said to him a week ago had no importance to him? Is it possible he failed to tell you so for some reason.....any reason?

Answer 6

no, ice cream doesnt have wheels; therefore, a computer mouse cannot block the radiation of a paper clip, unless it is a thursday, or the sky isn't not sometimes gray, sometimes. Otherwise, no, you cannot paddle a garbage can up a rollercoaster, unless you are using a hands-free cellular devise.

Answer 7

your freind might have bipolar disorder but the good thing is you accept him who he is and help him sort out his problems.

Having a friend is better than no friend