Is the majority of the people here really, "mild asperg

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There are other objective measurements of severity *besides* purely social ones, of course. One major example is whether or not you are able to drive a car.

I can't drive a car. I was put under a lot of pressure by family to get a car and learn how to drive. I tried and failed and tried again. I paid for my own car and driving lessons at 21, passed the driving test and got a license but was never able to navigate it more than a mile or two from my house. I was never able to fill my own gas tank because I couldn't mentally process the multi-lane intersections I'd need to go through to get there, I'm getting stressed just thinking about it. And I'm completely night blind, (which doesn't mean I can't see in the dark, it's more of a contrast issue with the head lights of oncoming traffic.) It also took all my mental power not to space out or become distracted by other drivers. I'm so glad I got rid of the car but family still doesn't understand why I don't drive.

Who knows. I know for myself that in some ways I am likely highly functional and in other ways barely functional. Some things other people pick up on immediately and other things people never seem to notice. Am I what... supposed to weigh all things on a one to ten scale and find the average? I do not put much stock in 'mild'. I think so many things go into it and so many things can impact it and change it on a daily basis that it seems pointless for me to even guess what I might be.

I might go with "mild" if I weren't always depressed, grumpy, lonely, addicted, and feeling like an alien.

Failing that, I'm not sure I'm "vindaloo" ... maybe "Madras"....

I've gone traveling by myself and driven rental cars in dozens of states. But, we noticed that my driving is impaired while conversing with my wife--harder to deal with other drivers doing crazy stuff.

I have been told my problems sound moderate, not mild at all. I was actually told this more than once, but most recently here on this forum.

I do not understand your logic, though. Why would someone not want to or not be able to post on a message board? I come here and discuss my issues because I am trying to understand them and better explain myself in other contexts.

I think the posters here range across the spectrum in terms of severity. I don't think you can judge anyone's severity just from the fact that they post here.

Also I'll just agree with what others have said about judging how severe anyone's autism is. It's too uneven and vague, and only a few traits are used to make some of these determinations.

Last edited by Verdandi on 20 Apr 2011, 8:24 pm, edited 1 time in total.

The problem is, terms like "mild," "severe," "low functioning," and "high functioning" are so vague.
It comes down to what you can and cannot do. What I can do gives me the impression that I am mild. Being mild can be a hindrance though, because being so does not imply perfection. Mild cases have issues that can be just as frustrating as severe. Mild cases experience work and relationship problems but can take care of themselves, drive, etc. Experiencing those problems can impede one's progress.

I can assure you this is not the case. I am far from mild, but perfectly capable of writing out my thoughts. (I wouldn't be able to VOCALIZE my issues nearly as adequately though).

I know loads of people that have driving licenses but don't drive. Driving is not for everybody, I don't think it's a spectrum thing though because I enjoy it. Oh, and I'm a korma

Exactly. And how do you judge severity when one person might be really deficient in one area but not another area, and someone else might have a totally different configuration? Apples and oranges. And then add to it the fact that in order to be diagnosed at all, you have to be impaired enough that it affects your quality of life.

It depends on the reason, my reasons are mostly sensory so that's a spectrum issue. Then again I know people who don't drive because they're accident prone and traumatized or because they have drinking problems or can't afford the gas, etc., so in those instances it's a different matter.

I don't drive, and the reasons I don't drive are pretty firmly rooted in my being autistic.

Obviously not everyone chooses not to drive for the same reason. My sister doesn't drive and she's very much not autistic.

Apparently, I'm severe, then. I don't drive. I failed my road test four times. How much failure can any one person take?
I live in the city, and I do get around. There are plenty of places I go to that are in walking distance (including the place where I normally work) and other places I'm able to get to by subway. I am able to navigate the subway system. I'll even travel by bus on those rare occasions that I'm going to a part of the city not on any subway route. I've traveled further by taking the subway to further reaching rail systems, such as the Long Island Railroad, and Amtrak. I've independently booked plane tickets on the internet, and gotten myself to the airport using the subway and AirTrain, and even gotten myself on a plane for longer trips. That said, I suppose I would be regarded as low functioning, because I don't drive.
All sarcasm aside, that's actually not the only indicator of a low functioning level. My apartment resembles that of a senile old woman living alone and left to her own devices for far, far, far too long. I'm so overwhelmed by the prospect of cleaning and organizing on any large scale that I can't seem to clean and organize my own apartment. The dust, mold, mildew and cockroach residue have accumulated to a level that makes it difficult to breathe in my own home (I have untreated allergy issues) My bathroom ceiling is falling apart due to anon again/ off again leak. The prospect of calling the Super is difficult enough since I'm terrible at asking for things. Additionally I certainly can't have him come up and see this disaster zone I'm living in. Thus, I'm stuck with my (for now) gradually disintegrating ceiling.
I never managed to learn to ride a bike without training wheels because of my balance difficulties, and I never learned to tie shoelaces using the standard one loop method. When I tie shoes, they never stay tied for long.
I'm clumsier, and more forgetful and disorganized than anyone I've ever met. I have very few friends, and not of the friends I have live in the same county as me. My life is a dysfunctional mess.
That said, I have a Master's Degree, and for now, I am working full time. Every work day, I get myself out of bed, appropriately dosed with caffeine, and to work. Moreover, I am always on time, even early. It's exhausting, but when it really matters, I can usually push myself to function at a level that surpasses my default mode.
I don't think I fit neatly into any of these "functioning level" boxes. I suppose I'm one of those samplers containing small quantities of a variety of dishes, some mild and some extra spicy. Who's hungry?

Maybe you're the poppadum starter with the m-chutney, raita and hot dip selection. By the looks of your post you are someone that just plain gets on with the most important things. Maybe you could ask someone, perhaps a neighbour, to give you a hand with organizing your apartment in exchange for a case of beers. You remind me of my former housemate, he made me look organized

If you look at things, aspergers in itself is a mild form of autism. Then theres mild aspergers and we dont actually know how many people with mild aspergers make up the overall spectrum. I was just thinking that people like to think of themselves as mild for some reason even if there not. Or some NTs with social difficulties came here wondering if they were aspies and now think there undiagnosed aspies. Being that Ive met very few aspies in my life its hard for me to gauge.

I would suspect that I was on the milder end of the spectrum because I go to school 2000 miles away from home so I dont have my parents to readily turn to, I have almost no sensory issues, or motor problems, I taught myself majority of the social skills I know in the last 4-5yrs from lots of observations, trial and error and advice from various people. I come across as normal yet I still have issues connecting to people which is where the aspieness comes in.

I have high functioning autism. More moderate 10 years ago. I don't drive, live at home, don't work, hate supermarkets, really hate being around people and prefer my imagination land. Oh yeah, really really really hate a change in my routine. Change bad.

One thing that confuses me is the lack of people saying they have average Asperger's. It's either mild, moderate or severe. Mild sounds like their symptoms don't bother them much. Moderate sounds like a more serious case and severe sounds like they barely function at all, for someone with AS. Maybe I'm just interpreting the labels wrong. I think it would be better if people that were textbook AS say they were average. I suppose it's a bit of a broad word, far too broad for the detail orientated spectrum.