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ocdgirl123
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22 Dec 2010, 2:31 pm

It is said that people with autism have no fear of danger. I actually, and even when I was little, very afraid of danger. For example, if was on the street and a car was coming, I'd run to the side really fast even it was a mile away. I even got scared on the sidewalk sometimes. I am still really afraid of cars.

Is it possible for someone with AS to have a heightened fear of dangerous.

(Of course, I did a few dangerous things when I when was a little, but I became afraid of them once I was aware of the dangerous, like after I fell or something).



flyingdutchman
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22 Dec 2010, 2:57 pm

I noticed that I can take too much risk in some cases. But that seems to be more on impulse. For example, I would start crossing a street, before having checked if it is safe.
But most of the time I am very hesitant and not a risk taker at all. For my experience it seems to be connected to awareness levels, that very from time to time.



CK9
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22 Dec 2010, 3:49 pm

According to the Intense World Theory of autism, hyperactivity of the amygdala results in hyper-fear which is associated with social withdrawal.

Lack of fear is associated with hypo-active or absent amygdala (opposite of autism).



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22 Dec 2010, 3:51 pm

See this (from last week's news). Notice they talk about how the woman has damaged amygdala (i.e. the opposite of autism according to the IWT).

bbc.co.uk/news/health-12017039



IMCarnochan
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22 Dec 2010, 5:31 pm

I always assumed that my heightened fear was a product of my heightened awareness of everything around me at all times. I keep it in check and when stuff does go down I find that I seperate from it and can deal without panic. However it makes going out stressful and driving can be harrowing when there is too much active stimulus.



MidlifeAspie
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22 Dec 2010, 6:40 pm

ocdgirl123 wrote:
It is said that people with autism have no fear of danger.


I have never heard such a thing. Sounds completely incorrect to me.



IMCarnochan
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22 Dec 2010, 6:45 pm

MidlifeAspie wrote:
I have never heard such a thing. Sounds completely incorrect to me.


They say Daredevil had autism... I don't know who "they" is in this instance.



MidlifeAspie
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22 Dec 2010, 6:54 pm

IMCarnochan wrote:
They say Daredevil had autism.


Ah. Well if it's in a comic book let's take it for gospel :lol:



IMCarnochan
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22 Dec 2010, 7:00 pm

MidlifeAspie wrote:
Ah. Well if it's in a comic book let's take it for gospel :lol:


Which is funny as I take comic books as gospel and the bible as an amusing but overwritten story. My wires may be a bit twisted.



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22 Dec 2010, 7:04 pm

I can't tell the difference myself.



IMCarnochan
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22 Dec 2010, 7:06 pm

More leather and bigger breasts in the comics. Which is why they get the seal of approval.



Arman_Khodaei
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22 Dec 2010, 7:15 pm

I know I can suffer from intense fear myself. Danger quite scares me including social danger such as going up to and talking to a lady.


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pensieve
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23 Dec 2010, 12:37 am

I fear everything. But when I was younger I didn't fear things out of ignorance. Would go off on walks, wander into traffic, climb the highest heights. All I feared were those big scary humans.


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StuartN
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23 Dec 2010, 5:48 am

pensieve wrote:
I fear everything. But when I was younger I didn't fear things out of ignorance. Would go off on walks, wander into traffic, climb the highest heights. All I feared were those big scary humans.


This sounds like the "no fear" that I have heard of - no common sense and no social sense, until learned personally, the hard way. It looks like fearlessness, but is an absence of recognizing danger rather than being unafraid of danger.



flyingdutchman
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23 Dec 2010, 3:40 pm

Maybe the fair does start with a growing awareness of the environment. For example:
1. I walked into the water when young, not being afraid of the water. I almost drowned. Later when learning to swim, I had a fear of water.
2. I learned to 'better' deal with social issues around me after repeating complaints at work (performance reviews). I think I got a bit better at it over time, but in its place a fear came that I can not undo anymore. Still trying to find a way to undo the 'social improvements'.



markko
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23 Dec 2010, 6:13 pm

I've done dangerous stuff, but not too dangerous. I've done firefighter and EMS work. Diseases and diseased people don't bother me an a nurse. I've rappelled off tall towers and crawled into crushed cars at the edge of cliffs to rescue people.