Some aspies have it harder than others?
mr_bigmouth_502
Veteran
Joined: 12 Dec 2013
Age: 31
Gender: Non-binary
Posts: 7,028
Location: Alberta, Canada
It's not just aspies, some people have it harder than others. Some people are trust fund babies with rich parents who can seemingly get away with being as irresponsible as they please, while others can't seem to catch a break no matter how hard they try, just because they happened to be born into terrible circumstances.
How well off am I? Well, I do have some difficulties, but I am fortunate to have been born in one of the world's best countries, to a family that isn't below the poverty line. I have food, shelter, and even Internet access. A lot of people would envy me for what I have, when even I know there are others out there who have more than I do.
I mean, sure, sometimes I b***h and complain about things, but most of the issues I have in my life are piecemeal compared to what some people put up with every day. I don't have to worry about getting shot when I walk out my front door, for one thing. I also don't have to worry about where my next meal is coming from, or if I'll be able to get medical attention if I fall ill, or if I'll freeze to death because I don't have a place to stay.
I know, I went off in a completely different direction than what the OP probably intended, but this is just how I see things.
I do have some of the typical sensory things, sound sensitivity and balance being the worst - and a certain tendency to repetitive activity. My eye contact is a bitweak/fleeting, but I´m not in any way shy and I can talk to strangers very easily (it is the easiest, isn´t it?) I can talk to a congregation, if anyone would like.
Socially I´m good under four eyes, but from there, I tend to miss cues and jokes, and at last I get tired and miss the whole thread.
Apart from specialisation in music, I have a broad range of interests, am good at sucking up knowledge and can talk about a variety of subjects.
Other typical things: I can´t multitask or perform fast shifts. That´s what´s been bothering employers.
I don´t automatically bow to authorities, which irritates some.
It takes people a bit of time to discover these things about me,- so all in all, I seem to have fairly mild aspie traits,to the eccentric side.
I still got sacked because of them, though.
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Femaline
Special Interest: Beethoven
Of course. If you met one aspie you met one aspie. Noone is the same.
Personally I have sensory issues, routine that I hate to change, problems with planning and I spent too much time on my interests. I can ignore social life and pass of time for whole months without being aware of it, focusing on one thing day after day. And while I seem to have partial ability to read social cues I fail to do so most of the time anyway because I don't focus enough. Actually I can forget about other people presence when I don't pay conscious attention to them.
Yet I don't have issues related to social anxiety(except stage fright - which is the problem of 80% people in the world apparently so not a big deal) and I can be pretty outgoing when I am in a social situation. Getting into one is a problem - because I hate changing my routine and I have trouble with planning. But when I am already in one I have fun. I come off as awkward (especially my "sticking" to one topic when others want to move on really stands out) but I don't really care.
I know when to make eye contact. I understand idioms and sarcasm (although less common figurative language gets me confused at times). I can smile and laugh in right moments(although my expressions seem to be exaggerated). I usually know what to say. And I don't avoid people. In fact I can come to random strangers and start conversations if I am getting bored when waiting for a bus etc.
But I won't remember much about the people I talked with. I talk "at" people more than "with" them.
1. My wife is irritated with me all the time.
2. People think I'm weird--a few avoid me.
3. Sometimes, I say the wrong thing at the wrong time.
4. I have a hard time incorporating myself into a group discussion.
5. I have mild sensory problems.
6. I can't do two things at once.
7. I suck at cleaning my house
8. If somebody is into the "social graces," I tend not to get along with them--even though I'm not really a slob.
9. Otherwise, for an Aspie, I don't really have a hard time at all.
Sweetleaf
Veteran
Joined: 6 Jan 2011
Age: 34
Gender: Female
Posts: 34,896
Location: Somewhere in Colorado
I am so terrible at initiating interaction when I was a kid if I had a question for the teacher like outside of a class discussion. I'd just go up to them and wait till they asked me what I wanted because I couldn't say 'Mrs/Mr whatever their name or even teacher' to get their attention. So yeah i certainly didn't go out of my way to interact with other kids because I couldn't make myself initiate interactions unless they where friends, or if someone starts talking to me though I can miss that if there's a lot of chaos...I remember in my teen years I thought it was just anxiety, after I got diagnosed with that, but no anxiety coping techniques or attempts at changing thinking about it worked. It is still very difficult...except in contexts where its what your supposed to do, like when I go up to a cash register or something, I still kind of prefer when there is a self pay system though.
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We won't go back.
I have just been diagnosed with aspergers and the one thing i noticed is that it made sense. I have always had social anxiety, no eye contact, mutism, sensitivity, some speech and i really have a hard time reading other people also following along with conversations. People always passed me offas just being quiet and shy which is what i always thought at 34. I guess it can be eeasily misdiagnosed.