I think I have Autism, what to do?

I am 20 years old and I'm studying to be a nurse but I suspect strongly that I have autism.
I have read many stories and diagnoses on the web about autism and I regonize myself in them.
Since I was a child, I have felt strange and until recently(well, about a half year ago) I've heard of autism...
I'm confused and scared because I don't know what to do. Nobody I know knows this yet I don't know how to tell them.
Right know I work as a intern/stagaire nurse, If I tell the people there that I have Autism will it have bad effects on my study?
I am scared of this and all and what should I do?
Shall I go to a doctor? But what will a doctor do?
I'm confused and rather depressed :(

Ehh I'm terribly insecure, can't trust people, too qiet, shy, almost unable to stand up for myself, find it hard to communicate and look into the eyes of people, depressed, Stereotypy...ah well and much more but this is all I will say or else my list will be endless!

I'm sorry you are feeling confused and depressed, there is a lot of media attention around autism spectrum disorders. It is not unheard of for people with Asperger's Syndrome (as previously mentioned it is a type of autism) to go undiagnosed into adulthood. As children the individual might have been described as aloof, quirky, shy, etc.

There are a few online autism screening tools available, one specifically for adults. I posted the link in the source box.

Best wishes to you.

get some professional counseling!

you dont say why you think you are autistic..so perhaps you should go see a therapist or doctor and actually get a diagnosis...many people have mild forms of autism and live fairly normal lives...

edit:
i disagree with the medical professional below me..i actually know a family that has a child that is autistic she is a highly functioning person...she has friends...and sometimes her personality does tend to get on your nerves as an adult....to me she sometimes seems younger than she is...but she focuses on one thing and that happens to be mario..anything mario or sonic..and thats what she wants to do...she is a fantastic artist can draw manga? i think is how you spell it...and does a fantastic job...she knows everything all the weird stuff her mind is like a sponge and she will tell you all about it...she does think people talk about her when sometimes they arent...so she does have those insecurities...she is a sweet girl..almost from the time we met her ..she was hugging us when we got there and hugging us when we left...very friendly..she is a wiz in school and is actually in the advanced classes...but she has been diagnosed..and if you didnt actually know she was autistic i dont think most people would realize...and she is 14...

The only thing you could do is to see a clinical psychologist to confirm a diagnosis of autism. But, would it be worth acquiring the label of autism if you have coped all these years. After all a diagnosis does not actually change who you are.

you need to research autism more. Its highly unlikely you are autistic. If you had it, it would have been caught early in your childhood as you would have displayed some extreme behavior and other such symptoms such as an extreme aversion to change.

there are more, but since you're researced this disease, I'm sure you know of them.

If you have autism, how do you work with other people? You got this far in school and nobody ever noticed you have poor social skills and delayed communication?

I don't think you have autism; it just doesn't sound reasonable.

I would say see a medical doctor and tell him or her how you feel. Forget about the "autism" label, leave the diagnosis to the doctor. You might have some depression, anxiety, social phobia or ADHD.

You mention about "losing your best friends." If you were autistic, your ability to develop any kind of friendship would be severely impaired, it's unlikely you would have any friends in the first place.

My video on Asperger's (a type autism) might help you http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rbgUjmeC-...