My parents and I sort of think I might have Aspurger's, since I do fit or seem to have quite a lot of the symptoms (Is there a better word to use for that? Would qualifications fit better? I feel kinda bad for calling them symptoms..) o:
I'm generally bad with any sort of socializing, unless it's online where I don't have to worry about being judged as much, and I totally fit the clumsiness part. I also read somewhere that Aspies sometimes have good grasps of language from a young age but take everything literally - that's me to a T.
But I wouldn't know where to begin getting a diagnosis, so I guess I'll never know ^^:
My parents and I sort of think I might have Aspurger's, since I do fit or seem to have quite a lot of the symptoms (Is there a better word to use for that? Would qualifications fit better? I feel kinda bad for calling them symptoms..) o:
I'm generally bad with any sort of socializing, unless it's online where I don't have to worry about being judged as much, and I totally fit the clumsiness part. I also read somewhere that Aspies sometimes have good grasps of language from a young age but take everything literally - that's me to a T.
But I wouldn't know where to begin getting a diagnosis, so I guess I'll never know ^^:
Diagnosed. Sometimes I doubt it, but I visited a professional earlier this year and my diagnosis holds primarily due to history.
Honestly, I'm glad I grew up away from the online communities, around people without Asperger's, trying to pretend I didn't have it. I think I'm a better person for it, in part because much of the "support" was and is terrible, full of condescension, patronizing, and unchallenging, and in part because it forced me to learn and go through personal transformations that have done more for me than anything or anyone else. I have a strong work ethic, decent social skills, and a resilient attitude about life, but sifting through online communities they seem to try very hard to kill that off in members and enable nasty, self-centered, and ignorant behavior.
I think initially I can't really judge, since Asperger's affects your ability to interact and communicate with others, but past a point it's more than just that. When I started to develop an intuition for how I was affecting others and how they might feel, around 20, I felt bad and vowed to change it because life isn't all about me. No one told me never to change, that everyone else in the world was bad and wrong, etc. I was never placed upon the victim pedestal.
I think many don't reach that point, or are simply encouraged to forgo that kind of personal transformation because their Asperger traits make them "unique," it's "who they are," etc. Online forums especially are places where Aspies gather to moan about how horrible everyone is, validate each other's complaints of how it's everyone else's fault, and so forth.
My biggest qualm is with people who think Asperger's is more than just an alternative and difficult way of processing, something you should strongly identify with on a personal level and express as much as you can, and try to convert others to that mindset. It's taking something valid, not being ashamed for having Asperger's, and inflating it to wildly unrealistic and self-destructive levels.
I think it's toxic, and not following their views has gotten me a pretty sweet job, a good relationship with people of various mindsets, political opinions, and personalities, and better mental and emotional health than most people on those forums. I've held onto what makes me who I am at my core, but sought to leave less pain, less confusion, and less anger behind by not blaming everyone else and being too proud and egocentric to grow as a person or accept that I may be wrong.
Diagnosed. Sometimes I doubt it, but I visited a professional earlier this year and my diagnosis holds primarily due to history.
Honestly, I'm glad I grew up away from the online communities, around people without Asperger's, trying to pretend I didn't have it. I think I'm a better person for it, in part because much of the "support" was and is terrible, full of condescension, patronizing, and unchallenging, and in part because it forced me to learn and go through personal transformations that have done more for me than anything or anyone else. I have a strong work ethic, decent social skills, and a resilient attitude about life, but sifting through online communities they seem to try very hard to kill that off in members and enable nasty, self-centered, and ignorant behavior.
I think initially I can't really judge, since Asperger's affects your ability to interact and communicate with others, but past a point it's more than just that. When I started to develop an intuition for how I was affecting others and how they might feel, around 20, I felt bad and vowed to change it because life isn't all about me. No one told me never to change, that everyone else in the world was bad and wrong, etc. I was never placed upon the victim pedestal.
I think many don't reach that point, or are simply encouraged to forgo that kind of personal transformation because their Asperger traits make them "unique," it's "who they are," etc. Online forums especially are places where Aspies gather to moan about how horrible everyone is, validate each other's complaints of how it's everyone else's fault, and so forth.
My biggest qualm is with people who think Asperger's is more than just an alternative and difficult way of processing, something you should strongly identify with on a personal level and express as much as you can, and try to convert others to that mindset. It's taking something valid, not being ashamed for having Asperger's, and inflating it to wildly unrealistic and self-destructive levels.
I think it's toxic, and not following their views has gotten me a pretty sweet job, a good relationship with people of various mindsets, political opinions, and personalities, and better mental and emotional health than most people on those forums. I've held onto what makes me who I am at my core, but sought to leave less pain, less confusion, and less anger behind by not blaming everyone else and being too proud and egocentric to grow as a person or accept that I may be wrong.
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Finnley You're an aspie to? :D
Ahem, hello people! *
waves* I'm a diagnosed aspie, but I didn't see a psychologist to get that diagnosis until I was 17 like GenociderSyo. I'm 25 now and honestly having the diagnosis was such a weight off my shoulders. I spent all of my school years being bullied and told by teachers to start applying myself and stop daydreaming... well none of it was anything I'd look back on with any fondness. With the help I recieved after my diagnosis I got through 3 years of college and I'm now looking for a part time job! :)
I'm a 'high functioning' aspie so it isn't really that obvious, but I still get very anxious around crowds of people I don't know. My repertoire of social cues and bodylanguage is also nonexistant, which is why I tend to speak much more online.
On the plus side of being an aspie I have a real penchant for words and, (apparently) I'm very good at reading aloud. The teachers back in primary school used to have me take a couple of the reading groups in class. :)
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Weiss
That sounds quite like me. I don't tend to get along with people I meet in person, mostly due to having great difficuly deciphering how I should 'behave' when conversing. I was (and am) also very good with language and writing. It was very common to see me being accused of reading dictionaries in my spare time by my classmates. (Not something I've ever needed to do.) I don't take things quite as literally now that I'm older, but if someone says a phrase I'm not familiar with then yes, my brain jumps automatically to the literal meaning. It often leaves me quite confused.
In english class being told to 'interpret' a piece of writing was something I absolutely dreaded as it's something I just can't do. Looking for the 'meaning behind the meaning' just makes no sense to me at all. It never has.
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Finnley You're an aspie to? :D
Ahem, hello people! *
waves* I'm a diagnosed aspie, but I didn't see a psychologist to get that diagnosis until I was 17 like GenociderSyo. I'm 25 now and honestly having the diagnosis was such a weight off my shoulders. I spent all of my school years being bullied and told by teachers to start applying myself and stop daydreaming... well none of it was anything I'd look back on with any fondness. With the help I recieved after my diagnosis I got through 3 years of college and I'm now looking for a part time job! :)
I'm a 'high functioning' aspie so it isn't really that obvious, but I still get very anxious around crowds of people I don't know. My repertoire of social cues and bodylanguage is also nonexistant, which is why I tend to speak much more online.
On the plus side of being an aspie I have a real penchant for words and, (apparently) I'm very good at reading aloud. The teachers back in primary school used to have me take a couple of the reading groups in class. :)
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Weiss
That sounds quite like me. I don't tend to get along with people I meet in person, mostly due to having great difficuly deciphering how I should 'behave' when conversing. I was (and am) also very good with language and writing. It was very common to see me being accused of reading dictionaries in my spare time by my classmates. (Not something I've ever needed to do.) I don't take things quite as literally now that I'm older, but if someone says a phrase I'm not familiar with then yes, my brain jumps automatically to the literal meaning. It often leaves me quite confused.
In english class being told to 'interpret' a piece of writing was something I absolutely dreaded as it's something I just can't do. Looking for the 'meaning behind the meaning' just makes no sense to me at all. It never has.
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Avessa I sorta think the whole thing with me and socializing not mixing is part awkwardness and part introvert thinking, but yeah uvu I never quite know what to say beyond common courtesies, unless I'm comfortable with the person I'm speaking to... >_>;
I've been accused of reading dictionaries for fun too, but I'm more of a history book kind of person x) I just pick up on things because if I haven't heard a word used before, I automatically get curious and look it up XD
I'm literally the exact same as you with phrases - if I don't know them, I WILL take them literally and end up confused ^^:
Interpreting things myself is.. not my strong point :S I once had to do that for music class and I nearly failed because my teacher wasn't clear on anything beyond "Write the meaning of this song" and I had /no/ idea what she meant ._.
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Avessa I sorta think the whole thing with me and socializing not mixing is part awkwardness and part introvert thinking, but yeah uvu I never quite know what to say beyond common courtesies, unless I'm comfortable with the person I'm speaking to... >_>;
I've been accused of reading dictionaries for fun too, but I'm more of a history book kind of person x) I just pick up on things because if I haven't heard a word used before, I automatically get curious and look it up XD
I'm literally the exact same as you with phrases - if I don't know them, I WILL take them literally and end up confused ^^:
Interpreting things myself is.. not my strong point :S I once had to do that for music class and I nearly failed because my teacher wasn't clear on anything beyond "Write the meaning of this song" and I had /no/ idea what she meant ._.
Hello! I'm high functioning autistic!
Also I got social anxiety AND I'm an extrovert. Which... yeah those conflict... a lot.
I was diagnosed with autism as a little kid, and I don't think I really had it as hard as some have had, since my family is a whole bunch of supporting geeks. I started really getting to grips with who I was in high school, and now I'm awesome.
I figured out my strengths and weaknesses pretty quickly once I learned what autism really was, and I put my brainpower to trying to figure out how people actually talked to eachother. I'm still all kinds of clumsy when talking to people, (and I can't pull off deadpan jokes at all) BUT I feel I can talk to just about anyone now, though I still get nervous at banks and stuff.
Anyways, It's nice to meet you all! I'm actually kinda new to this site, I joined in during the last registration window in October. I'll see you guys around the site!
Hello! I'm high functioning autistic!
Also I got social anxiety AND I'm an extrovert. Which... yeah those conflict... a lot.
I was diagnosed with autism as a little kid, and I don't think I really had it as hard as some have had, since my family is a whole bunch of supporting geeks. I started really getting to grips with who I was in high school, and now I'm awesome.
I figured out my strengths and weaknesses pretty quickly once I learned what autism really was, and I put my brainpower to trying to figure out how people actually talked to eachother. I'm still all kinds of clumsy when talking to people, (and I can't pull off deadpan jokes at all) BUT I feel I can talk to just about anyone now, though I still get nervous at banks and stuff.
Anyways, It's nice to meet you all! I'm actually kinda new to this site, I joined in during the last registration window in October. I'll see you guys around the site!
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Avessa Ayup :) Diagnosed un' everything.
I'm a high functioning aspie, so it isn't terribly bad. What I lack in people skills I make up for with other skills, mainly music and animal communication. I'm not obsessed with either, but if I have any 'asperger specializations', those would probably be the main ones.
I've been thinking about how easily aspies in general seem to deal with animals. For me it's probably that I don't think in words much and neither do they. I think mainly in images, sounds, scents and feelings, even music at times, while other people seem to think in words and sentences. Maybe that's why I can more easily get 'theory of mind' with animals, while people are more difficult.
I'm a little curious about how this strikes with you guys. How DO the average aspie think? Is it a completely individual thing, or are we actually less inclined to think in words than neurotypical people? What are your own experiences?
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Avessa Ayup :) Diagnosed un' everything.
I'm a high functioning aspie, so it isn't terribly bad. What I lack in people skills I make up for with other skills, mainly music and animal communication. I'm not obsessed with either, but if I have any 'asperger specializations', those would probably be the main ones.
I've been thinking about how easily aspies in general seem to deal with animals. For me it's probably that I don't think in words much and neither do they. I think mainly in images, sounds, scents and feelings, even music at times, while other people seem to think in words and sentences. Maybe that's why I can more easily get 'theory of mind' with animals, while people are more difficult.
I'm a little curious about how this strikes with you guys. How DO the average aspie think? Is it a completely individual thing, or are we actually less inclined to think in words than neurotypical people? What are your own experiences?
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Finnley
Well I can certainly agree on the animal point, considering my college years were spent doing animal care courses. XD Hmm, as for how I think I would say images over words. I'll expand on that later once I'm not typing on my e-reader. :P
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Finnley
Well I can certainly agree on the animal point, considering my college years were spent doing animal care courses. XD Hmm, as for how I think I would say images over words. I'll expand on that later once I'm not typing on my e-reader. :P
My mom just recently revealed to me that she spent the last 20 years thinking I was autistic, which was fun, because I figure if you think that, you might want to shuttle me over to a psychologist for a diagnosis or something? I ended up looking up the symptoms, though, and they don't really match too well. Maybe I've got half to three-quarters of them? I don't really THINK I have autism/aspergers, but maybe, I dunno. I know I did have SA for most of my life and I've got a spot of anxiety now, but I think that's about it. Even if I did, like, who cares? Someone stamping a label on an official document isn't going to change who I am, and I'm pretty cool with who I am. It gave me a lot of trouble when I was younger, but I've learned to deal with the fact that I'm way weird now, so actually getting that sorted out would be kind of pointless.
I still wonder, though. I don't think so, but... Huh. Never really thought that much about it before.
My mom just recently revealed to me that she spent the last 20 years thinking I was autistic, which was fun, because I figure if you think that, you might want to shuttle me over to a psychologist for a diagnosis or something? I ended up looking up the symptoms, though, and they don't really match too well. Maybe I've got half to three-quarters of them? I don't really THINK I have autism/aspergers, but maybe, I dunno. I know I did have SA for most of my life and I've got a spot of anxiety now, but I think that's about it. Even if I did, like, who cares? Someone stamping a label on an official document isn't going to change who I am, and I'm pretty cool with who I am. It gave me a lot of trouble when I was younger, but I've learned to deal with the fact that I'm way weird now, so actually getting that sorted out would be kind of pointless.
I still wonder, though. I don't think so, but... Huh. Never really thought that much about it before.
Click my pixel babies?
(I should acquire more pixel babies.)
I have a younger brother that plays FR with me. ((I won't call out his username directly as I'll leave it to him, and see if he wishes to post on the subject himself. )) When he was younger, a doctor had given him a diagnosis that deemed him as "Borderline Asperger". Doing research on what that meant was interesting for me as it came up with the conclusion that he was high functioning in the spectrum.
As I am 7 years older than my brother, I am primarily responsible for getting him through the educational system because my parents lack the prowess to do it themselves. ((Work, and the fact that they weren't native to the United States are some contributing factors)).
But overall, since I know my little brother best, I've managed to nurture him on a path of both math, science and art where I knew he would excel due to his given nature and mentality. As a result, I know him to have quite the imagination and only wishes to make people smile. It's also very impressive to see him fly through his science and math courses, often placing in the top 95% of the nation in his test scores in the respective subjects. I'm not sure how his mind works... but he just absorbs information in such a way.... and ever forgets.
On the other hand, he is often considered to not be a well rounded due to English/writing/reading not being his forte. It is to the point that he has had additional assistance throughout his educational career of a speech coach that has followed him from Elementary school, all the way to this day. There is something about the way his thoughts register that his tongue cannot keep up with. So he'll often go through long, monotonous bouts of fast paced dialogue, in which I'll stare at him and ask him to slow down and repeat.
It's been rough having to watch this all unfold through his lifetime, as he is about to turn 16 this month... Watching him get bullied all the time due to the lack of understanding from students and even some teachers is quite the journey let me tell you.
All and all, I would not change anything about him as he has helped me become a more compassionate person. I accept the little quirks about people and have such a high tolerance for most things except those that seek to look down or belittle those that cannot help but be who they are. Knowing there are others going through my brother's path has also allowed me to reach out and volunteer at disability fairs that seek to educate parents as well as dedicate a day to the children and families that come out.
Anywho.... I just wanted to say I think this is a beautiful thread. I've been reading peoples stories and will continue to do so. If you ever need an ear to listen ((well technically, eyes willing to read)) , my messages are completely open!
I have a younger brother that plays FR with me. ((I won't call out his username directly as I'll leave it to him, and see if he wishes to post on the subject himself. )) When he was younger, a doctor had given him a diagnosis that deemed him as "Borderline Asperger". Doing research on what that meant was interesting for me as it came up with the conclusion that he was high functioning in the spectrum.
As I am 7 years older than my brother, I am primarily responsible for getting him through the educational system because my parents lack the prowess to do it themselves. ((Work, and the fact that they weren't native to the United States are some contributing factors)).
But overall, since I know my little brother best, I've managed to nurture him on a path of both math, science and art where I knew he would excel due to his given nature and mentality. As a result, I know him to have quite the imagination and only wishes to make people smile. It's also very impressive to see him fly through his science and math courses, often placing in the top 95% of the nation in his test scores in the respective subjects. I'm not sure how his mind works... but he just absorbs information in such a way.... and ever forgets.
On the other hand, he is often considered to not be a well rounded due to English/writing/reading not being his forte. It is to the point that he has had additional assistance throughout his educational career of a speech coach that has followed him from Elementary school, all the way to this day. There is something about the way his thoughts register that his tongue cannot keep up with. So he'll often go through long, monotonous bouts of fast paced dialogue, in which I'll stare at him and ask him to slow down and repeat.
It's been rough having to watch this all unfold through his lifetime, as he is about to turn 16 this month... Watching him get bullied all the time due to the lack of understanding from students and even some teachers is quite the journey let me tell you.
All and all, I would not change anything about him as he has helped me become a more compassionate person. I accept the little quirks about people and have such a high tolerance for most things except those that seek to look down or belittle those that cannot help but be who they are. Knowing there are others going through my brother's path has also allowed me to reach out and volunteer at disability fairs that seek to educate parents as well as dedicate a day to the children and families that come out.
Anywho.... I just wanted to say I think this is a beautiful thread. I've been reading peoples stories and will continue to do so. If you ever need an ear to listen ((well technically, eyes willing to read)) , my messages are completely open!
My brother is Autistic PDDNOS ^^ I love him lots and hope to visit him next weekend.
My brother is Autistic PDDNOS ^^ I love him lots and hope to visit him next weekend.
