Asperger's theory does about-face

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This is not a new article, but it is the first time I read about this:

So a groundbreaking study suggests people with Asperger's do not lack empathy – rather, they feel others' emotions too intensely to cope.

Great discovery! You just need to get to know a person with Asperger's to get to this conclusion. I've been saying that for a while now. Maybe I should write a paper or something...

http://www.healthzone.ca/health/article/633688

i always figured that

I too, sometimes pick up overwhelming emotion signals from other people, but much of the time I have the opposite problem. I often miss emotion cues from other people. Part of this may be caused by the fact that I can't stand to look people directly in the face. I have always had this problem. It is extremely uncomfortable, and unnatural to me to do so. I think I feel that it is a "challenge" or "confrontational" behavior, and, unless I feel a need to challenge or confront someone, I just don't do this.

I even get emotion vibes from animals. Once, my younger brother asked me to check on his gerbils, who were acting strange. I took one look at them and immediately shouted, "When was the last time you gave them any water!" Their need for water had immediately popped into my head, and at such a "volume", that I responded that strongly to their need. And yes, they were desperately thirsty. As soon as my brother filled the bone dry water bottle they kept shoving each other out of the way, to take a drink. I had not looked at the water bottle or anything in the cage when I looked at the gerbils, so I had no visual cues to their thirsty state.

My not looking people in the face does present me with challenges in getting along with them, but it's just one more stumbling block in my Aspie world. And remember, quietly played, nice music can be a big mood lifter for us Aspies.

This again blurs the distinction between Empathy and Sympathy. What this article is talking about is (technically) Sympathy - that is, emotionally resonating to the plight of others, like a tuning fork. The sensation of feeling too much, or being overwhelmed by the psychic presence of others was the topic of another thread here some time ago, but I can't recall the specific title. I agree, however, that it is a real and common problem for the autistic that is rarely acknowledged.

Empathy, as used in the DSM, is more closely related to what in this article is described under Theory Of Mind (though they are not identical) - Empathy is the ability to discern what another person's emotional state is by observing subtle nonverbal cues, even if that person never explicitly tells you that they're experiencing an emotional crisis.

Theory Of Mind, specifically, is the ability to understand and predict what another person is likely to do, based on their own situational point-of-view, even when it varies from your own.

While when given the correct information I do not lack cognitive empathy, my affective empathy is not very effective whatsoever. I have difficulty telling the difference between many different emotions and neutrality.

Maybe some people reading this are very empathic but I'm not being fooled into thinking I'm just too empathic to read emotion. I'm still seeking some kind of therapy to teach me to 'read' people but so far nothing seems appropriate.

If some are super-empathic, fine, but don't drag me into that. I have limitations that I'm trying to overcome.

As for an overwhelming fear response, how does this explain 'active but odd' types like myself? I'm able to perform in front of a crowd and stand up to aggressors. Introversion is not a defining characteristic of Aspergers.

always felt this inside; i was always the first to realise a situation got awkward or there had just been an awkward situation/fight in the room i/we just entered, just as me usually knowing if a friend was upset by him/her just walking past me, but i just didn't know how to act on that knowledge...

This does not seem to be the case for me.

I lack empathy. If something happens to a total stranger (and often someone I know) I can fake empathy, but I don't feel it.

I think we have problems reacting properly to our emotions, and that makes us look as if we lack empathy.

-Bill, otherwise known as Kraichgauer

I have had a bit of practice at singing, and once attended a group celebration with a folk singer who led us in some songs with related topics. Afterward, she told me I had a nice voice, and asked why I had not sung more. I had to explain that whenever I thought about the lyrics instead of the tune, I got choked with emotion.
Eye contact is still almost overwhelming if I forget to fake it.

So let me see if I have this straight....it seems I have trouble "reading" other people (some worse than others). That's empathy?