Specific Examples of symptoms of Aspergers

[jpownz]

Could you please post some specific detailed examples of moments where you or someone else's aspergers manifested itself; Specific ticks, quirks, impaired social interaction, etc.

 

[swill8295]

Could you please post some specific detailed examples of moments where you or someone else's aspergers manifested itself; Specific ticks, quirks, impaired social interaction, etc.

Ok.... lets see. I have high functioning autism myself, but I could definitely pose as someone with aspergers. I was diagnosed before aspergers existed.

Examples, examples... People misinterpret me when I'm upset at something or highly focused on something. If I try to joke, sometimes my facial expressions betray that I am incredibly serious, so if I say something like "I'm thinking about quitting my job and becoming a dj," or something stupid like "I want to lose weight and become athletic so I can outrun cops" people tend to take me seriously sometimes. Or I'll say something like "Heh, you think they ____ed enough ____" but I"ll look so nervous that the person I'm talking with doesn't say anything. One time my mom told me to take our car back to Car X to have them tighten the muffler or put it up higher because it was hitting the ground, and sounded too loud. I was very nervous about going in and talking to them about it, because I'm not good at looking what I"m talking about when I'm nervous, especially since I hesitate a lot and look down. When I went there, I very nicely told the man my problems and he kept tearing apart everything I was saying and was raising his voice at me. I had a look on my face like a guilty murderer, because I was so incredibly nervous.

I've noticed that if you look guilty and nervous, people will wonder if you really are hiding something from them and stare you down. I hate being stared down, and it makes me not make sense with what I'm saying. I can't think thoughts across and deal with being stared down at once. I can either completely focus on what I'm thinking, or completely focus on being stared down. Or, for example, someone might perceive that I'm not very intelligent because I don't hear a word they were saying because I was too focused on focusing on them to meet the social norm. One time, this kid was trying to explain to me how these magic mathematical boxes work in algebra class, and I was intently focused on his eyes. When I focus on someones eyes, my thoughts say "I'm trying to intently focus on this person's eyes". I can't think "I'm intently trying to focus on this person's eyes" and "lets solve the formula for x - 2y -9 +62 = 29y +2x -500" at the same time. I can only say "I am intently focusing on this person" or the equation separately. I guess I could be equated to a computer that has no difficulty processing quickly, but lacks the ram to do everything at once. I am very tunnel visioned. VERY. As well, I need extra time on tests because it's not that I lack the intellect to do a certain standardized test (for ex) but that I am extremely distractable because of my focus. I start thinking, "Gee, I'm taking a while on this test." and that distracts me from thinking about what I'm actually doing on the test. Then I start seeing people handing in their tests, and then start focusing on people who are focusing on me because they can't go to recess or leave class early because I'm still taking my test. At that point I'm thinking "Everyone is staring at me because I'm holding them back from leaving class early, and I've been doing this test for 45 minutes and 29 seconds, and my pencil is dull, and that girl has pretty blonde hair, but she probably wouldn't consider me as a boyfriend because I take too long on tests, I don't like myself, I feel like tearing my test up, this teacher is unfair for setting this up like this, why am I alive?". As you can imagine, I am thinking about everything but the test. Given, I was exhibiting some irrational behaviours there, you can probably see the autism in that.

Aside from that, I have to take extra time to process jokes. It's not that I have no sense of humor, in fact mine can be sharper than average on any given day, but that I have to take extra precautions to make sure the person is joking. Because, what if they weren't joking, and I laugh at them, and they get mad? Amidst all of this, I have the incredibly daunting task of covering up my high functioning autism, which I need to find a better way to deal with that flat out denial.

The thing is, I want a girlfriend and desire companionship, I know that I"m not that far off, in fact I can imitate other people quite well if I'm happy or having a good day. It's all about the smile, and if I'm interested or happy with what I'm doing. I did absolutely amazing selling toys at this toy store. I could have dated several girls and did make lots of friends there. I was able to make eye contact, everything. The only problem I had was at first when the people weren't used to reading me, and I was learning the cash register. Especially when I'm learning something, I exhibit that I'm extremely nervous, and a lot of employers have fired me the first day because they assume that I'm going to "flake out" on them. I even had an employer flat out tell me that. But the employers that have kept me and have not been judgemental have been rewarded with a highly competent worker that is a stickler for details and has a better than average memory.

Lets see... I have had extreme problems with lashing out at people because I feel like I can't communicate with them. I have done some very bad things that I will never do again, and with the help of Jesus, have been forgiven for. It's very obvious if I'm into something (I can't help it) because I talk only about that thing. Lets say some girl really likes dogs, but I see that she has a Honda that I like. She wants to talk about normal things like dogs, but I want to talk about the vtec in her car. "Hey, did you know that your car has a power surge at 5,500 rpms. It sounds really cool!" She says "Uh, no I didn't know that. I don't really do that to my car, I guess I don't know much about cars." I say "I don't either, but that vtec is really cool! Maybe we can take it out for a drive?" You can probably see where this is going. I am ignoring her obvious disinterested ques and keep on talking about what I'm into. I'm basically bulldozing her. People don't really like that too much, but I have to keep myself from doing that constantly. In some places, I don't talk at all because of fear of things like this, and people perceive that I'm not even there, or that I'm just a lump of useless flesh.

Oh, and one more thing - when someone asks me about myself, I apparently love to talk about myself, as you can see above.

 

[skunkfeather]

I love hearing about people - I dont have much to add, but what a great post on this topic!

 

[Timuchin]

I carry a business card for Aspergers. It gets people to cut me slack and not judge me as a Normal.

Side#1:
Asperger's Symdrome, negatives
* an observable disability in nonverbal behavior
* failures in peer relationships
* relative numbness in social relationships
* lack of positive, socially proper sharing
* fixations or overfocusing
* nonfunctional routines or rituals
* unusual motor mannerisms
* persistent attachment to parts of objects

side #2:
Asperger's Syndrome, positives
* genius at science, art, technology, music, religion, mathematics, etc.
* superb experts at their fields of study
* original thinkers and inventors
* honest to a fault, emotionally childlike
for more information, see:
www.udel.edu/bkirby/asperger/geneva3.html

Any questions?

 

[Mumei]

What does "emotionally childlike" mean? I can see good and bad things associated with that.

 

[swill8295]

What does "emotionally childlike" mean? I can see good and bad things associated with that.

Look at the context, it's harder for them to lie. Which is also true for me. We're brutally honest.

 

[Timuchin]

What does "emotionally childlike" mean? I can see good and bad things associated with that.

Yes, it can be positive and negative.

My wife is frustrated by my taste in slap-stick comedy, cartoons and comics. She prefers more esoteric, irony-based jokes.

People often find my bubbly laughter contagious in a way. However, at solemn occasions I sometimes remember a really funny incident and have to greatly restrain myself from laughing or even smiling.

I get easily frustrated or distracted.

 

[Mumei]

Ah.

I may have some mild Asperger's. I was diagnosed as a child, at the age of 14, but many of the "Asperger-y" traits that I have weren't adopted until I was 12 or 13, in response to other stressors.

Anyhow, I do agree with that, the way you've described it... though I do like ironic humor, so who knows.

 

[FallingWaters]

Ah.

I may have some mild Asperger's. I was diagnosed as a child, at the age of 14, but many of the "Asperger-y" traits that I have weren't adopted until I was 12 or 13, in response to other stressors.

Anyhow, I do agree with that, the way you've described it... though I do like ironic humor, so who knows.

I was thinking the same as I was reading the business card list.
I had a lot of those behaviors when I was a teen,
but I think it was because I was abused as a child.

 

[rizzla]

My sons SPD (Semantic Pragmatic Disorder), or HD autistic with aspie traits.
A specific example is taking him to his very first Christmas pantomime when he was 4. About 10 min from the end he started slouching and quickly became like a lump of jelly. We waited back till the show ended and the auditorium was clear before walking out. Still inside the theatre, he had to grab hold of the railing and half stumble/slide down the stairs because he couldn’t walk properly. At the bottom his mum was waiting and instead of running to her, rushed to the right went into the café and hid under a table. Too much input = meltdown.

A common trait is he doesn’t have that sense of inferiority that NTs generally have. Ie hes able to listen without staring into folks eyes – I never did understand why some folk would need such an assurance. But that’s probably because his brand of SPD is hereditary on the male side: which wasn’t exactly a surprise to his mum.

Anyhow, yes. Emotionally Childlike. Its not just honesty, for aspies can lie, cheat and deceive like the best (or worst?) NT’er. It just sometimes we see something as clear as day, but its like a glass wall. We might understand a concept totally, completely and utterly, but…just….don’t….get….it. No matter how hard we bang our heads of the wall, we just don’t get how a ‘normal’ person could act so damn illogical.

I don’t know how common this is, but I tend to prefer spending time with other folk I’d have described as having ‘quark, strangeness and charm’. Normal everyday conversations about things like the tv prog ‘big brother’ bore me to distraction. Which is a good example of that glass wall thing. Yes Ive watched the prog a couple of times. Even ‘son of big brother’ (or whatever it was called) once – a real time version of big brother; not exactly the most fascinating programme at 3 in the morning watching someone else sleeping. What I really don’t get is why would a group of ‘normal’ people choose to talk about this programme over their lunch break; analysing the motives (or whatever) of the contestants; debating the finer points and implications of who said what.

Gimme someone interested in car vtecs anyday – even if Ive not got a clue what that is. At least I might find something interesting; even if its just the persons enthusiasm.

 

[Timuchin]

Talking about meltdown...

I went to a teacher's workshop on Aspergers in school. This lecturer tried to explain Aspergers from his Normal perspective -- which I found amusing. He got a lot right.

Then He talked about problems Aspergers face in school from peers and teachers. Nooooooooo.... Man! He reminded me of all that stuff I had suppressed decades ago, just to stay functional. I think that's called flooding. I was almost in tears by the time he got done. I got out of there.

But that situation gave me a chance to deal with those incidents before they resubmerged out of reach. I would take a memory and really get into it. Then I would ask Jesus to speak truth to that memory. What he would say would defang that memory. I did a lot of memories before the rest retreated to wherever they go.